The stripper

29 years old. Jaden-Lee couldn't sleep at night due to the noise that kept coming up from the next door, which was, of course, her mom and dad's room.

He was the only son of his parents and had a little sister who was dumb.

His mom, Mrs. Ava-Mae, and his dad, Aiden-Leigh, have been married for 23 years now, and he was born before they were officially married. And after 15 years, they gave birth to his little sister, Ruby, who is now 8 years old.

Quarreling and fighting were a norm between his parents every day, and they seem to be quarreling again today and this late at night. Jaden pondered to himself as he quickly checked the time on his phone.

It was past midnight. 

His father wasn't at home by the time Jaden retired to his room, and for them to be fighting now only means one thing. His father was just coming back from who knows where.

He had stressed himself today at school and had even stayed back to study as they were taking their final exams at the university where he was studying business administration, and he needed to have some rest, but the noise kept interrupting his sleep, and so he stood up from his bed, reached out for his headphones, which he connected to his phone as he put on a song, and raised the volume so high that he wouldn't be able to hear the noise coming from his parents.

after which he slowly drifted back to sleep.

On the other hand, the two adults continued to quarrel as their voices could even be heard by the neighbors who were awake.

"Where are you coming back from this late at night?" Jaden's mom inquired.

"Where else am I coming back from if not from work, or what is it that you're 

thinking?"           Her husband replied.

"Don't tell me that nonsense; who on earth works this late at midnight?" 

"I'm very tired and not even in any way ready for this argument, so can you get out of my way?" Her husband asked.

"No, not till you tell me where it is you're coming back from." "I checked your office when I was coming back from work at around 7 p.m., and they told me that you guys had closed, so what the hell were you doing outside since?" She asked.

"So you're now stalking me?" He asked.

"Answer my question!" She roared.

"Do you know what time it is?" Why are you disturbing the whole neighborhood this late at night? "Are you going insane or what?" He asked, his eyes popping out.

"Wow, since when did you start caring about what the neighbors are saying?" "The Leigh I know never gave a d*mn about what people were saying or were going to say, or else, why will you be coming home now?" She asked.

He just ignored her as he tried stepping into the room, but she blocked him.

"Get out of my way at the count of five." "One, two, three...

"What will you do if I don't?" You're nothing but a shameless man who cannot even have control over the thing between his two legs. "I know you've gone to sleep with another prostitute, haven't you?" She roared as she kept her two hands at her waist and blocked his part.

"Four….. five!!"           Her husband shouted as he quickly bounced at her and started beating the hell out of her.

He continued beating her till he was satisfied, then he entered the room, leaving her in the sitting room in tears.

The next morning, Jaden has finished dressing up for school and has just come down to the dining area to eat his breakfast. It was only his little sister that was at the dining table when he arrived, and she wasn't even eating the food before her.

"What is it, ruby?" And where is mom? Why is she not here? He asked.

He didn't bother asking about his father, as his father never joined them for breakfast in the morning. He probably should be away by now, as he was always going out very early and coming back so late at night, just like yesterday.

Ruby couldn't answer her brother as her eyes were full of tears and she was sobbing quietly.

Jaden wasn't even expecting an answer from her. Although she always spoke with him in sign language, she was probably not going to reply, seeing how moody she was.

They fought again. That was the only reason Ruby could be like this. I mean, who couldn't be? He was just trying his best not to let it affect him. That's why anyone could easily mistake it for him not being bothered.

He had a serious exam this morning and needed to be at school so early so he could have some time to revise before the exam began.

But just like on school days, he has to take his sister to school before going to his.

"Eat your food fast and stop crying; we are already late," he ordered her.

"I'm not hungry," she answered with sign language.

"Why?" Jaden asked.

"Mom," was all she said back to him.

"Mum?"      "What about her?" Jaden asked, a little puzzled.

She must've been too busy for her not to be at the table, but for his sister to have mentioned her while still sobbing means there was more to it, so he left the dining room table for her mother's room.

"Mum, it's me; open the door," he called out to her.

"You should be having your breakfast." "Why are you here?" Her mother asked as she managed to control her tears to avoid making her son know that she was crying.

"Shouldn't I at least see my mother and have her wish me luck before I leave for school?" Jaden asked.

"I can't come out; just go to school and take your sister alongside you." "I'll see you when you're back," her mother replied.

"Did dad beat you again?" Jaden asked 

Seeing that he had caught her, she started to cry and then opened the door for him.

Jaden was dumbfounded as he saw her badly wounded mother.

"Dad did all this to you?" I've always warned you to stop picking fights with Dad, but you always refused, and now look... "I'll have to take you to the hospital," Jaden said.

" How….       You have an exam today... "And I don't want you to be late," his mother replied.

"It's fine, mom, the exam time is at noon, and it's still early in the morning." "I just wanted to go early and revise my books first, so get dressed and let's go," Jaden replied as her mother went in to do as she was told.

She needed to go to th