Chapter 204: A Tornado Named Micah (part 1)
Inside the McKay residence, Seth rang the doorbell in a rush, his fingers tapping the button a second time even before the sound of the first chime faded. The moment the door cracked open, Mother McKay pulled it wide and immediately grabbed his wrist.
"Seth! You’re finally here," she gasped, not giving him a chance to step in on his own. She pulled him through the entryway with urgency, her grip tight, her footsteps fast and uneven as she led him toward the hallway.
"Mum, what happened? What’s the big emergency?" Seth asked, worry spreading over his face as he tried to keep up with her pace.
"It’s your little brother, Leo. He’s...he is acting strangely. He locked himself in his room, won’t talk to anyone, and now he started drinking!" she said breathlessly, looking over her shoulder, her eyes wide with a mixture of anger and helplessness.
Seth’s feet stumbled for half a second. "What? Drinking?" His face twisted in confusion. "Leo?!" Seth asked with disbelief.
"I know," she exclaimed. "I don’t know what had happened. Maybe it’s his agency? Did someone threaten him? Blackmail? There is always something horrible in the news about the entertainment industry. I am starting to think your father was right. We never should have let him become a star."
Seth let out a frustrated breath and gently pried his wrist free as they reached the hallway. "Mum, he is twenty-five. He is not a kid anymore. You can’t choose his future for him. It was his decision to be an actor. He should bear the responsibility."
Her mouth fell open slightly, her voice suddenly quieter, hurt. "How could you be so cold?"
He paused, softening slightly, but didn’t back down. "So what, Mum? You want to keep babying him until he’s old and grey?"
"Of course not!" she said quickly, shaking her head. "But... But we are parents... we can’t just sit by while he’s hurting like this."
Seth sighed in resignation, pressing his fingers to his temples. "You are blowing this out of proportion. Maybe he just got dumped or something."