Violette was practically begging her mother, as Alex was looking at the latter with a wry smile.
“Young man, I don’t know what you did to bewitch my daughter like this, but I thank you. She hasn’t had this much enthusiasm since…”
“I didn’t do anything. I was just there, as a friend.”
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Katherine looked at her daughter with incredulous eyes. She wondered what pushed her daughter to want to leave the house so badly.
But then, she understood her, too. Her father had been a shell of what he once was, and the surrounding mood was always sombre, especially between the two of them.
It must have been hurting her daughter so much, to feel rejected so much, almost like an unwanted stranger in her own home.
“Fine. As long as it isn’t too much of a burden on mister Leduc. And if you ever want to come back home, you simply have to call and I will send Alfred to pick you up.”
“As I have said, it will be no problem at all. She will be welcome in my home for as long as she wants.”
Violette screeched in happiness.
“I’ll go make my bag then! Thank you, mother!”
She jumped into her mother’s arms, giving her a tight hug, before storming off, followed by the maid. Katherine shook her head slightly, a soft smile on her lips.
“Thank you, young man. I believe it will be a balm for her, as much as for us.”
“Please. I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want to, or didn’t think it was necessary. Violette is a friend, and so I believe that makes her family my friends, too.”
“I think that is what she needed. A friend. Thank you for being her friend, Alexander.”
As she said that, they heard the front door to the house slamming. Her mood instantly soured.
Alex saw the change in expression on her face and knew who had slammed that door.
‘Her husband.’
“Katherine! Where are you?!”
The voice contained traces of rage, but the words were also slightly slurry.
“In the veranda, darling.”
“You’ll have to excuse his manners. I think he is drunk again,” she then said in a lower voice to Alexander.
Alex merely nodded in response. The two of them could hear the heavy steps coming toward them, accompanied by the occasional stumbling.
Soon after, Richard stormed into the veranda, his suit ruffled, his tie loose, and clear wet spots on his blouse. As he got closer to Alex, the stench of liquor also assaulted their nostrils.
“Are you the one that my daughter has been wanting to go see so much? What are you, a pedophile?!”
“No sir. I am no such thing. Simply a friend.”
“Pah! What kind of grown man befriends a young girl?!”
The drunken man then started stepping closer to Alex, before picking him up by his collar.
“Honey! He is a guest, restrain yourself!”
“Shut up, woman! I won’t let a possible child abuser take my daughter from me!”
Alexander’s eyes darkened at the blatant attack on him, but he kept his cool.
“Sir. I understand your worries, but I am not that kind of person. I didn’t invite your daughter to come to see me. She asked of her own volition. We are nothing more than friends.”
“Husband, unhand him. You are being ungentlemanly!”
“I said shut up, Katherine. I am the man here. I decide who is a good person. Not you!”
Alexander’s blood began to boil. How could such a man call himself a father and a husband?
He was currently showing nothing but the typical abusive man traits you would expect from a wife-beater. His fists started clenching in anger.
Katherine saw this and tried de-escalating the situation once more.
“Please, Richard. Contain yourself. You are drunk, and this young man has done nothing wrong. Why do you think I had him brought here in the first place? I already interrogated him, and he seems like a fine young man.”
*Slap!*
Katherine fell to her butt, a handprint on her cheek, her eyes wide in surprise. Richard had been abusive verbally before, but he had never laid hands on her.
Two things happened in quick succession from there. The first was Alex’s mind reeling in anger.
He would never tolerate a man hitting a woman, even less a man his wife. An icy chill washed off Alexander as his arm swept back, taking a swing.
The next thing that happened was a crisp resounding sound, as his fist impacted the drunk man’s cheek, sending him sprawling to the ground.
“Don’t you dare strike your wife like that, you pathetic excuse of a man! Grieving is no excuse to become an abusive husband!”
Richard looked at him from the ground, his eyes filled with anger.
“I’m sorry Mrs. Bellemare. I will take my leave now. If Violette still wants to come to stay with me temporarily, she is more than welcome. If not, I would understand.”
As Alexander turned to leave, the drunk man got up from the ground, rushing at him, well intent on fighting him. But as he got near, and Alex turned to face him, his hands already in a guarding position, something else happened.
Katherine got up, faster than a bolt of lightning, and dashed between them, before smacking her husband across the face.
“Enough! Have you not shamed us enough?! Go take a cold shower and sober up!”
Richard was taken aback. His wife had always been soft-spoken and nonviolent.
The slap to his face brought a bit of reason back to his mind. He angrily stomped away, shouldering Alex on the way past him, as he stormed inside the house.
“I’m sorry you had to witness this, Mr. Leduc. Please, go wait up front. I will send Violette in a moment.”
Her tone was back to the icy tone she had when she first spoke to him. But Alex knew it wasn’t aimed at him.
He gave a curt bow before heading back to the front door and exiting the house, waiting next to the car upfront.
‘I think I overstepped. When did I become so quick to resort to violence?’ he thought, as waited next to the car.