Nothing Is Wrong
Harley's eyes widened in surprise as he opened the door to find a familiar face standing on his doorstep, he stared at the billionaire in disbelief. "Hey kid," a smile on his face. "Tony?.. W-what are you doing here?"
“Thought I’d come visit, what’s wrong? You didn’t want me here?” Tony replied sarcastically.
“Well, I.. no it’s just..” Harley scratched his neck. Just as the billionaire was about to step inside, Harley called out, “Tony, wait.."
Tony paused at Harley's tone, turning back to face him. "Is everything alright?” He noticed the sudden tension in Harley's shoulders, the way his eyes darted nervously towards the living room. “I’m fine.. could we talk outside instead?” Harley blurted out.
“Sure... okay," Tony said, noting the sudden change in Harley's demeanor. "Something you want to tell me?" He followed Harley outside, the door shutting behind them. The sun beat down on them as Tony waited patiently for an explanation. Harley fidgeted nervously, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket. "It's just... my dad's back," he said avoiding Tony's gaze. "He came home a month ago."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Your old man, huh? That must be... interesting," he responded. “How's that going?" His tone less enthusiastic. “It's fine," Harley said quickly, too quickly. "He's just working stuff out, you know? We're getting along great," he added, his shoulders tense.
“Uh-huh," Tony drawled, his skeptical expression giving away his doubts.
"No, really, everything's fine," Harley insisted, forcing a smile. "Mum just... doesn't like him being here much. But I'm glad he's back. He's my dad, you know?"
Tony noticed the forced cheerfulness and the way his eyes kept darting nervously around the yard. He sighed, deciding to let it go for now. "Where's your sister? Usually she would be the one running to open the door,” Tony asked casually. "Abbie must have an opinion on her dad being back." Harley's expression shifted, and Tony filed that away in his mind.
"I... she's, uh, spending the night at a friend's," Harley mumbled, avoiding eye contact. "She's really glad Dad's back too. Really glad."
“Sure.. what about your mother? I didn’t see her at the diner today,” Tony asked, his gaze lingering on Harley. “She had a day off, she went shopping to pick up some things too," Harley said, still fidgeting. "Probably just avoiding the whole situation..."
Tony was about to ask more but got interrupted by Harley. “Listen, Tony, I really appreciate you coming by, but... I think you should just go. I really do. Please." His eyes met Tony's for the first time since his arrival.
Tony was taken aback by the sudden request. "What? Why? I just got here," he said, pretending to have confusion on his face. He tried to put a hand on Harley’s shoulder but he flinched. He almost never flinched at his touch. "Hey, kid, did I do something wrong?” His voice held a hint of slight offense.
Harley quickly shook his head, his hands coming out of his pockets to wave dismissively. "No, no, it's not that! You didn't do anything wrong,” he paused.
Just as Tony was about to press further, they both heard a stern voice carry through the air from an open window. "Harley what the fuck are you doing there?!" Harley's face instantly paled, he took a step back. "Uh, I gotta go, Tony. Dad's calling for me. I'll catch you later, okay?" He started to quickly move towards the house in a hurry.
A deep frown etched on Tony’s face. He called out, "Kid, wait!" but Harley was already hurrying inside, the door slamming shut behind him. As soon as Harley entered the house, his father was there, towering over him. “What were you doing outside?” He said, his voice rising.
"I-I was just outside with a friend," Harley stammered, trying to maintain eye contact despite the fear. "Maybe you should stop shouting. He might've heard us." His voice shook slightly.
"What the fuck did you say?!" The older shouted, his voice echoing throughout the house. Harley tried to apologize, his words coming out in a rush. "I-I'm sorry, dad, I'm really sorry. I won’t go out without your permission anymore, I promise. Please, just calm down..."
Without warning, his father's hand swung out, slapping Harley hard across the face. The sound echoed through the room, his cheek stinging painfully. "You should have thought of that earlier," his father snapped, his eyes cold. "Go get me another beer from the fridge."
Harley's eyes welled up with tears but he blinked them back, quickly turning towards the kitchen. His hand reached up to touch his burning cheek as he moved, trying to maintain his composure. He grabs one of the beers from the fridge. Harley returned to the living room with a bottle on his hand, his father snatched it from his hand, not even bothering to say thank you. He cracked it open and took a long swig. For a moment, he just stood there, drinking in silence. He watched Harley stand there, waiting. He took another sip, set the beer down, and sighed heavily. "Harley..." He paused, running a hand through his hair. "Come here," he said gruffly.
Harley approached cautiously, knowing the routine all too well. His father pulled him into a rough hug, mussing his hair. "I'm sorry, Harley," he mumbled, the apology barely audible. “You know how I am sometimes, I just can’t control my temper.” Harley just nodded, it was the same thing everytime.
His father touched the younger’s stinging cheek, where he had just hit. “You just need to listen to me okay? If you do, I won’t have to be like this,” his father then released his touch, stepping back with a sigh. "Go to your room," he told the other, his attention back to the TV. Harley nodded again, backing away slowly before turning and fleeing up the stairs to his room. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he knew his father didn’t mean the apology. He closed his door and sat down on his mattress with tears streaming down his cheeks. He turned to face his nightstand where his phone was. Suddenly, his phone rang, making him jump violently.
Harley grabbed his phone and stared at the caller ID, surprised. It was his sister. Heart pounding, he swiped to answer, his voice cracking slightly as he spoke, "Abbie?”
“Hey Harley, listen I’m staying at Jessica’s house, her parents are out of town this week so I might be able to stay here for another week,” Abbie said, yawning.
“Wait, what do you mean you're staying at Jessica's for a while? Dad's expecting you home tonight." Harley responded as he wiped his tears away.
Abbie’s voice grew cold, “I don't care what Dad expects. I'm not going home, Harley."
"Abbie, come on! You can't just disappear like this. Dad's going to -" He paused, swallowing hard. "Just... come home. Please?..”
Abbie's response was immediate, “No, Harley. I'm not going home. I don't want to see Dad or hear his voice. I don’t know why he decided came back after all these years but I want a break from home, and Jessica's place is my escape. Just leave me alone, okay?"
"Abbie-" Before he could finish his sentence, the call ended abruptly. Harley stared at his phone. "Abbie?" He said her name again, as if she might somehow still hear him through the disconnected line. He puts the ohone down on the nightstand again. Harley's mind raced as he lay there, he knew he had to do something, but what? He couldn't just let Abbie stay away from home forever, but he also couldn't bear the thought of her finding out the truth.
Harley's eyes snapped open as his phone rang again, startling him out of his worried thoughts. He grabbed it again, almost dropping it again from his shaking hands. The name on the caller ID made Harley's heart skip a beat. ‘The Mechanic’ He took a deep breath and answered, trying to keep his voice steady. "Tony, hey.”
“Hey kiddo, you alright?” hearing Tony’s voice made Harley felt better, and for a moment, Harley was tempted to pour out all his fears and worries into the phone. But he held back, not wanting to burden Tony with his family's problems. “Harley? You there? And what happened earlier? Your old man sounded upset.” Tony's voice grew softer. He seemed to sense that something was seriously wrong. "You can talk to me, you know. I'm here if you need me.”
Harley's grip on the phone tightened, his knuckles turning white. He wanted to tell Tony everything, to unload the heavy burden he'd been carrying, but the words felt stuck in his throat, a thick lump of fear and shame preventing them from escaping. "No... it's nothing..”
Tony's silence on the other end of the line spoke volumes. He knew Harley was lying, and he was disappointed. "Alright, if you say so. But if you change your mind, I'm here. Always.” He paused before adding, “By the way, I’m quite busy these past few days, might not be able to stay here for a while." With that, he ended the call, leaving Harley alone with his thoughts once again.
The sudden silence was deafening, and Harley felt a pang of guilt in his chest. He knew Tony was only trying to help, but he couldn't bring himself to open up. He couldn’t let someone he calls family see him like this.
As the night wore on, Harley's exhaustion finally overpowered his worried thoughts. He set his phone aside and slept throughout the night.
_____________
The morning sun streamed through the window, casting a warm glow on Harley's face as he slowly opened his eyes. He blinked a few times, trying to shake off the lingering effects of his restless sleep. Harley dragged himself out of bed and made his way downstairs. He expected the house to be quiet, but as he reached the bottom stair, he heard voices coming from the kitchen.
He stood frozen in the hallway, he didn't want to deal with his father's mood this early in the morning. Harley cautiously peered around the corner, catching sight of his mother rushing around the kitchen, ignoring the other man entirely as she prepared for her lunchbox. Meanwhile, his father stood with his back to the wall, a phone pressed to his ear.
Harley decided to focus on his mother for the moment. He cleared his throat to get her attention. "Mum?" He called out softly, not wanting to startle her. His mother jumped slightly at his voice but quickly recovered her composure. "Morning, sweetheart. Did you sleep okay?" She kept packing her lunch, not meeting his eyes.
"I slept... well enough," he lied, running a hand through his messy morning hair. "Did you manage to get Abbie’s school books?”His voice was quiet, trying not to draw his father's attention. His mother paused in her preparations, setting the lunchbox down on the counter. She sighed, rubbing her hand on her forehead. "Yes, I got them yesterday. They're on the shelf by the front door."
"Thanks, Mum," Harley replied, turning to head up the stairs before his father could call him. However, just as he reached the hallway, his father yelled. "Harley! Get in here!”
Harley hesitated, his heart immediately beginning to race. Taking a deep breath, he slowly turned around and re-entered the kitchen, trying to appear calm. "Yeah, Dad?" He kept his eyes focused on a point just above his father's shoulder.
“Where's your sister? You said she was coming home today.” The older man asked, his voice low. Harley's voice trembled slightly as he replied, “She’s still staying at Jessica’s house. I don't know when she'll be back." He avoided his father's gaze, his stomach churning with anxiety.
“What the hell do you mean she's still at Jessica's? She's been there for days now!" He slammed the phone down on the counter, making Harley jump.
Harley's eyes darted to his mother, silently begging for some sort of intervention or support. But she just grabbed her bag and walked out the door without a second glance. Tears pricked at the corners of Harley's eyes as he turned back to face his father.
“Why isn't Abbie coming home? Is she avoiding me?" He took a menacing step forward as Harley backed away. “Did you tell her what I did?”
Harley swallowed hard, his voice barely above a whisper. "No, Dad... I didn't tell her anything." Tears finally spilled down his cheeks as he backed away once more, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. "I wouldn't do that to you..”
His father grabbed him by the collar. "You did, didn't you? You told Abbie what I did!" He shook Harley, his eyes filled with betrayal. “How could you do this to me, Harley? After everything I've done for this family..."
Harley shook his head frantically, tears streaming down his face. "I didn't, Dad! I swear! I didn't tell Abbie anything! I-I would never do that to you!”
His father grabbed his belt on the table. "You're lying," he snarled. Harley fell down against the wall as his father raised the belt. "Dad... please," he begged, his voice cracking with fear and desperation. "I'm not lying! I didn't tell her anything, I swear! Please... don't hit me again..”
"Oh, so I'm the bad guy now?" His father's voice dripped with mock as he lowered the belt slightly. "After everything I've done for you, this is how you repay me? By turning your sister against me?"
Harley's heart ached at the guilt trip, tears falling faster. "N-no, Dad... I-I would never want to hurt you." He looked up at his father with pleading eyes. "I love you, Dad. I didn't tell her, I swear."
For a long moment, his father just stared at him, the belt still in his hand. Then, slowly, the anger seemed to drain out of him. He let out a heavy sigh and uncurled his fingers, letting the belt fall to the floor.
His father reached out and pulled Harley into a tight hug, the boy's sobs muffled against his shoulder. “I'm sorry, I lost my temper. You didn't tell Abbie anything, did you?" His voice softer now. Harley shook his head against his father's shoulder, still crying. "N-no, Dad. I didn't tell her anything. I promise." He hugged his father back tightly. "P-please don’t be mad..”
Harley clung to his father even though he knew this calm version of him wouldn't last. His father held him for a moment longer, then pulled back slightly to look at Harley's tear-stained face. "You’re a good boy," he said softly, brushing a strand of hair out of the boy's eyes. "You know I care about you right?” He hugged him again, tighter this time.
Harley nodded, his heart racing with anxiety. He knew that look in his father's eyes, that tone of voice, he was just temporarily in favor. He wanted to stay in this moment forever, to believe that his father really did love him.
As quickly as it had come, the moment passed. His father released him and stepped back, he stood up and he ruffled through his son’s hair before going outside for a smoke.
Harley quickly wiped his tears away with the back of his hand. He knew the drill by now. He would go to his room, lock the door, and try to forget about this whole thing until his father's mood shifted again.
It had been about a month since this continuous cycle happened. At first, he was happy his father was back, but after a few days, he started becoming more…hurtful. But he apologized after. Harley just brushed it off, everyone’s father had mood swings before, it wasn’t a big deal..