Brady sat in the living room waiting for his dad to come home. Dena was out shopping, which is how Brady wanted it. He wanted to deal with his dad on his own. He knew his conscience should be bothering him. He went back and forth in his mind as to the right and wrong of what he had done to his dad the night before. If John had just stood up to him. If he'd just done something to evoke some kind of respect from him. "FUCK IT!" Brady yelled out as he sat alone in the house. The roller coaster in his conscience came to a screeching halt. "I'm not feeling guilty about anything anymore. I don't care how this plays out." He spoke to no one but himself. "I've got her. I'm keeping her. To hell with him!"
Brady was waking up to the reality of what his dad was like. Growing up he had this picture in his mind of what he was like. Very little of it was reality. He wasn't sure if it was because he'd been protected from the reality of what he was like, or if he had just ignored it all those years, not wanting to deal with it back then. Either way, he saw things the way they were now. He wondered if his brothers had seen it all those years. Him being away for the past twelve years or so just delayed having to deal with it sooner. Maybe they'd already dealt with it in their own way. He'd have to give each of them a call.
John drove home not knowing what to expect. He'd left for the office that morning before Brady or Dena were up. He hated confrontation. Hated it! He usually did everything he could to avoid it. He thought about just walking in the house, gathering up what things he needed and going to the local Comfort Inn & Suites for a few nights. Or at least until he had to leave for his Phoenix trip. He knew Sue would be more than happy to join him.
John walked into the house through the back door. He couldn't remember the last time he'd used the front door. Brady was standing at the kitchen counter pouring himself another cup of coffee. The two men stared at each other for that awkward moment until Brady spoke up, knowing his dad wouldn't. "We need to talk."
John started walking away, avoiding eye contact. "There's nothing to talk about."
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Brady yelled as he set his cup of coffee down on the counter. "With all that happened last night, and that's all you can say, 'there's nothing to talk about.'" John stopped and just stared at Brady, not knowing what to say. "What the hell happened to you? Where did my dad go?"
"What you see is what you get."
"That's it?! That's all you've got to say? I just fucked your wife in front of you last night, and that's it?"
"That whore hasn't been my wife for years. You're welcome to her."
Brady bristled at his words, even though he knew they were true. "You're right! Mom is a whore! But she's my whore now. So be careful what you say about her."
Once again, instead of standing up to Brady, John backed down. "Sorry."
"So now what? You want us out of here?"
"I don't know. I should throw you both out. But I . . ." John couldn't bring himself to admit how much he enjoyed the night before.
Brady knew. "You got off on watching last night, didn't you?"
John looked down breaking eye contact. "Yes!"
"What about it turned you on?" Brady had an idea of what his kink was, but he wanted to hear his dad verbalize it. John wouldn't answer the question. "I asked you a question!" He almost shouted.
John knew he should tell him it was none of his damn business. But he couldn't bring himself to stand up to his own son. "I guess it was a little of everything. Just watching you take her. The noises she made. The way you dominated her. The things she said to me."
"OK! One last question. Are you gay?"
John thought for a minute. "I don't think so. Although I have wondered sometimes what it would be like."
Brady sat quietly. "We'll talk more later. Mom and I will be back later." He grabbed his coat and walked out, not saying another word.
Brady met Dena for dinner so he could fill her in on what had been discussed and what he had planned. Brady nursed a cup of coffee as they waited for their meals. "I had no idea how weak dad is. He could barely look at me as we talked. He couldn't even bring himself to kick us out." He paused. "So I'm going to take control of this situation."
"What are you going to do?"
"You'll see."
Dena reached across the table and took his hand. For the first time in her life she had a man she felt safe enough to open up to and bare her soul to. "I was really scared this afternoon as I tried to get some shopping done. But I'm not scared anymore."
"What were you scared of?"
"I guess I had gotten so used to the way we were living, I had become comfortable with it. All that's changing now. I was afraid of the unknown. Where all this was heading. Where we would go. Having my comfortable fucked up world changed. All of it."
Brady squeezed her hand smiling at her. "But you're not scared anymore?"
"No baby. Not when I'm with you."
"Good. I won't tolerate you living in fear with me. You belong to me. And I'm not just talking physically. I mean in every way. So if there's ever anything that makes you fearful I want to know about it. Understood?"
Dena smiled. "I understand. Do you know how bad I want you right now?"
Brady laughed. "Hold onto that thought. You'll be taking care of me later when we get home."
