Serial - Suddenly Daddy Part 33

As if there was a choice.  

As you steer your lumbering truck into the right hand lane you can hear the saleswoman's voice in your head.  “Be reckless.  Be crazy.”  This certainly wasn't what she was talking about but it is what was happening.  You wouldn't be fired for not getting through your route, but your boss sure as hell wouldn't be happy either.  Sometimes though, a man has to do what a man has to do.  You weren't honestly sure what you were going to do once you got there but you knew you wanted to be there for Jeremy in case things took a bad turn.

As you push your rig as fast as you could safely manage toward Claire's you are cognizant of the fact that you were far more upset than what was reasonable.  Roger wanted to talk to his own kids, surely that wasn't too weird.  But you didn't like it.  You had to repeatedly force yourself to settle down and try to think calmly.  Yet the next moment you would be thinking about Jeremy's tears as he told you the venomous words Roger had said to him.  The hurtful words the festered within the poor boy.  How his own biological father had told him that he would be alone and unloved simply for the way he dressed.  You clench your jaw.  Your emotions swung wildly back and forth.

“Calm down Ted.”  You say to yourself.  “Just calm down.”

You'd show up, you'd show your support, and you'd show Roger out the fucking door.  You couldn't wait to get your hands on this son of a bitch.  You grip the wheel even harder than you had been.  It had been a couple years since you'd been in a fight, but you were well ready for one now.  

You shake your head.  No, Ted, no.  If you were going to be “Daddy”, if you were going to be a role model for these kids, you had to keep your head about you.

It feels like an eternity before you are turning the corner into the street, though it was only about ten or fifteen minutes.  You pull your truck to the side as best you cold manage, leaving a lane and a half left for traffic to get by.  You throw on your four ways and jump out of the cab.

You are speed walking as you hurry up the sidewalk.  Your heart was pounding in your chest. You remind yourself to stay calm and stay controlled.  You power up the now familiar stairs two at a time.  As you get to the door and reach for the handle you pause.  You could hear a raised voice on the other side of the door.  It was an unfamiliar male voice.

“...don't care what plans you've got.  I didn't pay alimony all those years to hear this shit!  An hour, that's all I'm asking.  It needs to be both of you.  Show up, smile pretty for the camera, look like happy well adjusted kids, and then I don't care what you do.  I'm sure this Ted guy will understand.”  The voice bellows.  “And for the love of god Jeremy, don't show up looking like that!  Dress like a fucking man you little sissy!  You can be a faggot on your own time, but not...”

You step through door.

You startle all three of the blondes in the living room.  In front of you was a small slim man, roughly your age, in a very nice looking suit and tie.  On his label was an American flag pin and a little button that said 'Vote!'.  He had is back to you initially but had now spun around to see who this was walking in on him and his progeny.  Poppy was on the couch in baggy home clothes, her elbow was on the armrest and her chin resting in her hand as her bloodshot eyes turned to you.  Jeremy was standing just a few feet from Roger, facing him.  He was wearing an tight pink t shirt and white booty shorts, his hair was back in a ponytail though those two cute ribbons of bangs remained free to frame his pretty face.  He had an angry look in his eye, he had obviously been standing up to his real Dad, and tears were streaming down his face.  At the sight of his tears you see red.

“Ted!?”  Poppy exclaims.

“Dad?”  Jeremy echoes.

Roger gives his son a strange backward glance at his saying that, then looks back to you.

Your eyes were locked on Roger's with a burning intensity.  Through gritted teeth you say.  “Hi Roger, I'm Ted.  Why don't we step outside and discuss a few things?”  Your fists are clench at your sides.

Roger picks up the vibe instantly.  He could see the violent intention in your pose and expression.  His bluster and anger he'd had with his children vanishes in an instant.  Seeing your seething rage he puts up his hands in a 'calm down' sort of gesture.  You could see the fear in his eyes.

“Woah, woah, woah!”  He says hurriedly.  “You're Ted?  I'm Roger.  I'm Claire's ex and the kids father.”

“I know who you are.”  You growl.  “Let's go talk outside Roger.”  You suggest once more.  Your tone letting him know that talking was the last thing on your mind.

He backs away from you a step, keeping his hands up in front of him.  You could now see his fight or flight kicking in.  His eyes start darting toward the door behind you.  He didn't know why you were so angry but it was obvious you were.  “Now hold on a minute.  Do you know who I am?”

“Nope, don't give a shit.”  You say.  “Kids.  Why don't you leave Roger and I alone for a couple of minutes?”

Your eyes move momentarily to Jeremy.  The loving hero worship you'd seen in him in the previous few days was there, and more expressive than ever.  He was practically swooning at you being there right now and facing down Roger.  You give him a little nod and say in a much more gentle voice.  “Go to the kitchen my boy.  You don't need to see this.”

He smiles and nods.  “Yes sir.”  He takes a half a step toward you before slowly turning and making his way toward the kitchen.

“Sir?”  Roger wonders.

Poppy for her part had perked right up.  This looked to be high entertainment for her.  She sat straight up on the couch watching this like it was the WWE.

“Poppy?”  You say.

“No fucking way!”  She smiles.  “I wouldn't miss this for the world!”

Roger is now pointing at you.  He had found his spine once more.  “Listen up garbage man, I don't know what the fuck you THINK you're about to do but I'll have you know I know the head of sanitation, your boss!  I know the chief justice!  I'll sue!  I can fucking ruin you!”

You shake your head.  “Do what you gotta do, bitch...I've got a good lawyer.”  You take two steps toward him, forcing him to take another backward step.  You knew you shouldn't do what you were about to...but you were fucking doing it.

“Fuck yeah!”  Poppy, surprisingly, cheers you on.

Roger puts his hands down and stands tall.  “You touch me and I'm calling the cops.”  He pulls his phone out from his pocket.

“Put your hands up you piece of shit.”  You hiss.  “You're all concerned with what a 'real man' is, well let's see it.  Fight like fucking man!”

There is a long moment of silence, you could see a light dawn in his blue eyes.  Damn, he did look a lot like the kids.  You stand ready, hoping beyond hope that he'd throw the first punch.  He had zero interest in that.  The tension builds.  “Oh for fuck sake, I'm calling the cops.”  He starts to dial, trying to back away as you closed in on him.

Poppy clears her throat.  “I don't think so Roger.  You go to the cops...and I go to the media.”

Roger's eyes snap wide in terror, suddenly all of his attention was on Poppy.  Whatever she was threatening him with was far more scary than what you were.  “Poppy...I...I...I don't know what you mean.”  His nervous eyes glance your way once more, then back toward his daughter.  “You wouldn't fucking dare!”

“Oh yes I would.  Did you really think you could buy my silence you pathetic little man?  I'm sure what I had to say wouldn't help you election campaign, would it...Roger?”  She laughs, though there was no humor to it.  “You better get your hands up Roger.  I think my Daddy's about to whoop your ass.”  You and Poppy's eyes meet briefly.  Her expression told you that she was one hundred percent on your side.  “Beat him up Daddy.”  She urges you.

Of all things an old line from Married with Children pops into your head.  “Of course Pumpkin.”

Roger holds up his hands once more as you close in the last step.  “Now wait just a damn...”

Thoomp!  Thwack!

Your first blow doubles him over with as you bury your left mitt into his gut.  Your other heavy fist comes down and makes perfect contact across his narrow jaw.  He goes down in a heap.  This pissed you off to no end, you wanted a fight god damnit!

“Get up!  Get on your feet!  Get the fuck up!”  You wave him toward you.  “Come on Roger.  Be a fucking real man!”

He cowers on the ground, his hands up and shielding his face.  “Stop!  Fuck!”  He moans as he doubles over.  “Ugngnh.”

Poppy sneers.  “Can't get up Roger?  Not surprised.  Come on, get up Roger.  You can't go down like a bitch in front of your own daughter can you?  You fight like a sissy little bitch.  All those big words and look at you now, now when it really counts.  God, you are so disappointing.”

You slowly look over toward Poppy.  Her face is mask of anger as she looked at her father with utter disgust and derision.

He grunts.  “Shut up...ungh...Poppy!”

“No, you shut up Roger!  Come on, show Ted how big and strong you are.”  Her voice trembles.  “Why don't you tell Ted he's a sissy or a fuckboy or a...whore or a slut or a horrible daughter.  Tell him what a disappointment he is.  Come on Roger, you always have just the right word for the occasion.”  She had wavered, nearing tears, but she was back in control once more.  She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

You grab him by his collar and lift him up off the ground.  You were about to throw another right hook into his gut but Poppy was up and walking toward you...no toward Roger.  Grabbing him by the arms you turn him around to face her, holding the struggling but much smaller man against his will.  Without a second's hesitation she slaps him hard across the face.

Smack!

“My brother and I don't want you here anymore.  You hear me?  Don't ever come back!”  She yells that last part.  “We don't ever want to see you again!”  He is quiet, literally beaten into silence.

You grab him by the belt and collar, leading him toward the front door like a bouncer might a rowdy customer.  “You heard the girl Roger.  You're done here.”

You open the front door and, like any other sack of trash you had to deal with on a daily basis, you toss him.  He lands with a meaty thud hard on his shoulder then rolls down concrete stairs.  He grunts and yowls the whole way down.  Poppy, only a few steps behind you, tosses his phone out after him.  You watch as it shatters against the sidewalk.

You slam the door in front of you and dust your hands.

Poppy is quiet for a long time before she finally quips.  “Well shit...there goes that allowance.”  She then giggles and jumps at you, throwing her arms around you.  “Oh my god, you have no idea how long I've wanted to see that!”  She kisses your cheek and smiles brightly.  “You are my hero...Daddy.”

Jeremy was streaking from the kitchen toward you, he joins his sister in the embrace.  “Are you okay Dad?  Sorry I was peaking, I saw what happened.  That was...wow!”

You grin and hug them tight.  You look down at their young smiling faces.  “Hey, you two okay?”

“We're okay.”  They say together.

You blush in embarrassment.  “Now...that really isn't how you should deal with things kids.  I kind of...lost my temper there.”

“That's okay.”  Jeremy nuzzles into your chest.  “You were protecting your family.”  You hold him close and stroke his hair.  Kissing his head tenderly.  He adds dreamily.  “You were protecting your boy.”

You whisper to him.  “Let your man look after you.”  You both laugh lightly and share a soft kiss.

Poppy watches you and her happy brother.  You see understanding dawn in her blue eyes.  She takes a step away.  “I'm...just going to go lie down.”  She strokes your arm.  “Um...I think maybe...god, this is a mistake...I think I'd like to come to the cabin after all.  I'd like to come on the family trip.  If I'm still welcome.”

You nod.  “Of course you are Poppy.”  You glance over your shoulder.  “Assuming I don't get arrested, we're leaving tonight after work.”

She nods.  “He won't call the cops, don't worry.”  You had so many questions about that, but she would share when she was comfortable.  “Thank you Daddy.”  She leans up on her tip toes and kisses your cheek once more.

She then makes her way upstairs.  Leaving you and Jeremy in each other's loving arms.