How did we get here? Where did we go wrong?

It seems like it was a different man, a different life that was so concerned about being a father like my father. Screwing my kids up. I thought, after Calvin and I understood each other that I had put those concerns to rest.

But the girls…

Although Vivian and Teresa were practically twins when they were younger, they’ve grown apart. Not emotionally, they’re still the closest of friends. But whereas Teresa is interested in securing the family Legacy and putting money in the bank, Vivian is more mischievous. And most of the time she directs her antics towards Scarlett.

She apparently bought a voodoo doll online at one point. Her mother and I were concerned, but thought perhaps it was a good way for her to take out her anger without actually taking out her anger.

Even if it was creepy. We talked to Vivian and she assured us that it was nothing more than harmless fun. So we let it continue, but we’ve been trying to keep an eye on her to make sure nothing gets too weird.

But Scarlett has always been the problem. And I know it’s terrible for a father to say about one of his children, but she is a problem. A big problem. And I not only don’t know what to do, I quite frankly have given up.

When she was younger her mother and I worried because she had a bit of an evil streak in her, but we thought, just like all the other kids, that she would go through the phase and eventually come out of it. But she just continues to flout our rules and talk back to us.

Penny and I suspected that she was no longer going to school and so I was tasked with confronting her about it.

She, of course, denied everything and claimed that it was just our way of trying to keep a closer watch on her. I told her that she is a child and she needs to listen to us and, if we want to keep a close watch on her, then so be it. She is living under our roof and she is far too young to think she can be independent.

And that’s when she attacked me.

I was shocked. If shocked can even capture the way I felt. I’ve had my disagreements with my children, and I’ve had my verbal spats with each of them (some worse than others). But I never thought that one of my girls would turn violent against me. I eventually managed to stop her from pummeling me and she stormed out. To go whoknowswhere.

I lost it. I told Penny that we had to do something, and the only thing I could think of was to kick her out and be done with her. Penny didn’t take lightly to that idea.

“She’s insane! She attacked me. This isn’t like before, this isn’t like with Calvin, he was emotional but he was your average teenager. Something is wrong with Scarlett and I don’t know what to do any more and quite frankly I don’t care. She’s done. She’s gone.”

Penny always had a soft spot for Scarlett and tried her best with her. So naturally she sought to defend her. “Galen, honey. I know you’re angry and I’m just as shocked as you are. But she’s a teenager.”

“I don’t care.”

“I know, I know. But she needs help. We should sit down with her and discuss seeing a therapist.”

“We tried that before! We tried encouraging her to get help but doesn’t think she needs it. I’m DONE. If you want to try, fine. But that girl is no daughter of mine any more.”

“Galen!”

I didn’t have anything left to say, I just gave Penny a look. A look I hoped expressed the seriousness of my comment. I was not going to treat this girl who didn’t respect me as a member of the family.

And I wasn’t the only one who felt this way.

Since graduating from high school, Teresa has had two primary focuses: her job and Gideon.

Working as an agency clerk for [REDACTED], doesn’t leave her a lot of time outside of work. Teresa has always been the dedicated one, the one who told me when she was a young girl that she would one day make enough money that I could retire and return to the woods. At the time I chuckled and thought she would she was being a daddy’s girl, but she has maintained that desire to see the family to prosperity.

And part of that means starting a family of her own.

Teresa and Gideon have been dating since she was a Sophomore in high school. He’s a good guy. Football player, always cheerful, and seems to respect Teresa in ways I’m not even sure I respected Penny when I was that age.

But apparently, one time after Teresa and Gideon were…um…together, Scarlett stormed into the room.

Gideon had been just getting out of bed, and Scarlett lunged for her sister for no obvious reason, but Gideon managed to get between them. It’s a funny image, even though it’s terrible, a naked Gideon, post-pleasure, trying to stop this raging monster from attacking Teresa.

I never did find out what set Scarlett off that day, and my bet would be that even Teresa has no idea, that’s just the kind of lunatic Scarlett has become. But Teresa was pissed, and for good reason.

“What the hell is WRONG with you?! Why did you come in here? You are a psycho, do you know that? Huh?! You’re MESSED. UP.”

After she left, Teresa was so embarrassed.

“I’m so sorry, babe. I don’t know what’s wrong with her. She’s insane. She sort of does this all the time. Just last week she attacked Dad. You probably think our family is insane. Why would you want to be this psychotic family?”

“C’mon Teresa. You know that I don’t feel that way. Your family is great, except for her. They’ve always made me feel welcomed and, hell, they’re a lot more normal than my family.”

Teresa chuckled with an empty smile. “That’s sweet but…I’m sure you just think we’re a mess.”

“Maybe here, not you. You’re the most well-composed women I’ve ever met.”

I watch their young relationship and see hope for the future of our family. Perhaps the only hope I see…