Knocking Some Sense Into Them

The atmosphere at home hit an all-time low after Juliet turned thirteen. She came back from school one day and told Val that she had broken into her classroom during break time and gone through the kids' school records that were on the teacher's desk. She had found her records and read them. The records stated that I had adopted her, and so Juliet wanted Val to tell her if that was true. She also wanted to know whether Val was really her mother or whether she had adopted her too. Juliet kicked up a right hullabaloo. Val tried to comfort her, but Juliet kept saying that she'd always known there was something wrong. She said that I picked on her and that it was obvious that I only loved Carol and Patrick. When I got back home from work there was all this yelling and screaming going on in the kitchen.

I'm knackered after a day at the fire station, especially after having worked a double shift. All I wanted was to come home and have a bit of peace and quiet. I wanted to eat my dinner and go to bed. But when I got in, I find Carol's crying, Patrick's crying, and Val and Juliet are at each other's throats. I thought we'd been robbed. I just couldn't imagine what all the commotion was about. Anyway, there's no fucking dinner cooked, and I'm bloody well starving. Once I got some sense out of Val and learned what had happened, I belted Juliet around the head. She then started getting all cocky with me, giving me the two fingers and saying that I'm not her father and can't lay a finger on her, or tell her what to do.

"I wish you'd never adopted me," she screamed, "I should have gone to strangers like Susan. I bet Susan is happy and having a wonderful life."

Well, I just snapped. I was ready to tear her apart. Val tried to come in between the two of us, but I shoved her on the floor and then I grabbed Juliet by the hair and threw her across the kitchen. Val leaped up and was beating me with all her might, so I punched her in the face. It wasn't that I hit her so hard really; it was just like knocking a feather out of the way. Mother and daughter lay on the floor sobbing. Blood was gushing from Val's nose. I had broken it. In between sobs she was calling me a bastard.

"Look, I'm tired. Get up and make me my dinner, you stupid cunt." I kicked Val in the stomach. "I'm fucking sick of both of you." I barged out of the kitchen and went into the living room. Patrick was watching the telly but he took one look at me and scurried upstairs. I flopped out on the sofa with the paper. Forty minutes later, Val comes in all sheepish carrying a tray with my dinner on. I snatched the plate of egg and chips and told her to keep out of my way for the rest of the night. I didn't hear a squeak out of anyone for a few days, and Juliet steered clear of me for a good while after that.