Chapter 4 - Confrontation (1/2)
The next morning with dark eye shadows, Rowan gets up as Severus is already impatiently waiting for her on his bed. Rubbing her rather tangled head, she reminds herself to at least find a brush to untangle her long unruly hair. Heading quietly downstairs, the twins paused at the rickety top of the stairwell at seeing the stiff and rare quiet atmosphere of their parents, Tobias and Eileen sitting down at the kitchen table without an argument.
Eileen wears a rather patched shop clerks' uniform as her dark gloomy, sharp face purposefully keeps quiet as she stirs a chipped cup of tea with a bent spoon. In a factory worker's gray uniform, Tobias crankily reads the tabloids and pauses at seeing Eileen quickly glance back down. Tobias glance reveals midnight black indigo colored eyes that are rimmed red accompanied by a waxy, unshaven face that had a tinge of yellow from all his drinking.
Tobias loudly sets down his paper onto the rickety kitchen table and barks, ”Did the two of you clean all of this?”
Severus remains silent as Rowan frankly replies, ”Yes, we did.”
”You mean all this time, the two of you could have cleaned this entire house, but you haven't?” Tobias roared in irritation as he sends his chair flying back as he stands to his feet. ”What have your lazy arses been doing all this time!” Eileen flinches but remains silent as Severus remains stiff and slowly inches over to grab Rowan by the hand.
Rowan boldly narrows her eyes and growls back, ”We're just children, it's not our job to do so.”
Eileen hunches down as Severus grabs onto Rowan's hand too late to stop her from speaking. ”What did you say to me?” Tobias bellowed dangerously.
Rowan narrows her eyes and says, ”If you hit us again, I swear I'll go to the bobbies. Our mother may be a witch, but that doesn't change the fact that you will go to jail for hitting your wife and children. And besides, the bobbies will never believe that mother's a witch and will probably lock you up in an insane asylum!”
Tobias sputters in fury, ”Are you threatening me?!”
”And what if I am?” Rowan dauntlessly roared back.
Tobias enraged slams the table onto the ground causing the teacups to shatter loudly onto the ground. ”I'm going out for a pint!” Tobias bellowed as he stormed out. Eileen sighs with relief as the door closes, before bending down to pick up the shattered glass pieces.
Rowan gently squeezes Severus's hand in comfort. ”It's okay, Sev,” Rowan whispered as Severus's tight handgrip loosens in response.
Eileen rises to her feet as she throws the broken pieces into the trash. With mixed feelings, Eileen furrows her brows and stiffly says, ”You shouldn't have done that Rowan. He'll only return that much angrier after his drinking stint.”
”Sorry mother,” Rowan quietly replied.
Eileen's face softens for a moment, before reaching down to turn the rickety old worn table upright. Seeing Eileen's forlorn figure, Rowan quietly says, ”Mother, we don't have to continue living like this.”
Eileen glances up to see a determined expression appear on Rowan's face. ”Mother, why don't we return to the Prince family?” Rowan carefully suggested.