The Entrancement

Jesse ground the phone under his foot. “Don’t make me use the Gift any more than I have to, Dad. There are consequences.”

“Okay, Jesse. I get it. Let’s talk this out. Come, sit.” William gently nudged him back toward the bed. “We went over the top tonight. I didn't know we had so many healings lined up.”

Jesse looked down at the wet and stained mattress. “I don't want to sit down there and I don't think you do either.”

“What I'm saying is that this won't happen again.” William took a deep breath. “I'll make sure they don't go over the maximum number of healings your grandfather set.”

He shook free of his father's grasp. “You're right, Dad.” He opened the door. “It won't happen again. We’ve exceeded that limit for the past five years.” He took his father's hand and held it tight. “I’ll say it again: I'm leaving.”

“What about your mother?”

“Tell her I'll be okay and buy her some jewelry or something.”

“Son, that's not fair.”

“Oh, so you’d rather I let her know just what goes on down here so cripples can walk? Does she know I was only eleven years old when all this,” he gestured at the bloodied mattress and walls, “started?”

William blanched. “That would kill her.”

“I know.” Jesse paused. “Here it is, then.” He turned and looked his father straight in the eye. “I accept you as you are, Dad. I accept that Mom is the way she is. What drives you to use me this way is something I will not accept. Not anymore. I love to heal people, to use the Gift. But this,” he waved his other hand at the soaked bed, “is wrong. It’s wrong to use people this way.”

He allowed a trickle of his Gift to seep out and his father's hand went slack in his grasp as he drew him into a tight embrace and whispered, “Dammit, Dad. It’s been getting worse. When this started I should have been out riding a skateboard or going to movies with friends, but you had me down here in the basement of Holy Mandate’s stadium having sex.”