The Long Way Home by Phillip Overton
****
Back inside, Rowena had served up some hot savouries for lunch and was just bringing the last cup of tea across to where her family had settled around the dining room table. Doug hadn’t taken two steps inside the back door when his father met him.
“The kids seem to be having a good time out there son. Would you like me to watch over them while you have something to eat?”
“No Dad, it’s alright. Why don’t you come and take a seat with the rest of us.”
“I’d much prefer to spend some time with my grandson.” He said before lowering his voice to a whisper. “Between us I’ve had a gutful of that self indulgent father-in-law of yours. I’ll be outside for a bit.”
“No Dad,” Doug called out after him as he brushed past and stepped outside. “Please come and sit down, Rowena and I have something important we want to announce while everyone is together.”
William stopped immediately and turned to face his son.
“Please Dad, I need you in there.”
William slowly nodded his head and looked up at his son. The anxiety on his face said it all. He stepped back inside and paused to pat his son on the shoulder in a silent show of support. ‘This was going to be big,’ he thought and began to make his way to the dining room.
Doug took a quick look outside and was satisfied that the kids were all okay, so turned and followed his father. Halfway across the floor, he looked up and saw all the faces gathered around the table, looking straight at him. ‘Oh, no.’ He thought, they must have heard him. There was going to be no breaking the ice now.
“Rowena, tell me dear, what is this important announcement?” Carolyn turned, her voice filled with pleasant anticipation, as she looked directly at her daughter for an answer. She reached beside her, and holding her husband Alan’s hand tightly, she whispered softly through her broad smile, “I think I’m going to be a grandmother again.”
Doug made his way over to Rowena. With no spare chairs around the table he stood beside her in one final show of support.
“Mum, it’s not that.” Rowena paused, instantly dreading what they were about to say. Why couldn’t she have just done this over the phone?
“Actually, Rowena and I are getting a divorce.” Doug spoke up from behind her. Instantly the room fell quiet. All that he could hear was the sound of the kids playing happily in the backyard. In the silence, he patted Rowena loudly on her shoulder. “We thought it was best to let everyone know at the same time.”
“Rowena, please tell me you are joking.” Her mother pleaded, a look of shock now plastered on her face.
“Oh Rowena,” her sister Gail spoke up, obviously saddened by the news. “I’m so sorry, and for you also Doug. If there is anything we can do to help, let us know. You both know Tim will help you out again with the legal side of it.”
“Again!” Alan yelled getting to his feet. “What’s this again!”
“Oh surely you must know.” William now joined in. “They’ve been separated a couple of times before.”
“Is this true?” Alan blurted out at Rowena. “I’m your father, and you never came to me first?”
“With that attitude I wonder why.” William rebuked.
“Rowena please tell me this isn’t true.” Her mother continued down her path of denial.
“This is a family matter if you don’t mind William.” Alan snapped at him.
“And that is my son!” William got to his feet as he raised his voice.
“All right then, let’s just calm down for a second.” Doug intervened.
“No I won’t calm down young man,” retorted Alan. “You had no right keeping any of this from us. We are her family and if she was having any problems living with you, she should have been able to speak to us about it.”
“Dad,” Gail now spoke up. “She did, she came to me. Tim and I helped her when they separated. I was there for her for three months until they got back together again. She couldn’t come to you. Listen to yourself this is not helping her. Right now they both need our support.”
“Three months!” Her mother stood to her feet, knuckles white as they gripped hard on the edge of the dining room table. She now turned her rage towards Gail. “You knew about this for three months and didn’t tell your own mother!”
“What did he do to you honey?” Alan asked, turning to Rowena who could only sit shell shocked in her chair.
“Now the two of you wait just a minute.” William’s face reddened with rage that could not be held back a minute longer.
“Don’t you raise your voice at my wife you cowardly old geezer!”
“It was your daughter who put my son in hospital three years ago, and I supported him all along when he said they were getting back together.” William fired back at him. “Don’t you dare point the finger at him!”
“Dad, please.” Doug tried vainly to intervene.
“Liar, I didn’t raise my daughter that way. It was your son who took my daughter out of a respectable north shore suburb and brought her here in order to cut her off from her own family.”
“Spoken like a true arrogant Liberal voter.”
It seemed in that moment hell had decided to break loose in the Small’s dining room. Rowena dropped her head into her hands and cried. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. She had only hoped to end everything nicely. Not like this, she sat there sobbing. She was only being hurt and humiliated all over again while they took turns tearing each other to shreds.
“That’s it!” Alan growled as he stepped out from behind the dining room table and let fly with his right fist. The punch struck William clumsily on the side of his jaw.
“Alan, that’s enough!” Doug shouted as he struggled to hold back the raging bull that had become his father.
“I’ll tell you when it’s enough! I am thinking like father like son, and I never liked you in the first place Doug. Rowena deserved better than to end up a divorcee to….”
Doug had had enough. He let go of the grip he held on his father and immediately the old man’s arms came to life. His fist sunk into Alan’s stomach, knocking the wind clean out of him. A clumsy left hook to his jaw was followed closely by a rolling right-hander that struck directly under his eye. Alan wobbled badly on his feet. Stumbling backwards against the wall he lost his footing and slumped to the floor. It was over.
“See what you’ve done!” Carolyn sobbed over the table, looking directly at Rowena. “Nothing good ever comes from not talking, you’ve only hurt your father and I.”
“Oh shut up Mum! This is exactly why I can’t talk to you both.”
“Now listen up everybody, that’s enough!” ordered Doug as he finally took control. “Dad, sit back down now. You too Alan.”
Alan got to his feet and leaned against the wall, gingerly wiping his bottom lip that was now dripping blood onto his clean designer polo shirt. He may have come from a respectable north shore address, be a successful Sydney businessman and dress in expensive casual attire, but right now even he must have felt like he’d acted out of order. The room had fallen silent and everyone was staring at him. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and pressed it to his lip.
William had walked to the other side of the room and stood with his arms folded in front of him, staring at Alan. He may be 62 years old and a few years Alan’s senior, but he still managed to drop the man to the canvas.
The sound of the glass sliding door closing from the back of the house had Doug whirling around on the spot. He looked through the doorway to the kitchen but couldn’t see that anyone had come in.
“Damn it!” He said aloud. “I think one of the kids has just gone outside. I didn’t see who it was. I only hope they didn’t see what just happened.”
“Oh great!” Rowena sighed. “That’s just what I need, more drama.”
“Look, let me go and take care of it.” Tim said as he leapt to his feet, eager to get out of the room. “Everyone just be nice and hear them out okay?”
“There
“You can home with us dear while you sort all this out.” Rowena’s mother added, her tone of voice ringing with a sense of finality as though there was nothing further to say on the matter.
“No mother, I’m staying here while we finalise….” She didn’t get to finish her sentence as the back door flung open to the sound of a screaming child clutched in Tim’s arms as he called out to her.
“Rowena quick, Simon’s bitten one of the other boys and he’s hurt quite badly.”