Father left after discovering Mothers affair with a coworker. A terrible row erupted at home.
Dad walked out when he learned about Mums fling with a colleague. The house trembled with shouting.
“What do you expect? Im always alone! Youre at work day and night. Im a womanI need attention!”
“And whatll you say when I have that Romeo of yours locked up, eh? A word from me, and hes inside. Fancy that?” Dads voice was ice-cold. He was a police officer.
“You wouldnt dare! You wouldnt dare! You destroyed everything!”
Mum collapsed onto the sofa, sobbing. Dad gathered his few things and headed for the door. I stood between the hallway and living room, ready to throw myself on the floor to stop him. How stupid! Wed always been a happy, tight-knit family. Mum and Dad never argued, laughed at the same jokes. Yes, Dad worked long hours, coming home exhausted, just wanting sleep. But when we were together, everything felt right. How could Mum wreck it all? And would Dad ever forgive her?
“Harry, dont go,” Mum begged, wiping her face. “Forgive me! Dont leave. Simon, why are you just standing there?”
I didnt move. I blocked his path. At twelve, I thought I could stop the end of what I believed was a happy family.
“Simon, move,” Dad said in that stern voicethe one he only used on duty. Never at home.
“Dont leave!” I whispered.
“Let me pass!” The same cold tone.
“Dad what about me?”
He shoved me aside like an object and walked out. I think he hurried away to stop himself doing something madnot just hitting Mum, but worse. His service pistol was on him. His eyes burned with such rage I now realise leaving was the right thing. That day, he became the man who pushed me aside like furniture. And Mumthe one who caused this nightmare.
Romeo, of course, turned out to be a rat and left Mum straight after Dad. She was alone, devastated. Husband gone, lover fled, son blaming her. And me?
I started staying out late, falling in with a bad crowd. At first, it was petty theft, then bolder crimes. We were caught mugging a rich kidthough not for all his cash. His bodyguard nabbed me and Danny. Dad, now head of the Criminal Investigation Department, arrived at the station. Our surnameHarlowwas uncommon, and someone recognised him.
“Come on. Out,” he said flatly.
“Piss off!” I hissed.
He yanked me from the cell.
“What about Danny?” I yelled, struggling.
He shoved me into an interrogation room and slapped me hardtwice. Blood and tears mixed on my face, my hatred for him swelling.
“How old are you?”
“What?”
“Fifteen? Sixteen?”
“Seventeen,” I muttered.
“Congratulations! You dont even know your own sons age!”
“Because hes not mine!” he roared. “I married Caroline already pregnant. Thought shed make a good wife. But she stayed” He used a foul word.
“Then whos my real dad?” I asked, dazed.
He tossed me a tissue and a water bottle. Harry sat across from me, his anger spent.
“Sorry I hit you. Youve let me down badly. Think I dont have my own troubles?”
“Then go sort them,” I mumbled.
“Simon on paper, youre mine. I pay child support, always have. But keep this up, and Ill cut you loose. Let them lock you upwhats it to me?”
“So what now?”
“What now?”
“Am I getting charged?”
He shook his head.
“What about Danny?”
“Dannys got his own dad. Theyve got moneyhell manage. You focus on your life. Fancy prison? Its hell, especially for minorshell squared.”
I didnt want prison. But my life was painevery glance at Mum hurt. So I messed around. I told Harry as much.
“Then choose. Live properlystudy, build a future. Or take the dark path, which usually ends badly. Dont want prison? Change. Youre free.”
I stood to leave. His voice stopped me.
“And dont blame your mum. In divorce, both are at fault. What I said about her was anger. Forget it.”
“Harry Dad, did you love each other? Could you fix things?” I asked hopelessly.
“Forget it, son.”
The gang didnt let me go quietly. A few fights left me bruised, but I got out. Danny got probation thanks to his dad and slipped back into his old ways. I made a choice.
I forgave Mum. Tried my hardest. I wanted to know who my real father was but never asked. No timeschool backlog swallowed my days.
I graduated police college with honours. Now, standing in Dads office under his proud gaze, I understood: life had brought us back together. The past was painful, but choices shape the futurenot blood, not blame. Only what we decide to do next.
