Chapter 4
Time ticked by, each second stretching out like an eternity.
The air in the maternity ward felt so thick, it was like it had turned to stone.
Margaret was still screeching, refusing to back down.
"Harvey! What are you so scared of? Hit him back!" she screeched.
"If he so much as touches my son, I'll call the police and have him thrown in jail!" she shouted.
My mom watched me nervously, worried I'd do something again and blow things up even more.
Only Drusilla, lying in her hospital bed, kept her eyes fixed on me in silence.
Her gaze was no longer hollow.
Now, it was filled with a mix of emotions that were hard to decipher.
Shock, worry, and a trace of dependence.
Even she hadn't realized she was starting to lean on me.
Cold sweat broke out on Harvey's forehead.
He looked at me, then at his mom.
On one side was me, cold and tough, not afraid to throw hands if things got ugly.
On the other side was Margaret, making a scene, kicking and screaming, the mother he'd never dared to stand up to his whole life.
Weighing his options, the scales inside him swung wildly back and forth.
I looked at him and cracked another cold smile.
"Three," I said, my voice low and chilling, a countdown that hammered in Harvey's chest.
My voice was like the relentless beat of a funeral drum, hammering in Harvey's chest.
He was trembling even more violently.
"Two." My voice was icy, the countdown pounding in Harvey's chest.
Margaret was still mouthing off.
"You can count to a hundred for all I care! Want me to apologize? In your dreams!" she snapped.
She didn't even realize she wasn't the one calling the shots anymore.
Now, everything depended on her coward of a son.
I looked at Harvey, my lips parted softly as I spoke.
"One."
Just as I was about to say the last word, Harvey suddenly snapped, like something inside him finally broke loose.
He shot up from the floor, desperate and determined.
He rushed straight to Margaret, grabbing her arm.
"Mom!" Harvey cried out, his voice shaky with tears.
But for the first time, there was real steel in his tone, even though he was about to break down.
"Hurry up and apologize to Drusilla!" Harvey blurted out, his voice shaky but determined.
Margaret froze, totally blindsided.
She was in total disbelief.
Her own son, the one who always did as he was told, was actually asking her to say sorry? Margaret's mind spun.
"Harvey, are you out of your mind?" Margaret snapped.
"You want me to apologize to that tramp—" Margaret started.
Before she could finish, Harvey clamped a hand over her mouth.
"Mom! Please, I'm begging you, just this once!" Harvey pleaded.
He was so desperate, his eyes were brimming with tears.
He clamped his hand over Margaret's mouth, making sure she couldn't spit out another insult.
Harvey knew me too well.
He saw it in my eyes just now.
If his mom didn't apologize today, then what I'd do to him next wouldn't just be a punch.
It'd be a hell of a lot worse.
Margaret thrashed wildly, letting out muffled cries from behind Harvey's hand.
Her eyes bored into her son, screaming, "Why are you doing this to me?"
Harvey met her gaze, terror and desperation written all over his face, silently begging her to just give in.
The two of them froze, locked in a tense standoff.
Arms folded, I watched the whole circus with an icy glare.
I didn't say a word.
Harvey could read it straight from my eyes.
Covering her mouth? That didn’t count as an apology.
Harvey got the message loud and clear.
He knew there was no way out of this today.
He gritted his teeth, shut his eyes, and suddenly let go of Margaret's mouth.
Then, with everyone stunned, he dropped to his knees in front of Drusilla.
With a loud thud, he knelt right before Drusilla.
"Drusilla!" Harvey cried out.
He slammed his forehead to the floor again and again, shouting desperately.
"I'm sorry! I'm useless! I'm a total bastard!
"My mom's old and confused. Don't hold it against her!
"I'm apologizing for her, okay?"
As he spoke, he kept slamming his forehead to the floor, the sound echoing through the quiet room.
The noise was especially loud in the silent maternity ward.
Margaret was completely stunned.
Margaret stared at Harvey, who was kneeling on the floor, as low as dirt, her mind completely blank.
My mom was stunned, too.
Drusilla looked at her husband kneeling on the floor.
Her gaze was a storm of conflicting feelings.
There was no sense of being moved, no feeling of vindication.
Only a numb, overwhelming sorrow remained.
When a man couldn't even protect his family, all he could do was get down on his knees, hoping it would somehow make things right.
Wasn’t that just sad?
I walked up to him, towering over him as he knelt.
"I meant for her to apologize," I said.
"But not you," I ordered.
Harvey stiffened, then looked up at me, tears streaming down his face.
"Caleb... My mom...she just won't...she really won't do it..." Harvey choked out.
"That's your problem," I said coldly.
I cut him off, my voice icy.
"I gave you a chance, but you just didn't have what it takes," I added.
With that, I turned away, not sparing him another glance.
I walked over to the hospital bed.
I looked at Drusilla, my voice instantly softening.
"Sis, how are you holding up?" I asked.
Drusilla shook her head and managed a weak smile.
Her smile was so forced that it looked worse than crying.