TWIST OF FATE

Pee! Pee!! A sudden movement erupted in my stomach, the room immediately felt dense and quiet. Mum stood up and left for the kitchen, Big sis followed, Israel brought out his books and pretended to be reading after he has switched off the TV in a flicker.
That was the horn of Dad's car! The only noise that can activate the hidden Multiple Personality in us and make us all Serious and Responsible people, The only noise that can turn the color in the house to just monochrome, the noise that makes everyone cold!

I rushed out and opened the gate, while he drove in.

"Why did you keep me waiting?" He said in an unusual calm tone.

"I was .........." But I was interrupted.

"All you do is eat and keep being useless. You are just worthless, at least be a good gateman!!" He said as he walked inside tossing me the car keys to bring in his luggages. I wasn't too hurt, I was used to all his verbal abuses. I know I am useless, I shouldn't have wasted much time in searching for my slippers.
I took his bag inside, then fetched a bucket of water so I could wash the car (Port Harcourt Roads are terrible). While scrubbing and removing the hardend mud round the car edges, I heard the breaking of objects then an sharp earth splitting scream. Mum's scream! He's at it again
I dashed into the house with rage burning in my veins.

"Get your filthy hands off my mother." I yelled as I shoved him off my mother. The backside of my Dad's hand landed square on my jaw, and that was it. Twenty-one years of resentment was unleashed, fueled by the sight of my mum sprawling on the ground. My right hook split open the skin beneath his eye and blood streamed down his cheek. Stunned, my Dad wiped the blood with the back of his hand as he looked at it. Then like a Bull let out the pen, he charged at me and slammed me into the living room wall. A framed picture of Jesus crashed to The floor and shattered.
I pushed him off me as I brought my knee to his face, splitting his nose.

My mum's scream could be heard all over the house. My Dad headed defeated to his room as I consoled my mum who was still on the floor, she could barely move.
Moments later, some Policemen stormed in as my Dad got out of the room. His face grossed in blood.

"Take him!" He ordered the policemen. One of the policemen went over to my mum and squatted next to her.

"What exactly happened here?"

I looked up at my Dad. "He hit her, that's what he does."

"You hit her!" Dad shouted.

Stunned, I broke free from the hands holding me as I charged at him, only to be held back in place by the policeman.

"You Liar!"

The policeman looked at my mum.

"Ma'am, can you tell who hit you?"

Mum looked from me to her husband, and then back to me again. Her eyes were glassy and bloodshot. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Before it even happened, I knew what was coming. No one had my mum's loyalty like my Dad did.

With a shaky hand, she pointed a finger at me... Her son!