After Decs latest foot stamping,door slamming episode,Anne decided to go and talk to him and nothing Fonsey said would deter her.

She knocked on Decs bedroom door and quietly entered.She felt like her heart would break in two at the sight of her darling baby boy sobbing into his pillow.She sat down on the bed and rubbed his back gently.

"Sweetheart,please talk to me,I can't bear to see you so unhappy" she urged.

"I can't" came the muffled reply "you wouldn't understand"

"Try me" Anne encouraged.

Dec rolled over and looked into his mothers adoring eyes.

"I don't know what's happening to me" he sighed "I feel sad,moody and angry all of the time,what's wrong with me?"

He still couldn't bring himself to say what else was bothering him other than puberty and was happy to let his parents think that was the only issue that was going on with him.

"Baby,there is absolutely nothing wrong with you.You're just going through puberty.It's just hitting you particularly hard,much worse than your brothers.I know it's a confusing time for you,your body is changing from a boy to a man,but you'll come out the other side just fine"

She pulled him in for a motherly embrace,holding his small frame lovingly.

"You know you can talk to me anytime don't you Decky?" Anne assured him.

"Or if it's easier,talk to your Dad or brothers,they've all been through it"

Dec nodded sadly.

'If only she knew' he thought to himself!

Yes puberty was hard and confusing but that wasn't anywhere near as awful as the relentless bullying he was being subjected to and Dec had no idea what to do about it and he was understandably terrified.He tried to put it out of his mind while he wasn't at school.

One Saturday the Donnelly family were having a big family dinner for Fonseys birthday.All of Decs siblings,their partners and kids and various other relatives were coming,including Decs Aunts,uncles,cousins and Grandparents,it was going to be a real houseful!

"I'm going to play football in the park with my mates" Dec announced.

"Ok" Anne smiled "but please be back by 2,not a minute later,that's when we'll be serving up lunch"

2pm came and went and there was no sign of Dec.

By 2.30,Anne and Fonsey were getting really angry.Dec knew this was a special occasion and was ignoring his instructions to be home at a specific time.

"I'll go to the park and get him" Martin offered.

"Thanks son" Fonsey smiled,acknowledging the fact that at least one of his sons was reliable!

Half an hour later,Martin returned home.

"Don't suppose he's turned up yet has he?" He enquired "he wasn't at the park"

"No" Anne sighed "I just hope he's ok"

"Of course he's ok" Fonsey snapped

"He's just being a selfish teenager,thinking of himself and no one else.We may as well start tucking in,this food has been 'kept warm' for long enough,don't want it drying up"

Anne secretly prayed for her boy to come home safely,she was reluctant to believe this was just because Dec was a teenager,it just wasn't like him.

They all had a great birthday meal together but Decs antics had put a dampener on the celebrations which Fonsey and the kids really resented.

At around 6pm,they heard the front door open and shut and Dec strolled into the crowded living room as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"Hi everybody" he cheerfully chirped.

"Hope you've saved something for me?"

He proceeded to grab a roast potato from an almost empty serving plate and stuff it whole into his mouth.

"Where have you been Declan?" Anne asked firmly.

"Playing football Mam,I told you" he replied sarcastically.

"You were told to be home by 2,it's now 6 o'clock" she stated.

"Yeah,I know" Decs once endearing confidence was now becoming teenage arrogance."I just lost track of time"

"By four hours?" Martin shouted.

"You're a selfish little git Dec,you knew today was a special occasion but you couldn't even be bothered to make an effort for that"

"Mind your own business Martin" Dec angrily retorted back at his older brother.

"It is his business" Fonsey stated with authority,getting up to stand opposite Dec,looking directly at him.

"It's all of our business when we all made the effort,but you couldn't be bothered.It is our business when we were all waiting around for you for four hours.You used to be a considerate person Declan,what happened to you?"

"I GREW UP" Dec shouted.

"DO NOT SHOUT AT ME YOUNG MAN,I'M YOUR FATHER" Fonsey scolded.

"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK,FUCK OFF AND DIE YOU FUCKING OLD BASTARD" Dec shouted back in retaliation.

Everyone was shocked at the vile words coming out of Decs mouth,especially his Aunts,uncles,Grandparents and cousins,who had only ever seen Decs sweet,caring side.Only Anne,Fonsey and their other kids had been witness to Decs true temper,but even they had never known him to be like this.

Everyone sat silently,watching the uncomfortable confrontation between father and son.

But Fonsey had already seen red at Decs nasty words and disrespect and immediately raised his hand up high and brought it down forcefully,striking Dec hard on his right cheek with the back of his hand.

Fonsey was wearing a square ring with a large onyx stone embedded into it which cut into Decs cheek.

The pure force of the blow caused Dec to stumble backwards,almost falling over.

With his cheek stinging unbearably,he was stunned into silence.

Fonsey stood routed to the spot,shocked at his own actions.He'd never hit any of his kids before,let alone with such anger behind the action.He stared at his hand in disbelief for a few moments as if it wasn't attached to his body and he couldn't be held responsible for what it chose to do.

"Dad,what the hell....?" Patricia didn't even know how to finish the sentence.

Fonsey just stared at Dec who peered back at him tearfully.

"Daddy...?" He whispered.

"I think maybe everyone should leave now" Anne interrupted.

Everyone said their awkward goodbyes and thanked their hosts while slowly filtering out of the front door.

Anne knew this was going to be the subject of family gossip for many weeks to come,maybe even longer,but that wasn't her main concern right now.

That left just the Donnelly parents and kids still there.

Fonsey approached his youngest son who still hadn't moved from the spot where his Dad had struck him.

"Decky,I'm so sorry" Fonsey attempted to pull him in for a hug.

"Don't touch me" Dec whispered with such hurt in his voice and tears now running freely down his cheeks.

He turned around and ran upstairs to his bedroom,throwing himself down onto the bed,sobbing uncontrollably.So confused that the Father he adored could actually physically hurt him.

His cheek stung and throbbed like crazy as if to remind him just how awful things were.

Meanwhile downstairs,Anne was struggling to make sense of what had just occurred.

"What happened Darling?We agreed we'd never hit our kids didn't we?that's not how we do things.We wanted them raised with love, compassion and understanding remember?not with anger and violence.We talked about this right back before Pat was born and we've never wavered on that,never,not even after having seven kids"

She was trying not to show her anger and disappointment at her husband,knowing how testing Dec could be at times and he had pushed Fonsey to the brink,but she couldn't get the image of Decs shocked and stunned little face as his Dad struck him out of her mind,her eyes welling up at the thought.

Yes Declan was being a horrible brat and that was putting it mildly,but she couldn't bear the thought of anyone hurting him,especially not his own Father.

"I don't know what happened" Fonsey replied sadly. "I just snapped,I'm so sorry"

"It's not me you should be apologising to" Anne advised "you're going to have to talk to him"

"I will" Fonsey agreed "I'll just give him a while to calm down"

Half an hour later,Fonsey wearily trudged up the stairs and knocked gently on Decs bedroom door.

Receiving no answer,he let himself in and sat himself quietly on the edge of the bed.

Dec was almost completely buried under his duvet,only his hair peeking out.

"My boy,are you awake?" Fonsey gently asked,pulling the duvet down slightly.

Decs eyes stayed firmly closed and Fonsey listened to his sons steady breathing.

He loved this little person who came into their lives all those years ago so much and the guilt he was already feeling was heightened immeasurably as he looked at his already swollen cheek that was now beginning to bruise.

He also noticed that although Decs eyes were tightly closed,the skin around them was red and blotchy,obviously from crying.

Fonsey decided to let him sleep although he did have doubts that he was genuinely asleep,but he wasn't going to push him if he wasn't ready to talk.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow sweet boy" kissing Decs forehead gently "Goodnight"

Even though it was still early in the evening,he knew under the circumstances,Dec was unlikely to venture downstairs again until tomorrow.

As Fonsey made his way out of the room,a single tear made it's way out of Decs eye,splashing carelessly onto the pillow.

He had been awake the whole time.