Apocalypse Fighter

Chapter 5 Family Dramas

Richard started running as soon as the doors closed behind him, he raced out onto the street and hailed the first taxi available.

“Get to this address as quickly as you can.” Richard pulled out a stack of notes so the driver could see that he was serious. 

The taxi driver looks like he couldn’t believe it was his lucky day, eyes wide he nodded to Richard that he understood. The driver didn’t even give Richard a chance to put his seatbelt on before slamming his foot on the accelerator and going through the first of many red lights. Neither Richard nor the taxi driver cared about the other drivers cursing them. Richard was too caught up in thoughts about what was happening from home, the taxi driver was accustomed to being abused, and he was used to throwing it back at them.  

Richard was thinking about Mary’s cousin, Justin. Justin was married, with a son and a daughter. Six years ago, they had come to Boston in the hopes that Justin could get a stable job. Originally it was Mary’s parents that had said Justin and his family could stay in the house, paying only two hundred dollars to rent a week. Mary’s parents renovated the place just before Justin moved in, and when her parents passed away, she had let them stay there.

Even though Richard had met Justin and his family a few times, they were not very close. Yet Mary didn’t know them well, because of this, Richard couldn’t understand why they were making such a fuss. He certainly hadn’t expected Justin to go storming into his house and upset his wife. The taxi arrived in record time, Richard handed the driver five hundred dollars cash;

“Keep the change,” Richard said, already halfway out of the taxi. 

Richard could hear Justin's shouting in the room, and his blood began to boil, how dare anyone talk to his wife like that?!

“Mary, you are ridiculous. We are family for heaven's sake! How could you throw us out on the street?” Justin fumed. 

It was quiet for a moment, Richard guessed that Mary was talking who would never raise her voice to anyone. 

Richard shook his head and opened the front door. He could hear Steven crying from the nursery and Mary sobbing in the lounge room;

“Justin, please understand that we are giving you time to find another place. We don’t have an option; we have to sell. I’m sorry, but we have to.” 

"Well maybe if your husband earnt more money then you wouldn’t find yourself in such a position.” Simona, Justin's wife, whined. She wasn’t a pleasant person; she liked to spit venom at whoever she could. “You shouldn’t have to sell what is yours.” Simona scoffed. 

“I am proud of my husband; this has nothing to do with him. This is my decision. And I think that you should be grateful if it weren’t for the cheap rent you wouldn’t be able to survive.” Mary defended Richard. 

"I think as family we have every right to pay cheap rent if nothing at all." Simona looked down her nose at Mary. "You know that we rely on Justin's income, he has to work his ass off to support us." 

Simona was one of those people that they were entitled, but had no right to be. There was nothing to stop her from working except unwillingness but expected everyone to do her a favor. She had no reason to complain about their money situation.

"And then, there are people like you," Simona said in a nasty tone. "With your fancy clothes and cars. Owning not one but TWO properties and then charging family rent. You should not be strapped for cash, so why are you selling the house? I think we have a right to know." Simona snarled at Mary. 

"Please stop. You have no right to complain or demand an explanation. This is my house, and you need to leave right now, or I will call the police." Mary threatened, sounding braver than she felt. 

"Justin, this cousin of yours is nasty; now she is threatening to call the cops on us. You need to say something, Justin." Simona yelled. 

Until that point Justin had sat quietly in shock;

"Call the police? Call them then, see how interested they are in family matters like this. Where is the property certificate? I won't allow selling the house, Mary; I can't allow you." Justin found his voice. 

Justin was used to Mary backing down and giving him what he wanted; he was surprised when she fired back.

"If you want the certificate, then you will have to find it. If you start going through my things, then I will call the police and tell them someone is raiding my property. That's a criminal offence, isn't it?" Mary looked innocently at Justin. "I'm sure the police will be interested then." Mary gave a cold smile. 

 Richard, who had been listening from the hallway, finally emerged. Mary saw him and threw herself into his arms, sobbing hard against his shoulder. 

"Mary sweetheart, why don't you go and see if you can settle Steven down in his bed? I think he needs some to with his mother to soother him." Richard said quietly. 

Mary understood that he was trying to save her from the situation; she was so grateful for the escape that Mary couldn't speak. She nodded to Richard, unspoken words passing between them, they both understood.  

Richard took a moment to wipe the tears from Mary's cheeks, gave her a quick squeeze and sent her to the nursery to calm Steven. 

As soon as Mary was out of earshot, Richard turned on Justin and Simona;

"There are two things that greatly upset me. One, seeing my wife cry, and the second is knowing someone made my son cry. You have done both, I'm pissed off right now, and I think it would be better for you to leave, for your safety." Richard did not raise his voice, but they both cowered before him. 

Justin and Simona just stared; they didn't know if Richard was serious or not. Richard saw that they were not reacting; he walked to the kitchen and came back with the largest knife he could find. 

"Wha… what are you doing?" Justin stammered. "Are you trying to scare us? It won't work, I've stabbed more people in my life than you have. I would like to see you try. You've never hurt a fly, pfft!" Justin scoffed. 

Richard knew Justin had been a troubled youth and gotten himself into a lot of trouble with the police. He had been caught with knives before, and Richard didn't doubt that once Justin would have beaten him in a fight. But things had changed since then, and Richard felt confident that he would beat Justin if he needed to. 

"I have to say I am shocked at your behavior. You have no right, the house belongs to Mary, and it is her business. You should be ashamed of yourselves, storming in here and telling us what we should do. Who gave you the right to boss us around?" Richard asked, not expecting an answer. 

"I think we have every right, we are family, and we have lived in that house for a long time. Now you are kicking us out with no real excuse; I think that makes it our business." Simona said. 

"Just because you have lived there for so many years does not give you the right to anything. If you stayed in a hotel, it doesn't mean that you own the room or have the right to decide what happens to the room. It's the same with the house; you have been renting it from us, that does not give you the right to interfere." Richard spat back at Simona. 

"Considering we are family and we are living there, I think we have every right to say something about this situation." Justin fired at Richard. 

Richard was running out of patience with Justin and Simona;

"Considering you are family, I will offer you an opportunity. Get out of the house in three days, I will give you one hundred thousand dollars, and I won't hurt you. How does that sound?" Richard's words were as cold as ice. "If you don't agree, then I will find you…" 

Richard let the threat hang in the air; he watched as Justin's face turned from the pale white of shock to the deep red of pure fury.  Justin was furious after hearing the threat, and without thinking, Justin punched Richard square on the jaw.