Page 15 of Feeding Hope
Fanatic
“Promise me you won’t feed Dante.”
Mrs Ames smiled. “That’s easy to agree to. Dante’s had the devil in him lately. If he doesn’t learn now, he’ll be an awful human being.”
“Not disagreeing. I get that Dad wanted to give us everything, but Dante hasn’t experienced the hardships most of us have. Mom did spoil us, but also kept a balance. Dante never had that,” I said.
“Drake loves you,” Mrs Ames replied firmly.
“Oh God, we know that. He’s been a great dad, but where Dante is concerned, he’s weak,” I stated.
“Everyone has a fault somewhere. Dante is Drake’s.” Mrs Ames laughed. The kitchen door opened, and Aaron entered, looking amused, with Dante in tow.
“These are mine,” Dante said and emptied a bag of shit on the worktop. It was all sweets and snacks, no food whatsoever. Oh boy, just as I’d guessed. Dante wasn’t taking this seriously and thought he’d treat himself.
“That’s what you bought? To feed yourself for the week?” I asked, bemused.
Dante stuck his nose in the air. “It’s nothing to do with you.”
“Fine. See you for lunch,” I retorted and sent Willow a message explaining everything. She agreed to eat here for now. This would be fun.
“Hey, save some for me!” Dante yelled as sandwiches disappeared as the locusts descended. He made a grab for some, and I smacked his hand and moved the plate aside.
“Nope. Not for you. You bought your food, eat some of that!” I ordered.
“That’s all snacks and candy. I need real stuff,” Dante retorted.
“Shame. You had thirty dollars and purchased crap. That has to last you a week,” I replied.
Dante stared before beginning to laugh. “Good one. You had me going then.”
“Did I? Why do you think I was joking? I meant it. Thirty bucks to feed yourself for a week. Mama Phoe used to feed six of us on that. Why can’t you?”
“Fuck off, Fanatic, you can’t expect me not to eat!” Dante yelled.
Eyes weighed heavily on me, and I knew Dad was watching.
“Dad! You can’t let me starve!” Dad stepped forward, and I held a hand up.
“This is my punishment, Dad; you’ve got no right to interfere,” I warned. Dad paused and then nodded.
“Dante, you bought your food and didn’t think we were serious. Now you know we are. I wonder how long those snacks will sustain you,” I said to Dante.
“You can’t do this!” Dante shrieked and smashed his fist on the table.
“Yes, we can. Motion sensor cameras have been installed, covering the kitchen completely. If you steal food, I shall call the police and have you arrested. And believe me, I will,” I hissed, leaning into him. Dante flinched and tried to figure out a way around this.
“Fanatic.” Mum spoke softly behind me. “Let Dante do what I did.”
Hope flared in Dante. “Yeah, Mom won’t let me go hungry!”
“Won’t I?” Mum asked as I moved aside. “For several years, Dante, I ate out of bins to stave off starvation. My thirty dollars went on my children, buying basic foods to keep them alive and fed. I’m going to give thirty bucks to Eddie, and she’ll go out and buy food for you.
“Now, depending on how spiteful Eddie’s feeling, she could buy shit like you, and you won’t have a solid meal. Or Eddie might show pity and buy meals. It’s up to her. Meanwhile, all scraps will be put on a plate for you to eat. That would save you the indignity of diving down a trash can.”
It was harsh, and I doubted myself. Was I going too far? Short of beating Dante, I’d no idea what else to do. Giving this stuff away hadn’t worked. A week with Drake at the clubhouse hadn’t. Dante had seriously hurt Eddie this time. How did we get through to him? This was beyond drastic.
“But they’ve been eaten by everyone else.”
