THREE | HOME SWEET HOME

   "Seven! Is that you?!" He heard his mother's voice coming from the kitchen. A beautiful aroma of freshly cooked vegetables and chicken filled the house, but he wasn't focused on his hunger. He was mainly heartbroken that Remi treated him like she did. Out of all the fights he's been in, no punch or bullet hurted more than that.

   "Yeah, ma! It's me!"

   She hurried out of the kitchen, dressed in her sweats and pink house slippers, a stirring spoon in her left hand.

   "There's my big boy!" He bent down so that she could squeeze his cheeks. "You haven't been eating well, look at you. You're scrawny."

   "Ma. I'm fine."

   "No, no, no." She shook her head and led him to the dining room. "Sit dowm and let me feed you. You need a nice, warm meal. Now sit, dinner will be ready in a few moments."

She pushed him down into a seat across from his father who was sitting, reading a book. He hadn't lifted his head to aknowledge his son at all. He knew that he was there, but he refused to pay Seven any attention.

   "Hey pops," He spoke first.

He looked up from his book only for a split second and his eyes rested on the book again. "Um... I... I'm glad to see you again."

The clanging of dishes was the only noise to be heard throughout the whole house. The young man sighed and backed away from the table when he realized that his father wouldn't be talking to him any time soon.

   "Sit up, Seven." His mom said as she placed a bowl of soup in front of both men. He put down his book to eat. Seven watched as he grabbed his spoon and slurped from it. The woman finished setting up the table and once she was finished she took her place at the head of the table. "So, now that you're out of jail, what are your plans?" Mom asks as she picked up her chopsticks.

   "Nothing really," Their son shrugged and picked up his spoon. "I don't really have any plans. I just want to focus on getting back on my feet." 

   "Well, I found a job for you. Not too many hours, it's at the nearby grocery store and they pay a good amount of money--"

   "Ma."

   "What?"

   "I can find my own job."

   "But, this job is perfect for you."

   "Eomma! Please stop. I'll look for a job first thing tomorrow morning."

   "Alright, if you insist."

It was quiet again. He thought of something that'd start conversation. But, she beat him to it as always. "Your friend, Remi? She's getting married in a few days. Tell me Seven, when are you going to settle down and get married?"

   "Ma. Can you please stop talking me about that stuff. I don't even have a stable job."

   "I just want some grandkids."

   "He can't even catch a job. What makes you think he can catch a girl?" His father blurted causing both he and his mother's heads toward him.

He couldn't even greet me, but that's the first thing he says? Seven thought.

   "Pops, Is that the only thing you can say about me? You didn't even welcome me in. I said hi and you didn't say anything back."

   "I don't have to say anything to you. This is my house. You're lucky that I'm even letting you stay here."

   "Honey! That's not called for!" His mother intervened.

    "Well, it's true!" He looked across the table at his only son with disgust in his eyes and he knew how it was going to be between the both of them from then on.

   Irritated, he got up from his seat and headed for the stairs. He ignored his mother's voice, telling him to come back and sit.

   "Seven, come back here." His mother stood from the table and walked over to the staircase. "Come back and sit back down with your father and I. Don't just walk away like that." 

   "Eomma, just let me head to my room. I've already had a tough day. What else do you want me to do?" I shrugged. "I can't keep putting up with him. It'll be best if I just say out of his way and he stays out of mine." 

   "Don't talk to your father like that."

   "He thinks he can talk to me any kind of way so why can't I?" He replied frustrated.

   "That is your father! He was kind enough to let you stay with us--" 

   "He didn't want me here. Ma!" He exclaimed. "He didn't care if I was out on the street again. He did not care! You practically had to beg him to let me stay, and I'm supposed to be grateful that he decided to tolerate me until he kicks me out in the future?"

   "Seven!" She called as he walked up the steps. "Come apologize to your father!" He walks away as she yells for him. He walked to where his childhood room was at the end of the hallway. After all of those years, it still remained the same. He was surprised that his mother hadn't turned it into a knitting or yoga room or that his father didn't turn it into an office. 

He sat on his bed and looked around. Was this really how his life would be from now on? Remi pushed him away and so had his parents, the people who were supposed to support him. He would have never though that it would all become like this. He remembered how Remi looked so frightened when he went to see her today. 

He saw the fear in her pretty brown eyes, he remembered how those same eyes were always so happy to see him. Now it made him feel like a monster or like an extra terrestrial. He would never hurt her or even try so he wondered what he had done to make her react in such a way. He laid back and looked up at his blank white ceiling.

He wished that it didn't have to be this way.