Chapter 4 - Confronting Steve
958 Words
Steve reached for the door handle, climbed in, and slammed the door shut. Kat and Scott took their seats in the car. Steve sped off, seething, and now ready to confront the two young teenagers.
Halfway down the dark tree lined road, Steve exploded pointing at Kat aggressively.
“Just what the hell do you think you were doing!” he shouted. “When I say ‘no drinking’ I mean it!”
Kat stared coolly back at him. Her eyes blinked and her lips were pulled tightly together.
The car fell to a deafening silence. Kat folded her arms defiantly and stared at the intermittent streetlights. How did he have the nerve to be angry at her? She was mad at him! He left completely alone in the social system for three months. That far outweighed the ‘possibility of getting in trouble’ by drinking.
“You know what the hell happened the last time you drank at a party! You’re both lucky I even let you go out!” Steve continued. He gritted his teeth then pounded his fist on the dashboard.
“Did you even stop to think about what might happen if the cops showed up again? You want to go back to a foster home? Is that it? Because you know if you go back into a foster home, it could be a really long time before you come back out again. If you even get to come home! I could lose permanent custody of both of you!” Steve shouted angrily.
Steve pulled into their concrete driveway riddled with cracks. With folded arms, Kat darted out the car for the front door, with Scott following at her heels. When Kat felt strong fingers wrap her arm and bring her to a halt. Scott skirted by her, slipping into the house.
“What do you care anyway?” Kat shouted, lunging forward on one front, jabbing her finger in Steve's direction. He towered over her by a foot. He gave her a stern look.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Steve asked. Obviously floored by her comment. “Of course I care! Do you know how hard I had to work to get you guys back?”
“You left me there for three months!” Kat cried. Her face burned. She held up three fingers to ensure he understood not one month, but three. She had so much pended up anger and finally got to unleash it.
“Kat, I had to wait for the hearing,” Steve explained. “It was a long process. There wasn't anything I could do. Believe me! I wanted the two of you back home!” His face turned a bright red.
Not only did he leave her, but he didn’t even talk to her about it, completely ignoring her. A grueling battle raged inside, between her love for her big brother and her anger over his betrayal.
Kat crossed her arms in front of her chest and narrowed her eyes.
“I don't believe you, Steve! I wouldn't have been there for three whole months, if you really cared about me. You could have found some way to get us out if you really wanted to. That's what Dad would have done.”
The moment the words fell from his lips Kat knew she had gone too far.
Steve straightened up and went silent. The color drained from Steve's face. His eyes fell soft, void of anger. She saw his anger turn to something else. Hurt. She had hurt him.
He turned away from her walked to his car. He slid into his car seat and drove off, leaving the them behind.
~//~
Kat walked into the house. Sean, Dave, and Scott were scattered around the living room.
“What the hell Kat. Christ, he left college to be a f*****g janitor for Boeing just to get you home.” Scott scolded.
“Scott stop.” Sean defused, throwing out his hand to stop the argument before it escalated. “Look, Kat you've got to be easier on him,” Sean insisted. “He really does care about you. He did everything that he could to bring you and Scott home. He kept calling Mom. He got her to give him custody just to get you two home quicker. He gave up everything for you two.”
“I didn't know.” Kat murmured. She felt a heaviness settle into her bones. She'd been harboring so much anger and resentment towards Steve. Sean was right, Steve didn’t deserve it. Down deep she knew it was her mom’s fault. Even Sean was more to blame, he was the one who had the parties. Steve was as much a victim as she was.
“Yeah, he was in pretty rough shape. It really wore on him. He drank all the time. He was pretty tore up about you two being gone.” Dave interjected.
Sean added, “You really need to apologize to him, Kat,” he said. “After everything that he went through to bring you two home, after everything he sacrificed, you can't blame on him for anything”
“Alright.” she whispered with embarrassment. Kat nodded. She felt a hollowness in her chest as she rewound her spiteful words. She had made such a huge mistake. She was really mean to him and he didn’t deserve it. Any of it. She would apologize as soon as he came home.
“It’s ok, just get him when he comes in the door.” Sean gave her a quick hug, then dropped on the sofa beside Dave.
- Writer
