Jamie heard the sound of Charlotte's car pull up on the drive, and his heart began to beat faster. Louis gave him a look and he knew exactly what it meant. He tried to calm his breathing as the front door opened, and in an instant noise filled the air.

'Can I go play out?'

'Daddy I want ice cream.'

His siblings came running into the living room with a list of demands and complaints. Seemingly grandma had put her foot down and refused Julia ice cream, and Andy had been bored to death. Charlotte followed them in and froze when her eyes landed on Jamie, her face expressionless.

'Hey mom,' he said refusing to meet her eyes.

Louis cleared his throat. 'Come on, I'll get you kids some ice cream,' he said ushering Andrew and Julia out of the room.

Charlotte glared at his retreating form, no doubt irritated that he was spoiling Julia again. Jamie looked down at his fingernails, waiting for his mom to speak. As the silence deepened he realised she wasn't going to.

'Mom, I'm sorry for what I did,' he said picking his thumbnails. 'I shouldn't have done it.'

'No you shouldn't have,' Charlotte said quietly, her voice betraying no emotion. He looked up at her waiting for the onslaught. Instead, she sat down and took her high heels off, wiggling her feet.

'So why did you do it?' she finally asked. 'I think I raised you well enough that you know how wrong it was.' He didn't miss the accusation seeping out of her voice, and she must have heard it too because she got up and switched the TV on as if they were just casually relaxing.

'I wanted to know the truth,' he mumbled, his words sounding lame to his own ears.

'You could have asked me, I've told you more than once you can come to me.'

Jamie inhaled slowly wondering how he could explain that she was totally unapproachable, about this at any rate. 'I tried asking Lou and he fobbed me off, well sort off.'

'It wasn't his place to tell you.'

Jamie's irritation grew with her robotic responses, he'd almost rather she yelled at him. 'I know, I'm sorry,' he repeated trying to break through the wall she'd put up.

'Sorry, you got caught?' she asked her eyebrows raised. 

'No sorry I did it, I'm sorry for everything.' Their eyes met for a moment, and Charlotte quickly looked away.

'It's done now,' she said quietly. 'I wish you hadn't had to find out.' She turned her attention to the TV but Jamie knew she wasn't really watching, she was sat far too rigidly. There was so much he wanted to say but he couldn't get any words out when she was obviously determined not to talk.

'So what's my punishment?'

Her eyes shot to him surprised. 'Oh, umm no punishment.' She fiddled with her wedding ring for a moment. 'Knowing this is punishment enough.'

'Mom-'

She raised her hand. 'Jamie, don't think about this, just don't.' He heard her voice break, and he nodded realising she couldn't actually talk.

'Okay mom, I won't.' Like hell, he wouldn't but he saw her shoulders drop at his words. 'But mom, I'm not seeing dad again.' She looked at him, her eyes widening. 'I mean it, I want nothing more to do with that man.' He sat back anticipating an argument as his mom contemplated him.

'That's your decision Jamie,' she said her voice steady again. 'You're old enough now to decide that for yourself.'

He breathed a sigh of relief, he knew he wasn't exactly forgiven but it could have gone a lot worse.

                                                      ~~~

Saturday morning and Jamie was sat in the living room, his eyes fixed on the telephone. His dad was picking him up that afternoon and if he really didn't want to see him then he needed to tell him now. All week he'd been putting the call off. His mom had suggested he needed more time to think and he could tell his dad he wasn't feeling well for the time being. However, he knew he wasn't going to think differently any time soon, and why should his dad be let off the hook? He'd been let off the hook his whole life.

'Jamie if you're gonna make that call you might want to do so before the terrorist comes down,' Louis said sticking his head through the door. Jamie smiled slightly, he knew Lou was trying to make light of the situation while reminding him to get on with it.

'Yeah I'm going to,' he said reaching for the receiver.

'Look you don't have to go into to details,' Louis said. 'just say you're busy.'

Jamie appreciated what he was trying to do but his mind was made up. Quickly he dialled his father's number and Louis closed the door behind him. With every ring he felt his resolve strengthen.

'Hello,' his dad said.

'Hi, dad.' Jamie was amazed his voice sounded so normal.

'Hey, what's up?' No doubt his dad anticipated he was cancelling otherwise why the call?

'I can't see you today.' He could have sworn Nick breathed a sigh of relief.

'Oh right, has something come up?'

'Yeah permanently,' he said, and he heard his father let out a frustrated sigh. Nick hated it when didn't properly articulate himself.

'So what has come up permanently?' Nick asked his impatience obvious.

Jamie took a deep breath, it was now or never. 'I know what you did, to mom. I know it all.' There was silence on the other end of the line and Jamie wasn't sure his dad had even heard him.

'Jamie, I'm not sure what you are talking about,' his dad said hesitantly.

'I know dad, about you beating up mom. I know and I don't want to see you again.' This time there was a sharp intake of breath.

'What has your mother been telling you?' The coldness in his dad's voice chilled him.

'Nothing, I found out-'

'You found out nothing! I've never laid a hand on her. God that woman's crazy. I thought I was through with her twisted fantasies the day I signed the divorce papers.'

'Fantasies?' Jamie was incredulous, and yet Nick sounded so convincing if he didn't know differently he might have believed him.

'Charlotte's delusional,' Nick insisted more calmly now. 'Someone should tell that pathetic excuse of a husband she's got to get some help for her.' Jamie pulled the receiver away from his ear muting his father's protestations. He took a few deep breaths.

'You're lying, you've been lying my whole life.' Nick tried to speak again but Jamie spoke over him. 'Don't pick me up today, I don't want to see you.' He hung up, not feeling entirely satisfied by the conversation. He'd wanted to hear his father beg, hear him apologise, something other than the flat-out denials he'd got.

                                                                   ~~~

Louis rounded up Andrew and Julia having promised to take them out for a while to give Charlotte a chance to get things sorted out around the house.

'You coming, Jamie?' he called.

Jamie shook his head. 'Nah I've got a load of homework.'

Louis readily accepted his excuse probably glad to leave him alone with Charlotte so they could talk things through in private.

'Okay, I'll see you guys later.' He kissed Charlotte and headed out of the door, Julia looking lorn-fully at her mom before following.

'You'd best be getting on with that homework,' Charlotte said. 'I'll put dinner on.'

Jamie looked up. 'Mom?' She paused before slowly turning around. 'I am sorry about everything.'

'Yeah I know,' she said softly. 'Why don't you make a start on your homework, get it out of the way.' He nodded in agreement, thinking at least she was being halfway normal with him again.

He went upstairs and got his books out, taking advantage of the rare peace to get stuck in. He wasn't sure how long he'd been studying when he heard a knock at the door. He ignored it leaving it for his mom to deal with. After a moment the sound of raised voices disturbed him. He sat up startled, was that his dad? He closed his book and made his way back downstairs, a sense of trepidation building up inside him.

'Nick you can't come here,' his mom was saying, her voice strained. 'How many times do I have to tell you? You're not coming in.'

Nick was stood on the doorstep, his arm resting on the frame. 'Really Charlotte, and how are you going to stop me.' Jamie recoiled at his father's sneer, the mask was slipping now, that was for sure.

'This is my house and...' She faltered and Nick laughed.

'It's not yours, none of this is.' He waved his hand before striding forward and shoving Charlotte to one side.

'How dare you,' she said indignantly.

Nick turned to her and smiled. 'I've just come to see my son.' He glanced over at Jamie. 'There seems to have been some misunderstanding so rather than playing Chinese whispers I've come here to sort it out.' He grabbed Charlotte by the elbow, and she stumbled as he pushed her towards the living room.

'Dad...' Jamie looked at him trying to work out what the hell was going on. His dad had never been in his home. 

'Don't interfere, Jamie,' Nick snapped, his hand still on Charlotte's arm. 'We've got a few things to work through, and you might want to hear it.'

                                              ~~~ 

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