Mutiny - The Truth
“Violet? Is this true?” Nancy asked.
All eyes turned to the teenager curled in an angry ball on the couch. She didn't know how long they'd been talking about her. Her mom sat closest to Mike's mom, who was in the big easy chair, while her dad slowly paced the living room, allowing his stormy expression to speak for him.
They listened to Mrs. Schmidt first. Then came the disbelief, the “what ifs” and “couldn't haves”. The banter went on and on, and Violet just let the noise wash over her. It wasn't her turn at that point, so she let her thoughts quietly stew and simmer.
Not that it really helped – she'd been stewing for days now, completely lost, swinging from self-righteous rage to gut-wrenching heartache and every grade of agony in between. Keeping herself calm was a chore; she'd avoided her parents at every opportunity, knowing they'd ask until she caved.
Well, she didn't have to cave now. The others had spilled their guts about the whole thing.
Jerks.
At least they kept that one part a secret... but they were still jerks.
“Violet, answer the question,” her father spoke into her stubborn silence.
With an annoyed scoff, Violet obliged... sort of. “What's the point? You got the same story from five kids at once! Whaddya need MY input for?”
“You know very well why we want to hear from you,” came Nancy's sharp reminder. “This isn't the first time someone lied to get you into trouble. We trust you to tell us the tr--”
“Mom, seriously. It's happened enough times, and they weren't ALL liars. You say you're gonna believe one kid against FIVE? Come on, even YOU know that's crazy!”
Nancy stopped her with a patient hand and stern look. “First of all, you are MY kid; you're my priority, and I believe you first. Always have, always will.” When Violet rolled her eyes, her father Jeff moved to reprimand the attitude, but Nancy stopped him.
“Secondly,” she continued, “well... I remember when Faith was visiting just a few days ago. You had... quite the argument.”
“Mom!! You were eavesdropping??” Violet screeched, immediately uncurled and seeing red.
“NO – you were both shouting so loud, I heard you from the upstairs bedroom,” came Nancy's cutting reply. “This wasn't some little fight! Now I didn't hear every little thing, but I DID hear you call her a liar and tell her to go away!”
“God, Mom, just – stop, okay?”
“And now here we are, with Faith and all of your friends accusing you of causing Mike's injuries!” Nancy pressed on, despite her daughter curling up again. “So I need to be sure, Vi, we need to be sure – are they lying? Would Faith convince everyone to do this to you because of your fight?”
“I don't f****ing know, okay?? Just leave me alone!!” the teen screamed into her folded arms.
“Violet Patricia, that is enough!” her father boomed, but she didn't react.
She felt childish, vulnerable, completely justified and more angry at herself than ever. This wasn't all her fault! They hurt her first! They betrayed her! But she couldn't explain what they did – what Faith did – because then they'd know and everything would be ruined and it wasn't fair!!
Faintly, she heard Mike's mother rise from her seat. “This might be easier if I go now,” she suggested softly. “Just give me a ring later and we'll--”
“No, Lisa,” Jeff shook his head, “this needs to be settled now. Please sit down.”
“Jeff, she's, Violet's overwhelmed, this could...” Nancy added, her voice wavering.
“It's important. For Violet. Trust me... please?”
The room absorbed another silent beat before Nancy sighed and nodded. Lisa took her acceptance as the cue to sit down. Finally, Jeff crouched in front of Violet; he rested one hand atop her shaking, white-knuckled fist.
“Vi. Look at me.”
She didn't budge or utter a sound. He tried again.
“Vi, we need the truth from you. It's a serious accusation here; Mrs. Schmidt's boy was in the hospital. Can't leave his own house until he's better. If you did do this, we need to know why. You've never hurt anyone like this before.
“And if it turns out these kids made this up just to get you in trouble, well... that's a whole 'nother story. But we can't do nothin' until you speak up. Get your fair say. So c'mon, Vi. Let's hear it.”
The parents waited. The faint ticking of a tiny clock on the mantle was the only sound anyone could pick up. It dutifully counted a full minute of silence, and was approaching the next half-minute, when Violet shifted.
She looked up enough to meet Jeff's steady gaze. Her fist flexed beneath his warm palm; he reached up to rub her shoulder, encouraging her again.
At last, she sighed. “I... yeah. S'true,” she nodded. “I did it.”
The room released its held breath. Lisa closed her eyes tight, feeling her own fists clench in her lap. Nancy leaned back, one hand covering her mouth as she processed this.
Jeff allowed himself a moment to take a deep breath. “Right then... an' why did you do it?”
“Cuz...” Violet nearly curled up again, but her father stopped her, now gently holding her chin up to keep her eyes on his own. She blinked hard. “... cuz he... made fun. About me and.. losing... losing friends.”
“Hmm... an' he called you names?”
Violet nodded.
“Like what?”
“Like... 'psycho”, and 'sourpuss'...”
“And what else? Be honest, Vi.”
“No Dad, nothin' else,” she insisted, knowing the kind of names he was worried about.
“Right...” He shifted to a more comfortable crouch, then called Violet's attention once more. “Very important... did he do anything else to you? Or the other kids? Have they been mistreatin’ you over time? Any little thing at all, you tell us--”
“Nothin',” she repeated with certainty, and some annoyance. “It was just a stupid fight... n' it got outta hand.”
Jeff studied her for a long moment. “... okay. Now, c'mere.” Father and daughter stood together. He ushered her to the easy chair, and had her stand before Mike's mother. Lisa looked up at them with mild confusion and glassy eyes.
Then Jeff explained, “Violet, you're my daughter, whom I love very much. If anyone dared lay hands on you an' have you sent to the hospital, you know I'd go after that punk an' set 'em straight.” He sighed.
“My girl, to this woman here... you are that punk. You've caused her, and her boy Michael, more pain than was ever called for. Your actions put him in serious, serious danger; you gave him a scar and a concussion, and it was not in self-defense. You are lucky that he wasn't hurt any worse than that. Now, Mike ain't here, but you can at least apologize to his mother for what you did.”
Fists tight and angry tears trickling down her cheeks, Violet nodded and told Mrs. Schmidt, “Mmm... I'm sorry.”
Lisa managed a nod and tired smile. “Thank you, Violet.”
*~*~*
The rest of the day was understandably tense. After Lisa left, Violet's parents sent the teen to her room to discuss what they would do next. Even if it meant that the rest of her spring break would be filled with chores and “family meetings”, Violet was relieved to have some time to herself again.
It gave her time to think.
Later, when Nancy retrieved Violet to talk again, she noticed something different about Violet's room, but couldn't put her finger on it.
She would eventually realize that the Captain Foxy prize doll, part of the shared set she’d collected with her friends, had vanished from Violet's shelf.