Chapter 26 Robbinson's Crumble

Chapter 26 Robbinson's Crumble
Susan was still doubled over on the floor, clutching her belly, her face twisted in pain from what might be early labor. Lilly knelt beside her, one hand on her sister's shoulder, the other on her own swollen stomach, tears streaming down her cheeks. Mom was on her knees, sobbing uncontrollably, her hands covering her face as if she could block out the nightmare unfolding.

Ruby stood frozen near the couch, her loose blouse no longer hiding the curve of her pregnancy, her eyes wide with a mix of defiance and fear. And Robbinson,he was the eye of the storm, face red and veins bulging, fists clenched like he was ready to swing again.

"Enough!" he bellowed, his voice booming over the chaos like thunder. He stepped forward, positioning himself in the center of the room, arms out as if he could physically hold us all in place. "I said enough! This stops now!"

For a second, the room quieted, definitely not out of respect, but shock. Robbinson had always been the charmer, the smooth-talker with the sleazy grin who could sell ice to eskimos. But now, he was trying to dominate, his face contorted into something ugly, authoritative. "Sit down. All of you. We're going to sort this out my way."

Susan gasped from the floor, her breath coming in short bursts. "Sort it out? You think you can fix this, Dad?" The word "Dad" dripped with venom, her first time acknowledging it since the DNA bomb dropped.

Robbinson turned to her, his expression softening just a fraction, that sleazy remorse flickering in his eyes. "Susan, honey, I know you're hurting. We all are. But screaming won't"

"Won't what?" Lilly interrupted, her voice rising to a shriek. She stood up, wobbling a bit from her own pregnancy weight, pointing a finger at him like a weapon. "Won't change that you're our father? That you hid us like dirty secrets while Humphrey abused us? You knew, didn't you? About the bruises? The way he 'disciplined' us?"

Robbinson's face hardened again. "I suspected things weren't right. But Annie said…"

"Annie?" Susan spat, trying to push herself up, but wincing in pain. "You mean Mom's sister ? The one you fucked behind Ruby's back? Twice? producing me and Richy?"

Mom let out a wail, rocking back on her heels. "Please….stop…."

But Robbinson wasn't backing down. He squared his shoulders, trying to tower over the room, his voice booming again. "I said sit down! I'm the head of this family now. Humphrey's gone. It's my turn to fix this mess."

"Fix it?" I finally spoke, my voice rough from the punch to my jaw earlier. Blood still tasted metallic on my tongue. "You think you can just take charge? After everything? You're the one who started half this shit!"

He turned to me, eyes narrowing. "Watch your mouth, boy. You're my son,whether you like it or not. And that baby in Ruby's belly? Yours? That's on you. But I'll handle it. Ruby stays with me. The child gets my name. You disappear. Or I expose it all,the affairs, the abuse, the incest,police, media and Every fucking thing."

His threat hung there, heavy as lead. Sleazy remorse in his eyes,fleeting, like always. He regretted the mess, but not enough to own it,just enough to manipulate the outcome in his favor.

Ruby stepped forward then, her hand on her belly, voice passionate but shaking. "You don't get to decide, Robbinson. This baby is mine. Ours." She glanced at me, eyes fierce.

Robbinson laughed, short and bitter. "Ours? You mean you and my son? That's rich,passion, you call it? It's sick. But I'll fix it. I always do."

Susan, still on the floor, let out a groan of pain, but her eyes were fire. "Fix it like you fixed us? Hiding that we're your kids? Letting Humphrey raise us, abuse us, while you played happy husband?"

Lilly nodded, her face streaked with tears. "Yeah. You knew about the bruises. I told you once, at a barbecue. I told you Grandpa hurt my arm,and you fucking laughed it off. and said 'He's just tough on you girls. Builds character.'"

Robbinson's face twitched. The dominance cracking a bit. "I didn't know the extent. If I'd known…"

"You did!" Susan screamed, trying to stand, but doubling over again. "You suspected! But admitting it would've exposed your affair with Annie. Your 'mistakes.' So you let us suffer to protect your image,your business,your sleazy life."

The paternity weaponized. Robbinson's face was drained of color. The man who'd always charmed his way out,handshakes, winks, backroom deals,crumbling under the weight of his own blood staring back at him.

"I... I regretted it," he stammered,remorse flashing,sleazy, superficial. "Every day,but what could I do? Blow up the family?"

"Like now?" I said, stepping closer. "You're threatening to expose everything unless I leave Ruby. But you're the root,father to me, to Susan. Cheater , Liar."

He backed up a step,Dominance fracturing. "You don't understand. I built this family,provided. The money, the house…"

"Provided?" Lilly laughed through tears. "You provided excuses,for Humphrey,for yourself,and now threats?"

Robbinson's eyes darted,crumbling more. He reached into his jacket pocket,pulled out a small handgun, Black. gleaming under the lamp light.

The room froze.

"Put that down!" Mom screamed, standing.

Robbinson waved it. Wild. "I'll end this. Myself. If you don't listen. I can't live with the exposure. The shame."

Threat of suicide. Sleazy remorse turning desperate.

Susan gasped, hand on belly. "Don't…"

Lilly: "You're crazy!"

Ruby: "Robbinson…no!"

He pointed it at his templeFinger on trigger. "Promise. Richy leaves Ruby. The baby is mine. Or I pull it."

Richy's impossible choice. Leave her? Lose everything? Or watch him die, family destroyed anyway?

I stepped forward,Hands up. "Don't. Please."

He crumbled then. Gun shaking. Tears. "I regret it all. The affairs,hiding you kids. Letting Humphrey... I'm sorry."

Sleazy remorse full,but it was too late.

I lunged,grabbed the gun. We wrestled. Bang,shot into the ceiling,and plaster raining.

He collapsed,Sobbing.
Chaos. Screams.
"We're all monsters!" I yelled. The scream ripping from my throat.