Elisa arrived just a few minutes after Jared came to their house.

She witnessed her younger brother throwing a punch at her husband while her son stood with a bleeding head and a bruised cheek.

"Jamie! Oh my, you're bleeding." She then turned to his brother to get his attention.

"Jared!"

"No one messes with my nephew. No one, especially not you." Jared scoffed at the son of a bitch who was lying on the floor. He deserved it though. Elisa was about to check the boy's head when he flinched and moved back.

"It's alright honey. No one is going to hurt you." Jared spoke gently.

The boy gestured to the carryon that was on the floor. "Stranger  came... I scared...bumped table... He go up... Steal stuff...stopped him."

Elisa and Jared looked at each other.

"Let's go to your room and get that wound checked." Elisa ushered them upstairs.

After patching the boy up Elisa went down and checked on her husband.

Rick was sitting at the dining area holding an ice pack on his bruised cheek. His gaze followed her form.

"Are you aware of your son's condition?" Elisa asked straight to the point.

"Yeah. His faggotry has caused him to become an imbecile."

Elisa felt her blood boil. What kind of father would call his son names. Her husband was a sweet man before. But now she felt that he was a vile creature especially towards her son.

"Jamie was being bullied in school the cops suspected. He sustained multiple injuries that almost damaged his kidneys. He was beaten and bruised. The hematoma was too large to the point of needing dialysis. He was thrown into a community pool at night. If the security guard did not spot him under the water he could have drowned. He could have died. My son almost died that night Rick. Do you know how painful that is for a mother? If you don't understand then I am telling you now. It hurts so much Rick!"

She slapped her chest. The tears that she was holding off eventually fell.

"We stayed at the hospital for days. But you wouldn't know that would you? Because I couldn't get a hold of you. What were you doing when your son almost died Rick?"

"While you were away Jamie suffered complications. He experienced multiple seizures and pneumonia. He was being pumped with multiple antibiotics. He lost so much weight. The doctor said due to the injuries he sustained in the nerves of his leg he might not be able to walk properly. And you know what's worse?"

Elisa stared at her husband in the eye.

"He doesn't remember me, nor Jared, and it seems not even you. But the trauma that he suffered is still with him, terrorizing him even when he is asleep. He does not want to be touched. I cannot comfort my own son Rick and it pains me so much to see him suffer. If you don't accept your son for something that he is   then at least don't become his tormentor. This will be the last that he is hurt because of you." 

Her last words left a warning. 

Rick  couldn't hold his wife's gaze. He stared outside through the window.

“Isn’t that what he usually does to get my attention? He was always like that, spoiled and an attention seeker.”

Elisa frowned. She couldn’t believe that words that were coming out of her husband’s mouth. The man she had supported and loved so much seemed to have vanished. The person in front of her was only a shell of the man she loved before.