Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.
The plot thickens! The baby daddy has shown up on Vinnie and Ethan's doorstep, like a thief in the night! What's up with that? How will this go over with Ethan, his one-time best friend? See what's happening in this week's chapter of Rose and Thorne. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them! Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!
James was as blond as his son, and not bad looking,
although nowhere near as attractive as Ethan. Little Alex had good genes on
both sides, apparently. But of course looks weren’t everything, and Ethan had a
generous, kind, loving heart, while this was the man who’d run out on his
pregnant girlfriend. ‘Nuff said.
“Nice to see you too,” came the sarcastic reply to
Ethan’s question. Well, this wasn’t starting out well, was it? Was I going to
have to get between these two before they got into an altercation of some kind?
I knew Ethan was not a violent man, but when it came to those he loved, such as
me and his sister, he could be, when provoked. Of course, there was Sarah’s son
to consider. Ethan would never place him in the line of fire. There was no
telling what the child’s father might or might not do.
“I’m sorry, were you expecting the Welcome Wagon?”
Ethan’s voice was pitched low, probably in deference to the child in James’
arms, but his tone was certainly laced with venom. How long had he been holding
that back? For more than three years, by my reckoning. I was becoming more and
more apprehensive that a major battle was in the offing.
“Guys…” Sarah held up a warning hand. A sudden yip
answered another question I’d wondered about. Namely, where was our faithful
watchdog while our home had been unexpectedly invaded by a stranger? I glanced
down to find that Benny had strolled out from the same bedroom where all the
action apparently was going on this evening and he’d parked himself in front of
Ethan, as if demanding attention from his daddy. Who was going to tell him this
was not a good time?
“I guess I was hoping that somewhere in in the back
of that normally warm and generous heart
of yours there was even a small part of you that would be happy to see your best
friend,” James continued in a cold voice that belied whatever sentiment he
intended to convey through his words. I could have told him that wasn’t going
to get him anywhere, but then no one had asked for my opinion and I didn’t feel
comfortable offering it.
“Best friend?
Best friend? Seriously? You are unbelievable.” Ethan snorted. “You
disappear from our lives, no, not just our
lives, but the life of your unborn child. Your baby. Your son. Not one
word, never a word in three goddamn years. From you or your parents. Not a
penny of support, much less anything else. Not a single sign of wanting to get
to know your own child. And yet, for some reason, you think you’re entitled to
show up unexpectedly on my doorstep, and
you think should be welcomed home like the prodigal son. After what you did to
Sarah and Alex? You are not my best
friend in this or any other universe.”
I noticed that as Ethan spoke, he was slowly advancing
toward James in a somewhat menacing manner I found alarming. Ethan angry was
not someone I normally had to deal with, and usually any anger was directed
toward the criminal element we had to deal with within the scope of our jobs. I wasn’t sure how well I could handle this
Ethan or keep him from doing something irrevocable… such as murder. I laid what
I hoped to be a soothing hand on his arm, at the same time turning toward Uncle
Benny with what I hoped was a mute appeal for assistance.
Luckily for me, he totally understood.
“This is not a good place for a discussion,” Benny
spoke up. “And surely this little man should be in bed?” He sent a questioning
look toward Sarah, as if seeking her support, but I found her response somewhat
lacking.
“He just wants to see his father.”
I had honestly hoped for better from her.
“His father?” Ethan echoed. “I’ve been more of a
father to Alex than James has ever been. He’s nothing more than a sperm donor.
Beyond that, he’s a complete stranger in his own son’s life. Sarah, why is he
even here?” I could hear the pain in Ethan’s voice and it was killing me. I had
to at least try to make the situation better.
“Why don’t we take this discussion into the living
room?” I suggested. I hoped that once we were out of this narrow, enclosed
hallway, Ethan would be less likely to pounce on James and beat the tar out of
him. We could keep them on opposite sides of the room, at a safer distance.
Yelling but not striking distance.
“Who the hell are you?” James turned and glared
daggers at me.
I guess I’d assumed Sarah would have told James
about me and Ethan, considering this was our home they’d decided to hang out in—behind
our backs, I might add—but I guess that never happened. Which begs the question
of why come here in the first place? Something wasn’t adding up.
“Don’t talk to my fiancé like that.” Ethan’s tone was
even more menacing and I couldn’t help but notice he’d balled his hands into
fists. I knew he wouldn’t do anything to endanger Alex, but I was still worried
about what might happen.
James’ blue eyes widened suddenly as he looked back
and forth between me and Ethan. Then his gaze shifted to Sarah. “You didn’t
tell me Ethan became a fa—”
Acting on pure instinct, I snatched Alex from James’
grasp and handed him off to Sarah before pivoting back toward James in the same
fluid motion, my first connecting with his nose with a loud but satisfying
crunch.
“Got anything else to say, motherfucker?” I dared
him to speak.
to be continued
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