Chapter One
The world, as Matt knew it, slowly dropped away from view as the hours ticked by. With a heavy metal album blaring in his earbuds, Matt let his forehead rest against the passenger door window and rock back and forth as he was chauffeured to hell. 5 days camping in Wisconsin with his dysfunctional stepfamily and a bastard he called 'dad.' Thankfully, it wasn't his original stepfamily that now comprised Stephanie and Amy, a stepsister and mother he had both slept with separately.
I still haven't sorted out how I'm going to deal with that.
But this new and current stepfamily was the more familiar dysfunction, at least. Case in point. Matt rolled his head to the front seats where his other stepsister, Erica, rode shotgun and was red faced as she went on minute 37 of arguing with her husband, Jordan. Jordan drove and was what everyone could easily imagine as a successful douche bag. He wore designer clothes and suits, sunglasses, and even slicked his hair back as if he was ready to sell you a used car at any moment.
Jordan looked so much like an asshole that you couldn't even really blame him for being an asshole. The blame would fall to Erica for still being with this walking shame of fecal matter. If the signs weren't clear enough, then the fact that he got along so well with Matt's dad sealed the deal enough for Matt. In some ways, the match with Erica made sense. Erica was a strong willed and loud woman who wasn't afraid of voicing her opinion. Matt had only met Erica twice, but she seemed to have a sharp sense of humor and tenderness.
Suddenly, Erica's hand raised and her finger was jabbing into Jordan's face as she screamed. Well, maybe not tender. Matt looked to his side at the 2-year-old asleep in his car seat. Matt sighed as Jordan screamed back and pushed her hand out of his face.
Oh, how I pity you, little man. I'm almost as sad for the next years of you growing up with these 2 as sad I am for you having to live as Jordan Jr...
They were a young couple. Born out of a night of alcohol and partying that was sealed with pregnancy and a shotgun wedding. Erica wasn't even 30, yet she was married and had a kid which seemed young to Matt. But what did he know?
There were obvious qualities in which were easy to be attracted to. Erica, most obviously, was a fit woman who had since put on a small amount of baby weight that clearly all went to her bosom. Not many bras fit her and the rest of the time she squeezed her enormous breasts into an old bra and shirt and spilled out of it everywhere she went. She had brown hair that hung just below her shoulders and a spicy personality.
And still, when the 2 were together and especially alone, it seemed they only knew how to argue. Which was fine for Matt. This car was still more pleasant for him to be in right now than the lead car that held his father and current stepmother, Sharon. The constant bickering was more appealing than being locked in a car for 4 hours with his father, who would continue to berate him over life decisions and college choices, while Sharon tiptoed between the 2 of them, trying to keep the peace.
Just the thought of his father made Matt's face swell with anger. He thumbed the volume louder on his headphones, so the rock music pushed everything else out and his eardrums almost hurt. When he arrived back home, this afternoon his father was waiting for him in the garage. Matt already knew he was in for it. He was 10 minutes late, and he had no excuse since the truth was he was busy having sex with his father's ex-wife, and something told Matt that admitting the truth wouldn't make this trip less awkward.
"You see what time it is?" His dad started before Matt even closed the door of his car.
"Yeah, I know, I'm here now though, so," Matt tried to make in doors to avoid this match, but his dad was insistent. "Erica and her family aren't even here yet."
"No, that's not the point. Stop walking away and come here!" His finger jabbed at the ground by his foot like he was heeling a dog. "This is about your lack of respect for every order I give you. I give you some time. I expect you to be on time. I give you a place I expect you to be there. You're supposed to be your own man now and no matter how much chance I give you it seems you never step up and start making the right decisions."
"You mean I never make the decisions you want," Matt squared off with his father. His dad was a stout man but shorter than Matt at 5'6. His forearms were thick and bulky, and his shoulders broad. That mixed with his potbelly and gray, balding hairline gave an odd look to him. But something about his aura was intimidating. He beamed an energy with his glare that despite Matt's best effort, made his voice not as sure sounding as he'd like.
"You watch your tone, boy," his father's eyes flared with rage behind them. He was in a bad mood already. Matt was just a convenient punching bag. "I gave you everything! The roof over your head, clothes on your back, food, that car!"
"I bought that car with money that I earned working!"
"You buy this house, too? How about books for college or college itself? You couldn't focus enough to get a scholarship to any college with your football nonsense, so no one else is giving you a handout."
Matt stood silently and fumed. It was a raw point for him. Recruiters for 3 different schools had made the trip to watch him play, one of which was from Tampa university, but none wanted him to play. The team and school had made such a big deal that a recruiter was there to see Matt. He floated through the school hallways for weeks before he found out they didn't want him.
Who would want me?
"At least I don't need to pay off women to fuck me!" Matt blurted out, and his father's jaw locked. "Sharon, Amy... you think these attractive women actually like you?! You're a- an asshole! They just want your money!"
His father palmed Matt's chest hard, knocking him back about a foot. "That's right. And you know why? Because I respect myself. I've got power and money, which means I get what I want and the people around me give it." He held his finger up to Matt's face. A warning gesture. "Now this is your last chance to do what I want or you're done forever. You will go on this camping trip and avoid this family the entire time- I don't want to see you, I don't want to hear you. Then, when we get back, you're going to send in your paperwork to go to Indiana State. I will get you a small apartment nearby and you will major in pre-law. You'll be a lawyer and that's the end. You will do every bit of this and if you don't. I will write you off from this family. I will take everything I bought you- you can keep your piece of shit car- and you can be a homeless bum without a college education, a home, or a family."
Matt clenched his teeth as he felt trapped. He knew his father had played his trump card. The only way he got what he wanted. Money. Without another word, he turned from the conversation to go inside.
"You understand, boy?" His dad's voice boomed.
"I got it," Matt said over his shoulder as he went inside.
Matt felt the heat rise to his cheeks as he recalled the argument and repositioned his face so the cool window glass pressed and chilled his cheek. It took everything in his body and mind to not punch his dad. He wasn't sure what would've happened if he had. It scared him that his dad might've hit back and harder, but it scared him most that if he would've hit his dad, he might not be able to keep himself from striking him again and again and again.
Chapter Two
If it wasn't for his family being there, the Wisconsin countryside was actually quite peaceful. By the time they neared the camping grounds, Erica and Jordan had shouted themselves in circles until they retreated to their corners of the car in a silent pout. They had the windows down while they snaked down the road between thick wooded forests. Aside from the occasional whiff of exhaust from his father's Audi up ahead, the smell was of clean and fresh air, like it was freshly minted by the trees just for Matt.
Erica would point out the beautiful wildflowers at the base of the trees and she became extra excited when Matt pointed out a family of deer in the tree line. Delightfully, they passed the fields of sprawled tents and then the parking lot for the RVs to get to their arrangements. The 'cabin' was better than Matt could hope for. It took an extra few minute to get to the cabin section of the park. The area was secluded and gorgeous. There were about a dozen modest cabins that surrounded a community cabin where there was electricity and running water and community breakfasts were prepared.
They passed all of those buildings, took a curve around a bend in the forest where they found their cabin. It was enormous. Considered a cabin suite, it was easily larger than the cabin community's house and had both electricity and running water. The one thing it didn't have was the internet. They would have to go to the community building for that, but Matt didn't mind. With no cell phone signal, he was happy to put the past behind him and live in the moment. He was definitely ready to start fresh and have a normal week with his family for once.
The relaxing evening with his family was not off to the greatest of start as they had barely unpacked their things into the 3 separate bedrooms when Matt's father had said something to set off Erica and the next shouting match was already under way. Matt was following his father's orders and staying in his room out of sight when he heard it outside. Apparently, his dad had called Sharon stupid and now both Sharon and his dad were yelling at Erica for calling her stepfather a, "shit popsicle."
Matt laughed about that in his room for a while. He had gotten to know Erica a little on the drive there. Between her and Jordan's fights they chatted about different things. Matt was typically a bit shy when talking to attractive women, but either because technically this woman was his stepsister or because of his sexual accomplishments with two other attractive ladies recently, his conversation skills were on point.
Erica worked as a hair stylist- well, she ran the hair salon, apparently, but was just being modest, according to Jordan. Erica was funny and had an infectious laugh. The evening turned dark, and Matt told Sharon he'd take his dinner in his room. His father didn't look up from the TV as he passed. Matt hated he was doing what his father wanted, but in truth it was what he wanted, too. To see as little of him as possible. Erica apparently peaked in frustration as she was involved in yet another argument with her husband.
I'm starting to think her personality might just be too big for this family...
Matt was lying on his bed in athletic shorts and some old t-shirt while watching TV. It was nearly 11pm. He normally would stay awake until 2-3:00am playing video games or screwing around on the internet, but since that wasn't an option, Matt was about to turn in out of boredom when his door swung open. It opened with such ferocity that Matt nearly fell off of his bed.
"I don't know if I can do 5 nights here," an exasperated Erica said. In her hand was a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey that had already had a few drinks missing from it. "Is it cool if I hangout here for a bit, I can't stand my husband- or anyone, really. In fact, you're the only cool person here, I think. Besides myself, of course," Erica closed the door behind her with a small laugh, not waiting for Matt to respond.
