I Fell in Love with Hope - Lancali

The door opens with wind. Eric stands at the threshold. He
practically crushes the doorknob, hair frazzled, scrubs, and dark
under eyes at the ready.
“Neo, is everything okay?” he asks.
“It’s alright, I’m his father–”
Eric’s eyes flick from the irritated red and creasing skin on Neo’s
forearm to the wet trails down his face.
“Get your hand off him.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re hurting him, sir,” he says, urgency in the tone. “I’m telling you
to get your hand off him.”
Neo’s father tries to reason with Eric, calm and collected like a true
businessman. Neo rolls his eyes at the age-old tactic that always
seemed to work when he slipped up and raised his voice or grabbed
Neo too roughly in public.
“Oh, for God’s sake, do you ever shut up?”
His father’s head snaps in Neo’s direction.
“What’d you say?” His hand goes from vice to branding iron,
squeezing so hard that Neo cringes.
Eric snaps. “Security!”
Neo watches as panic stirs in his father’s eyes, a satisfaction dulled
by guilt settling in his stomach.
“Neo.” He takes Neo by the shoulders as gently as he can, the way
he did when he kissed tenderly worded apologies. “Tell him you lied,
that you’re confused.”