AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The photos were gorgeous too. I wanted to take some of Daniel inspired by Harold’s style. I wanted to capture the way Daniel laughed, the way he smiled when he was feeling shy, and the beautiful lines of his body. I hadn’t been using the camera as often when I was with him. I’d told myself that, when it came to love, I wasn’t as interested in living behind the lens anymore as I was inliving. But maybe I’d given up something, too, by adopting that motto too fiercely.
I didn’t want to miss my chance at putting together a group of pictures that could rivalRobinwith their devotion to documenting my feelings for and about Daniel. The purity of them, the lack of darkness. In the past, I’d used the camera to capture my despair, my shame, my self-loathing.
I now needed to make sure to capture the entirety of my joy, my love, my self-acceptance. My Daniel.
I got up from my desk, picked up the Minolta and filled it with new film. At the next opportunity, I’d train my lens on Daniel to capture the way he made my heart swoop and soar.
Chapter Twenty-Five
‡
“So, Daniel, whatdo your parents do?” my dad asked, and the mood around the previously jovial kitchen table dampened.
“Uh, Dad,” I said, around a mouthful of chicken fried rice, using my fork to make slashing motions while shaking my head.
“What? Did I ask the wrong thing?” Dad’s confused expression was as innocent as it was annoying. Why hadn’t I told them about Daniel’s parents in advance? I’d been too busy saying over and over, “He’s great, so don’t embarrass me.” But look at that, I’d embarrassed myself by not thinking ahead.
“It’s okay,” Daniel said, wiping his mouth with his napkin before meeting my dad’s eyes. “My father died during my freshman year of college, and my mom is…” He met my gaze for a moment and then went for it. “My mom’s in rehab right now.”
“Holy Mary of Blessings,” Dad muttered. “Look at me putting my foot in my mouth like an idiot.” He shot me a look that read, “Why didn’t you tell us?” but it was too late now, so I shrugged and reached out to take Daniel’s hand.
“In rehab?” Mom asked, glancing at the glass of red wine to the left of Daniel’s hand. She’d poured it for him when she’d poured a glass for herself. She’d denied me any since I was still underage, but Daniel was twenty-two and legal. “For what?”
“Mom, that’s rude,” I interjected, just as Daniel said, “Alcohol.”
“Mom,” I said again, under my breath.
“It’s okay, Peter,” Daniel said, putting his hand over mine. “I don’t intend to keep secrets from your parents.”
He covered the facts of the situation: his father’s death, the company, how he’d changed his mind about taking it over, his mom going to rehab, the kids moving to Florida, the sale of the house, and his intention to buy Bobby’s old place. It was a long story, so it took most of the rest of the meal, even though he cut out most of the details.
By the time he’d finished, my father was nodding his head and my mother seemed less worried. I wasn’t at all surprised that they liked him, but it was clear to me that neither of them was as charmed by Daniel as they’d been by Adam. I’d both feared that and hoped for it in equal measure. Now that I had evidence, though, I didn’t know how to feel.
My parents had adored Adam, but they’d been fooled by his façade, the wonderful, shiny, amazing person Adam pretended to be, while being blind to and shielded from the darkness that he lived in and had dragged me into as well. They knew about it all now, but I could tell they still missed Adam’s shine. Daniel was prosaic in comparison.
This was confirmed for me after I’d walked Daniel out to the car, kissed him in the moonlight, and sent him on his way to deal with Milky Way. He had to get up early the next morning to meet the first set of movers, who’d be taking most of his mother’s things to be put into storage before they would be shipped to Florida in November.
Back in the house, Dad wiped down some dishes, and Mom sipped wine while chewing a string of cheese.
“So,” I said, deciding to get it over with. “That was Daniel. You wanted to meet him, and now you have.”
“He’s nice,” Mom said, peering at me with her dark eyes. “Didn’t you think so, Abe?”
“Quite nice,” Dad agreed.
“But…” I prompted, crossing my arms over my chest. “I know you have one, so out with it.”
“But nothing,” Dad objected. “He’s a great young man who seems to have your best interests at heart. What could we be worried about?” He gave my mom a stern glance, which told me everything.
“Okay, then,” I said to her. “What about you? What’s your ‘but?’”
“I just think he’s not quite as special as Adam, honey. And you deserve special, don’t you think?”
I snorted. “He’ssomuch more special than Adam.”
Mom sighed. “It’s possible you’re blinded by the newness of—”
“That’s just it. I’m not blinded at all. Adam was, and is, an asshole. You’ve said it yourself. You hang up on him when he calls. He hurt me—emotionally and physically—and youknowthat. How can you say Daniel’s not as special as Adam? Do you want me with someone who treats me like crap?”
