Conflict (a blog story) 12

     While he claimed to be a new man, Derrick began using again as soon as he got home. Judy scrounged up every penny she had to throw him a party. It was for two people. Judy talked for days, she was so strung out. She recounted every day since Derrick left back to him. She had been so alone.
     Derrick was too blissed out to really care or listen. Every now and then he would jump up unexpectedly, scream at the top of his lungs, and break something. The he would laugh maniacally and sit back down as if nothing had happened. The only time he paid attention was when Judy talked about Jonah and Hailey and the baby. This meant something to him.
     Judy knew what buttons to push. Before Derrick left to see Jonah at the store she told him, “You have got a lot of anger in you, boy. You need to put that anger to good use. You have got to let it out or it will ruin you.”
     As they embraced in the doorway she whispered in his ear, “Make your mother proud.”