Meet Me Where the Oak Tree Grows novel Chapter 4

A real apology means making things right, not just tossing out empty words. That's why Dad never deserved forgiveness. But Mom never saw it that way.

I was eleven that year, and it was the last time I had a mom around. After that, life’s storms hit me head-on. Dad's anger was all on me. No more bedtime hugs, no more "Lana" whispers. Mom's sweet scent was gone, replaced by the stink of smoke and whiskey.-

When Mom left, Dad wasn’t sad. Nope, he cursed her, called her ungrateful, and didn’t even bother with a proper funeral. Every drunken punch that floored me only cranked up my hatred for him. I’d call the cops, thinking that would fix everything.

But he'd be locked up for just a few days, and each time he came back, he was even angrier, and his hits were harder. I got beaten until I coughed up blood, until I couldn’t see straight. So many times, I thought I might die. But I didn’t. Sadly, I didn’t.

Maybe because he should die before me.