CHAPTER SEVEN
Sarah's little threat stayed with Megan all day. Megan tried to shake it off, but it was impossible.
" Maybe Dad is right, I've been spending too much time at the lab," she muttered to herself as she went to the girls bathroom after the last bell rang, " Uncle Don should spend more time with Sarah, she's his daughter after all."
Sarah acted so bratty, did she even deserve her father's love and support?
Raphael looked pleased that Megan arrived home on time, without going straight to the Lab like she usually did.
Megan didn't acknowledged his presence as she walked through the living room to the adjoining kitchen.
" I know you're angry at me right now, but it's kind of childish for giving me the silent treatment isn't it?" it was a statement, not a question.
" I'm not angry at you anymore, I just had a bad day," Megan told him.
" Really? What happened?" her father opened the fridge and poured themselves each a glass of coke.
" It's Sarah…she's such a snobby brat," Megan blurted out.
" Don't I know it." Raphael replied, " I never liked Don's ex-wife, she's so snobby, Sarah's a pussycat compared to her."
" Mother like daughter," Megan murmured as she joined her father at the kitchen table.
" So, why aren't you angry at me anymore? Not that I'm complaining or anything," Raphael studied his daughter intently. Megan looked tired, perhaps her mother's illness was taking its toll on her and it was starting to sink in.
" It was something Sarah said that made me realise I might have been spending too much time with her father and that she was jealous." She took a deep breath, " I hate to admit this, maybe you're right Dad."
" I'm glad you see my point of view. Your mother's time with us is short, so we have to make the most of it."
Megan nodded, " Where is she?"
" Taking a nap. Tomorrow, she has to go the clinic and get the treatments." Raphael paused, " I'm going with her, do you want to come?"
" I have school,"
" I know, I can write you a note." Raph said, " she needs support Megs."
" I'll be there," Megan promised.
Raph smiled at her and the gap that has wedged between them was slowly closing.
* * *
The next afternoon after Renee's appointment, Raphael drove his small family in their white Mazda.
" Shouldn't well tell Uncle Mike, Uncle Don and Uncle Leo about Mom?" Megan asked her parents.
" We talked about that," Raphael glanced at his daughter through the revision mirror, " We decided to have a family get together this weekend and break the news to them. We won't be inviting your cousins though. We figured your uncles could tell them themselves."
Megan nodded, relived. At least she wouldn't see Sarah anytime soon.
" I've called Leo and Don…they both agreed to come. Mike still has to call me back. His wife said he's been extremely busy."
" That's fine," Renee murmured. She's been awfully quiet lately and Raph wondered if she was all right.
Of course she isn't stupid! Raph reminded himself harshly, she only has two months to live! You could not even begin to imagine what she's going through at the moment.
If he hadn't been driving, he would have reached over and hugged her. He refrained himself and continued on.
" Are we going to have a barbecue?" Megan queried.
" Sure," Raph agreed, " they are all bringing a plate of something and I hope Mikey agrees to the chef. Even after forty years, he's still the best cook out of all of us."
" I don't know about that Dad, you're a pretty good cook," Megan mused.
In the passenger seat, Renee listened her husband and daughter talk. They've been at logger-heads with each other, but it seemed it was all water under the bridge now.
Renee closed her eyes and tuned them out. Why had she agreed to the barbecue? Her news was going to put a downer on things…but that was the main reason why they were having one.
It may be the last family get together, so enjoy it while you can. Renee told herself.
The weekend came quickly. Raphael got things ready in the backyard and was cleaning up the barbecue when the first two guests arrived, Leo and his wife Leah.
" Hi guys," Raphael greeted them, " pull up a deck chair," he gestured to the deck chairs on the lawn. There was a picnic table in the middle.
" Where do you want these?" Leah asked, holding up a plate of uncooked sausages and pork chops.
" In the kitchen until we are ready for them," Raphael said, " Renee's in there too, getting the drinks ready."
Leah made her way inside and Leo sat down on one of the deck chairs.
" How's it been Raph?" he asked his younger brother, " You sounded so serious on the phone…why didn't you want the kids to come?"
" Renee just wanted a small get together, she's been so tired lately." He paused, " She has some news to share."
" Sounds rather mysterious," Leo remarked.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Renee and Leah organised the beverages, beer for the guys, wine for the ladies, soda for Megan.
The others arrived and Raph started the barbecue. He glanced at his wife who was chatting to Leah and Mike's wife Maria.
His eyes flicked to Don, he bought no one of course. Don seemed to be adjusting well after his divorce a year ago. In fact, he looked happy. He was in deep conversation with Megan-Raph wasn't surprised at this.
While he was flipping the steaks, Renee walked over, " When we should we tell them?"
Raph hesitated, " Maybe afterwards, it's too soon yet."
" Maria keeps asking me what the big secret is." Renee told him.
" Just tell her to wait, " Raph said then called out, " Who wants first dibs?"
Sarah's little threat stayed with Megan all day. Megan tried to shake it off, but it was impossible.
" Maybe Dad is right, I've been spending too much time at the lab," she muttered to herself as she went to the girls bathroom after the last bell rang, " Uncle Don should spend more time with Sarah, she's his daughter after all."
Sarah acted so bratty, did she even deserve her father's love and support?
Raphael looked pleased that Megan arrived home on time, without going straight to the Lab like she usually did.
Megan didn't acknowledged his presence as she walked through the living room to the adjoining kitchen.
" I know you're angry at me right now, but it's kind of childish for giving me the silent treatment isn't it?" it was a statement, not a question.
" I'm not angry at you anymore, I just had a bad day," Megan told him.
" Really? What happened?" her father opened the fridge and poured themselves each a glass of coke.
" It's Sarah…she's such a snobby brat," Megan blurted out.
" Don't I know it." Raphael replied, " I never liked Don's ex-wife, she's so snobby, Sarah's a pussycat compared to her."
" Mother like daughter," Megan murmured as she joined her father at the kitchen table.
" So, why aren't you angry at me anymore? Not that I'm complaining or anything," Raphael studied his daughter intently. Megan looked tired, perhaps her mother's illness was taking its toll on her and it was starting to sink in.
" It was something Sarah said that made me realise I might have been spending too much time with her father and that she was jealous." She took a deep breath, " I hate to admit this, maybe you're right Dad."
" I'm glad you see my point of view. Your mother's time with us is short, so we have to make the most of it."
Megan nodded, " Where is she?"
" Taking a nap. Tomorrow, she has to go the clinic and get the treatments." Raphael paused, " I'm going with her, do you want to come?"
" I have school,"
" I know, I can write you a note." Raph said, " she needs support Megs."
" I'll be there," Megan promised.
Raph smiled at her and the gap that has wedged between them was slowly closing.
* * *
The next afternoon after Renee's appointment, Raphael drove his small family in their white Mazda.
" Shouldn't well tell Uncle Mike, Uncle Don and Uncle Leo about Mom?" Megan asked her parents.
" We talked about that," Raphael glanced at his daughter through the revision mirror, " We decided to have a family get together this weekend and break the news to them. We won't be inviting your cousins though. We figured your uncles could tell them themselves."
Megan nodded, relived. At least she wouldn't see Sarah anytime soon.
" I've called Leo and Don…they both agreed to come. Mike still has to call me back. His wife said he's been extremely busy."
" That's fine," Renee murmured. She's been awfully quiet lately and Raph wondered if she was all right.
Of course she isn't stupid! Raph reminded himself harshly, she only has two months to live! You could not even begin to imagine what she's going through at the moment.
If he hadn't been driving, he would have reached over and hugged her. He refrained himself and continued on.
" Are we going to have a barbecue?" Megan queried.
" Sure," Raph agreed, " they are all bringing a plate of something and I hope Mikey agrees to the chef. Even after forty years, he's still the best cook out of all of us."
" I don't know about that Dad, you're a pretty good cook," Megan mused.
In the passenger seat, Renee listened her husband and daughter talk. They've been at logger-heads with each other, but it seemed it was all water under the bridge now.
Renee closed her eyes and tuned them out. Why had she agreed to the barbecue? Her news was going to put a downer on things…but that was the main reason why they were having one.
It may be the last family get together, so enjoy it while you can. Renee told herself.
The weekend came quickly. Raphael got things ready in the backyard and was cleaning up the barbecue when the first two guests arrived, Leo and his wife Leah.
" Hi guys," Raphael greeted them, " pull up a deck chair," he gestured to the deck chairs on the lawn. There was a picnic table in the middle.
" Where do you want these?" Leah asked, holding up a plate of uncooked sausages and pork chops.
" In the kitchen until we are ready for them," Raphael said, " Renee's in there too, getting the drinks ready."
Leah made her way inside and Leo sat down on one of the deck chairs.
" How's it been Raph?" he asked his younger brother, " You sounded so serious on the phone…why didn't you want the kids to come?"
" Renee just wanted a small get together, she's been so tired lately." He paused, " She has some news to share."
" Sounds rather mysterious," Leo remarked.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Renee and Leah organised the beverages, beer for the guys, wine for the ladies, soda for Megan.
The others arrived and Raph started the barbecue. He glanced at his wife who was chatting to Leah and Mike's wife Maria.
His eyes flicked to Don, he bought no one of course. Don seemed to be adjusting well after his divorce a year ago. In fact, he looked happy. He was in deep conversation with Megan-Raph wasn't surprised at this.
While he was flipping the steaks, Renee walked over, " When we should we tell them?"
Raph hesitated, " Maybe afterwards, it's too soon yet."
" Maria keeps asking me what the big secret is." Renee told him.
" Just tell her to wait, " Raph said then called out, " Who wants first dibs?"