Chapter 10 - Gary Had One Truth We Didn’t Want From Him
We met him in daylight.
Public basketball court.
People walking dogs nearby.
No cinematic alley.
No secret weapon.
Gary sat on a bench wearing jeans and a work jacket.
He looked older without the house around him.
Lucas stayed standing.
I did too.
Gary looked at us.
“My kids.”
Lucas laughed bitterly.
“Don't.”
Gary looked at me.
I said:
“Say what you called us here to say.”
He rubbed his palms together.
“Lucas's mother wasn't innocent.”
Lucas's face hardened.
“No one said she was.”
Gary seemed surprised.
He had expected us to need a good parent and a bad one.
He continued.
“She relapsed.”
Lucas nodded.
“I know.”
“She left you alone once.”
“I know.”
Gary stopped.
“You know?”
“Yes.”
“My aunt told me.”
Gary looked irritated.
One weapon gone.
Then:
“She wanted custody while she was using.”
Lucas nodded.
“I know.”
“She lied about me.”
“Probably.”
That stopped him again.
Lucas continued:
“She also wasn't the one who told my teacher you hit me.”
Gary's jaw tightened.
I looked at Lucas.
“Who did?”
“My teacher asked.”
Simple.
Gary leaned forward.
“I disciplined you.”
“You hit me.”
“You were out of control.”
Lucas laughed softly.
“I was twelve.”
Gary looked at me.
“See?”
“No.”
He frowned.
I continued.
“I see why you thought you were right.”
That gave him hope.
Then:
“I don't see why that makes you right.”
His face closed.
He turned back to Lucas.
“Your mother poisoned you against me.”
Lucas shook his head.
“You don't get it.”
“What?”
“I spent years blaming her too.”
Gary stared.
“She failed me.”
Lucas's voice was steady.
“She disappeared. She relapsed. She made promises she couldn't keep.”
Gary almost smiled.
Then Lucas continued.
“And you still hurt me.”
The smile died.
Two parents could fail.
One did not acquit the other.
Gary looked at me.
“You think Marianne didn't hit Brooke?”
I froze.
“What?”
Lucas looked at me.
Gary saw the opening.
“You don't remember?”
I stared.
Mom had slapped me.
Once?
More?
Memory surfaced.
Fifteen.
Standing in the hallway.
Calling Gary a drunk.
Mom slapping my mouth.
Hard.
Then crying immediately.
I had buried it inside “family fights.”
Gary continued.
“She shoved you too.”
“Stop.”
“You want truth.”
“Not from you like this.”
“Why? Because mine complicates your clean little story?”
I almost walked away.
Then stopped.
He was right about one thing.
I did not get to demand truth only from acceptable mouths.
“Did Mom hit me?”
“Yes.”
“How often?”
“A few times.”
I looked at Lucas.
He didn't know.
Gary continued.
“She'd lose it. Then I'd calm everybody down.”
I almost laughed.
“You?”
“Yes.”
He truly believed that.
There had been nights when he did calm Mom down.
That did not erase other nights.
He said:
“She isn't some helpless woman.”
“I know.”
“Then why am I the only one out of the house?”
“Because you were hitting Ethan when people arrived.”
His jaw tightened.
“And because Mom agreed he couldn't stay with you.”
That hurt him more than anything else.
He looked down.
Then said:
“She called Holloway.”
I stared.
“What?”
“Years ago.”
Lucas frowned.
“When?”
“After Brooke left home.”
My chest tightened.
“Mom called him?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Gary looked at me.
“Because she was afraid Ethan would be next.”
Nobody moved.
That changed something.
Not enough.
Something.
“Did she make a report?”
“No.”
“Of course.”
“She asked what would happen if she left me.”
I stared.
“Then?”
“She stayed.”
Gary laughed bitterly.
“Because Holloway couldn't promise she'd get the house. Couldn't promise she'd get full custody. Couldn't promise anything.”
That sounded like Holloway.
Real professionals rarely promise the ending.
Gary continued:
“She hated uncertainty more than she hated me.”
I wanted to reject his psychology.
But parts fit too well.
Lucas asked:
“Why tell us?”
Gary looked toward the court.
“Because you're both acting like she's brave now.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
He looked at me.
“I don't think she's brave.”
That surprised him.
“I think she finally did one thing differently.”
Gary stared.
“That's enough for you?”
“No.”
Nothing was enough.
That seemed to be the point.
Then Gary looked at Lucas.
“I want to see Ethan again.”
Lucas said:
“Not my decision.”
Gary turned to me.
“Brooke?”
“Not mine either.”
He became angry.
“You're the one he lives with.”
“Temporarily.”
“So everybody gets power except me.”
I looked at him.
“That's what this feels like to you?”
He stood.
“Yes.”
I finally understood the center of Gary.
Not violence.
Not anger.
Authority.
He could tolerate pain.
Humiliation.
Even separation.
What he could not tolerate was a room where his authority had no automatic vote.
He walked away.
Lucas and I stayed.
After a minute Lucas said:
“You okay?”
“No.”
“Mom hitting you?”
“Yeah.”
“Want to talk?”
“No.”
He nodded.
Then:
“Okay.”
I looked at him.
He smiled slightly.
“Learning.”
I almost smiled.
Then my phone buzzed.
Rachel.
I answered.
Her voice was tight.
“Brooke, I need you to come home.”
My stomach dropped.
“Ethan?”
“He's safe.”
“What happened?”
“Marianne is at your apartment.”
I froze.
“Why?”
May you like
Rachel paused.
“She says she has something Ethan needs to hear before Gary tells him first.”
