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An awkward, tense silence stretched across the room. I was surprised the dishes didn’t break from the intense pressure.
“It wasn’t time,” he replied as he dabbed his mouth with a napkin.
“Is that why you kept such a huge secret from us?” Daniel asked.
“What good would the news do any of you?” he asked, raising his voice. “I believed that you all had to be united. News of my death would have weakened whatever bond you all had, and it is the truth.” He turned to his wife, who awkwardly turned her head to avoid his gaze.
“Who cares about our unpleasant relationships and squabbles?” Daniel asked with a firm tone. “You're dying and yet told us nothing. If you want us to be a family, you should set a better example. Sharing important information is part of being a family.”
Everyone’s gaze was going back and forth between Daniel and Davis like they were watching a very dark, very sad tennis match.
“There's someone out there who wants to tear this family apart and therefore each of you have to support each other,” Davis said, ignoring Daniel's remark.
The room went silent again. This wasn’t a family gathering, it was a battlefield. The seating arrangement, the cliques, the variety of food, this was a disjointed family. It made me think about James and Susan.
“I need to clear my head,” Daniel said to me as he stood up and walked away.
“Excuse us,” I said to the entire room as I chased after him.
Chapter 36
Daniel
BringingAmytothefamily dinner was definitely not one of my best ideas, Evan had shared his concerns about Jamie and Xander, and ironically they were the least of my worries. I just couldn’t believe that man, hiding such news from his family and speaking to us like it was normal. He even had the audacity to use our fragile relationships as an excuse. What a pathetic excuse that turned out to be.
I walked to the bathroom, easily finding my way through the impossible maze of hallways. I spent a great part of my life here and so every step was well engrained into my mind's eye. We used to be happy, at least the few details I could remember of the time when she was still around. Mom created happy memories and I know those were Dad's happiest years. The time we spent together as a young family were carefree and full of laughter and discovery. I'm sure the memories were, in part, why he still lived here.
I pushed open the bathroom door and placed my hands on the edge of the sink. I looked up and stared into the mirror. I had taken my suit jacket off and placed it behind the door. A little grease stain had made itself a home on the breast pocket of my shirt. I hung my head.
He was dying, and I hated it. I had trained myself to be prepared for any situation, but how could one be prepared to lose his father?
“Daniel, are you in there?” Amy called from outside the bathroom.
“Yeah, I’m here.”
“What was that about?” she asked as she slowly opened the door and walked in.
“It’s nothing. I’m sorry,” I answered, still facing the mirror but looking at her.
“For what?”
“For dragging you into this.”
“Oh, Daniel,” she said, as she slid her arms around my waist. “I understand what it is like.”
I doubt she did.
“Tell me about it,” I said, as I turned toward her.
“I never had the luxury of a normal family. I was a child who felt neglected. My father was a drunk and my mom was, well, she was the wife of a drunk,” I scoffed. He laughed.
“They really messed up my childhood. The scar on my chest is a reminder of that, but I had to move on. I'm probably not qualified to be telling you all this because I still have my own issues to deal with. But you should forgive your father. Especially given the situation.”
“The issue is not that I resent him. The problem is that I can’t handle losing him.”
She enveloped me in her arms, but looked down at her feet. "Take one day at a time and don't waste a day that you have him worrying about what it's going to be like without him."
“Thank you, Amy.”
