The Price of Forgiveness
By: Ruse
Chapter Two: Bad Moon Rising
(see Chapter 1 for summary and disclaimer)
Andrew Brown looked up at the blood red sun sinking into the west and sighed worriedly, letting his head drop to stare into his coffee. He sloshed the liquid around the cup and took a sip, its warmth offering no comfort, knowing that his son was out in the woods somewhere, probably freezing cold. As if reading his friend's mind, Irv left his place by the fire and walked over to the log where Andy sat.
"I'm sure he's fine," the older man offered. "He probably hiked back to town and is eating Mama Joy's take-out as we speak."
"What if he's not? God, no matter how mad I am at him, I can't stand the thought of him spending the night by himself out here. He's a city boy.doesn't know the first thing about surviving in the woods."
"First of all, he may be a city boy, but he's also a smart boy. He'll find a way back to town, or back here if he wants."
Andy chuckled darkly. "If he wants. Judging by the way he told me off, he *never* wants to see me again."
"He's a teenage boy who's still adjusting to a brand new life," said Irv, shaking his head. "If he wasn't lashing out, I'd be worried."
"Come on, you heard what he was saying. That's not normal teenage rebellion, Irv. He honestly hates me. How.how could I have done this to my son?" His hands shook as he fiddled with the quickly cooling mug. "All those years of working 16 hour days, saving countless lives, I never imagined that I was ruining Ephram's. I thought at first that the hostility was just a reaction to Julia's death and the move. I mean, nobody totally detests their father. But. it's been over a year since she died. Things seemed to have been going so well, but now this. Will anything I do ever make up for the years of neglect?"
Irv remained silent for a few minutes, collecting his thoughts. "Doc, there are issues between you and Ephram that will never be settled; you'll just have to accept that. But I don't think what we saw tonight was all about you. In fact, I bet he's back at your house, mulling over the best way to apologize while still keeping up his 'distant and miserable' routine."
Andy gave a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "You're probably right, Irv." He drew himself to his feet, groaning. "I'll have to gear up for another father-son talk though. With all this practice, you'd think I'd be getting better." Dumping the remnants of his coffee into the bushes, he glanced at his watch. "I'm still worried though. It's late, and it's getting cold. I'm going to walk around for a bit, see if he's anywhere within hearing distance."
"I'll keep watch here in case he comes back," said Irv, situating himself by the fire again. "But I'm telling you, he's safe at home. See if I'm right." Grinning, he tossed his friend a flashlight.
Andy worked his way through the forest, following the bouncing glow cast by the flashlight until he reached the edge of the lake. A sinking feeling grew in the pit of his stomach as he reached the shore, the light falling on the empty tether where the old motorboat should have been.
"I should have known."
End of Chapter 2
***Author's Note***
Thanks to my reviewers! They make me feel so warm and fuzzy inside ( Sorry for the short chapter. I had to stick in a transition before I bounce back to Ephram's saga, and I was also wrestling with Andy's dialogue. I'll try to get Chapter 3 out by tomorrow, and I promise it'll be longer!
By: Ruse
Chapter Two: Bad Moon Rising
(see Chapter 1 for summary and disclaimer)
Andrew Brown looked up at the blood red sun sinking into the west and sighed worriedly, letting his head drop to stare into his coffee. He sloshed the liquid around the cup and took a sip, its warmth offering no comfort, knowing that his son was out in the woods somewhere, probably freezing cold. As if reading his friend's mind, Irv left his place by the fire and walked over to the log where Andy sat.
"I'm sure he's fine," the older man offered. "He probably hiked back to town and is eating Mama Joy's take-out as we speak."
"What if he's not? God, no matter how mad I am at him, I can't stand the thought of him spending the night by himself out here. He's a city boy.doesn't know the first thing about surviving in the woods."
"First of all, he may be a city boy, but he's also a smart boy. He'll find a way back to town, or back here if he wants."
Andy chuckled darkly. "If he wants. Judging by the way he told me off, he *never* wants to see me again."
"He's a teenage boy who's still adjusting to a brand new life," said Irv, shaking his head. "If he wasn't lashing out, I'd be worried."
"Come on, you heard what he was saying. That's not normal teenage rebellion, Irv. He honestly hates me. How.how could I have done this to my son?" His hands shook as he fiddled with the quickly cooling mug. "All those years of working 16 hour days, saving countless lives, I never imagined that I was ruining Ephram's. I thought at first that the hostility was just a reaction to Julia's death and the move. I mean, nobody totally detests their father. But. it's been over a year since she died. Things seemed to have been going so well, but now this. Will anything I do ever make up for the years of neglect?"
Irv remained silent for a few minutes, collecting his thoughts. "Doc, there are issues between you and Ephram that will never be settled; you'll just have to accept that. But I don't think what we saw tonight was all about you. In fact, I bet he's back at your house, mulling over the best way to apologize while still keeping up his 'distant and miserable' routine."
Andy gave a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "You're probably right, Irv." He drew himself to his feet, groaning. "I'll have to gear up for another father-son talk though. With all this practice, you'd think I'd be getting better." Dumping the remnants of his coffee into the bushes, he glanced at his watch. "I'm still worried though. It's late, and it's getting cold. I'm going to walk around for a bit, see if he's anywhere within hearing distance."
"I'll keep watch here in case he comes back," said Irv, situating himself by the fire again. "But I'm telling you, he's safe at home. See if I'm right." Grinning, he tossed his friend a flashlight.
Andy worked his way through the forest, following the bouncing glow cast by the flashlight until he reached the edge of the lake. A sinking feeling grew in the pit of his stomach as he reached the shore, the light falling on the empty tether where the old motorboat should have been.
"I should have known."
End of Chapter 2
***Author's Note***
Thanks to my reviewers! They make me feel so warm and fuzzy inside ( Sorry for the short chapter. I had to stick in a transition before I bounce back to Ephram's saga, and I was also wrestling with Andy's dialogue. I'll try to get Chapter 3 out by tomorrow, and I promise it'll be longer!