“Yeah.” Emmy replies meekly.
“So you can imagine what it’s like to discover that your teenage niece is prostituting herself online.” His stern voice bellows intensely as he holds his stare.
Emmy’s heart sinks further, inhaling in shock, almost like a faint sobbing. Her mouth opens as if to say something but no words come out. “I’m not, I don’t, I…” She stammers.
“You make me sick.” Chris utters plainly, maintaining his stern glare. Emmy gasps slightly, her eyes being the window into how devastating those words sound. “Why?” Chris asks in a calmer tone. “Just… Why?” He reiterates, sounding a bit more hurt.
“I… I don’t know, I just…” Emmy tries to explain herself.
“Do you have any idea what it is you’re doing? Do you have any idea at all how dangerous it is?” His interrogation continues.
“I know, but I only did it a few times.” Emmy continues in desperation.
“Only a few times?” Chris says in a bewildered tone as he stands up straight, his right thumb and index finger going over his eyes as he shakes his head.
“I’m sorry. I fucked up. I’m sorry.” Emmy’s voice pleads, her fragile voice nearly trembling from the cavalcade of emotions.
Chris stops shaking his head and folds his arms, looking down at her. “You’re a whore.” He says softly, his eyes glossy from filling up with tears. Emmy gasps again, feeling crushed by that statement. “All I’ve done to try and help you and you just keep fucking up.” He raises his voice again. “I tried for so long to believe you were just going through a phase but I can’t deny the truth anymore. You’re a skank. You’re an embarrassment to me.”
Emmy’s eyes begin to water. “Fuck you…” She finally utters after a tense moment of silence. She feels betrayed and wildly misunderstood.
“Fuck me?” Chris says indignantly, stepping back and unfolding his arms.
Emmy gets up angrily. “You’re not my dad. You don’t own me. You can’t tell me what to do.” Her voice surges with emotion. “You don’t know what it’s like to be me, to go through the things I go through.” She begins to ramble emotionally, pouring her heart out as she sobs. “You’re a piece of shit and I can’t believe you said that to me.” Tears begin to roll down from her eyes. “I’m leaving.” She begins to march away, toward her room to grab her things.
Chris grabs her arm angrily. “No you’re not.” He says in a domineering tone.
“Don’t touch me!” Emmy violently jerks her arm away.
“You know what? Fine, leave, go be a gutter slut for all I care!” Chris yells before slapping her across the face. A wave of regret instantly washes over his face as he realizes what he did. Emmy looks back at him, shaking as her left hand covers where he hit her. He watches her eyes flow with tears, her face red, he can see how hurt she is. What was once an innocent, loving, trusting look from his niece is now one of betrayal, distrust. How things have changed since she was a sweet little girl.
Emmy breaks her distressed stare and quickly heads to her room. Chris hangs his head back with his right hand on his forehead, sighing deeply as he thinks about what he just did. Emmy quickly gathers her bag and puts her boots back on, barely seeing through her watery eyes. She sniffs and sobs frantically as she collects the cash she’s accumulated from selling herself. She quickly heads back down the hall, toward the door. Emmy turns around to face Chris. “I hate you.” She says coldly. He was once one of the few, if not the only, reliable older male figures in her life and now he’s just another man who hit her.
Chris’s heart sinks as he hears those words, her sharp stare piercing his normally strong demeanor. “Emmy, I’m so sorry…” He looks at her from across the room, in disbelief at what just happened. He let his anger get the better of him. Emmy turns back around, slamming the door behind her as she leaves. Chris remains, shaking his head to himself as he ruminates on his regret and general feeling of disgust at himself for how he handled the situation.
Emmy walks along the quiet sidewalk, the still and cool air filling her nostrils as she sniffs and sobs. She folds her arms, her face red from crying. Her image disappears into the night as she continues her directionless trek, not knowing where to go or who to rely on. She just wants to get away from it all.