Second Chance || Lab Rats

26: Bad Parent(ing)

              "Dad I'm home!" I yelled entering the house taking off my shoes and tossing my bag on the couch. Just as the bag hit the edge of the couch, crying erupted from it. I sighed and unzipped the bag pulling the doll that was assigned to me.

"Dad went to Douglas's place again."

"Seriously?" I scoffed. I had no problem with him being there. Hell, I sometimes prefer to be at their house than ours.

"Yeah." Tony whispered. I was about to sit down when I stopped to closely observe Tony. His head was down and looked anxious. "Um, you know I've been visiting mom almost every day and um, " He inhaled sharply, "About mom..." Tony paused. His eyes shifted around the room before setting on me. "She's completely different. She—"

I furrowed my brows seeing him turn around covering his mouth.

"Tony?" I approached him lightly touching his upper arm. He covered his face completely chocking back a sob. He sniffled, shaking violently. I turned him to face me and pulled him into a hug. He forced back another sob and I rubbed his back. He pulled away sitting on the couch. I followed sitting next to him. The room stayed silent only the occasional sniffles from Tony were heard. He took a deep breath running his hand through his hair. He bit his lip and hunched forward.

"I'm scared. I'm so fucking scared, Lauren." Tony sobbed into his hands. I felt my throat getting tighter seeing my big brother break down like this. Never would he let anyone see him this way. Only mom got to witness it and comfort him.

"Everything about her is so different. It's like— like she's been brainwashed. I don't—" Tony explained letting more tears fall down. "That son of a bitch took our mom away from us."

Tony rested his head on the crook of my neck uncontrollably sobbing on me. I wasn't as close to mom as Tony was. It's upsetting to hear her be disconnected from her true self but... seeing Tony like this is what broke me more. He's suffered enough as a kid and is just recovering now. He doesn't need this on top of his previous scars. I caressed his head letting a few tears of my own slip down my face.

A chorus of 'It'll be okay' left my mouth. As selfish as it sounds I wished Tony picked someone else to console him. He deserves someone that knows what to say in situations like this. He deserves the reassurance from someone who believes their own words. Not someone who is potentially giving them false hope. Not someone who doesn't know how to process the given information.

Not someone who gives them words of hope for the sake of comforting.

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To say I was worried yesterday was an understatement. All night did my mind race with different outcomes of how this could be the final straw for Tony. After sitting on the couch for maybe thirty minutes, Tony feel asleep. An hour passed and he woke up, apologized, and left to his room without letting me utter a single word. It was a lot to take in but I'm glad he's doing better today. Does it mean he's completely okay? No. But, Tony seems to be doing fine today. He actually approached me this morning thanking me.

Right now we're waiting for dad to get back home. He spent the night over at Dougie's place. Marcus called me telling me about the chaos those two created. Today we're supposedly going over to their place to help with some 'mastermind' plan Dougie came up with.

"Listen, I had a lot on my plate and after visiting mom, it all kinda— become a lot, you know?"

I looked up from my phone setting my attention to Tony.