“Never!” Lenore shouted. “I’ve had it with them being able to do whatever the hell they want! I can’t believe you just sit here and let them harass me like that! What kind of father are you? Letting the three little rug-rats get away with everything; acting as though they could do nothing wrong!”
“That’s enough young lady!” Hank bellowed. “Now go to your room!”
“They’re not little angels dad!” Lenore riposted. “They’ll be my age one day, and they’ll be the worst things that could have possibly ever happened to you!”
“If I have to tell you once more, I’ll…..”
“You’ll what dad? Spank me? Yeah right, get a life,” Lenore rejoined.
“Whatever happened to Stevie and I being your little Prince and Princess?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t tell me you don’t remember!” Lenore cried. “You used to put these little crowns on our heads and tell us that we were the best things in your life! You used to play games with us, help us with stuff, and carry us around all the time!”
“You’re making all of this up just so I’ll feel sorry for you!” Hank accused. “You’re lying again aren’t you?”
“I’m not making this up!” Lenore said as she started to cry. “You used to make up stories where we were the heroes; or you’d read us our favourite books instead before we went to bed! You’d spend time with us, and take us to hockey games and make it so we’d get to meet the players!”
“When did I ever do any of this?”
“You used to care for us and love us!” Lenore sobbed. “Then, when mom died, you forgot all about us! You wouldn’t even look at us; you left Stevie and I in Brian’s care all the time! You made it so Brian might as well be our father; you were never there!”
“I never once neglected you!” Hank roared. “Stop your lying this instant!”
“When you did look at us, it was only because we’d gotten into trouble!” Lenore went on. “You spent all your free time with Jessica and Emily; then you went and adopted Tessa because you wanted someone who could replace me, by being the little angel that I guess I never was!”
“Why I outta…”
“You outta what dad?” Lenore challenged. “Think back before mom died and tell me what you remember! Think back to when you cared and loved Stevie and I more than anything; or is it too hard for you now that you have the rug-rats to love in our place!”
“I’ve had enough of your lip young lady!” With that he slapped her butt hard. “You go to your room right now and stay there!” Lenore ran out of the room bawling. “I hate you! I so hate you!” She screamed. Hank dashed after Lenore and grabbed her as she tried to run up the stairs. He smacked her again. “You’re grounded for another month!” He bellowed. “Now get up to your room and stay there until I’m ready to talk to you!” Hank walked back into the kitchen to find everyone staring at him. “I finally gave her, what I should have given her long ago,” he replicated.
“Dad, it wasn’t entirely her fault,” Stevie insisted. “Jessica and Emily provoked her.”
“She had no right to talk to me like that!”
“You mean you don’t remember doing any of the stuff she named” Stevie interrogated. “I don’t believe it, and after you promised us you’d never forget.”
“I don’t know what the hell you two are talking about,” Hank riposted.. “If you’re gonna start, you can go to your room too.”
“It’s no wonder Lenore hates you and the rug-rats,” Stevie stated as he stood up. “Because I now hate the four of you too!” Hank smacked Stevie even harder than he’d hit Lenore. “Don’t you ever say that you hate anyone in this family!” He roared. “Now go to your room!” After Stevie had left Brian decided to have his say. “Dad, you didn’t have to hit them in front of everyone,” he said. “If you ask me, Jessica and Emily are the ones who deserve to be spanked, not Lenore and Stevie. I can’t believe you don’t remember any of that either.” With that Brian got up and walked out of the room. He climbed the stairs so that he could go comfort his two younger siblings. He found the two of them in Stevie’s room huddled together in the corner crying.
