Hey – I'd really like to thank everyone who has provided me feedback either through the reviews or through e-mail. It really means a lot to me that you would take the time to comment. You're awesome! With that said, I forgot to mention that in the last chapter I used lyrics from Evanescence's My Immortal. The song is where I stole my title from, and it's also how I kinda created the story. The lyrics will pop up throughout the rest of the story.
Chapter 7:
"He's my son." Dan flinched at the familiarity of those words, remembering the last time he uttered them in the hospital hallway. And now he worried about another son. "I have to go," he said realizing Nathan was still out there. He moved to the door just as a giant street sign smashed into the brick façade of the building.
"No," Karen erupted. "You'll be no help to anyone out there," she said gesturing to the rapid tempest roaring outside. "I'm sure Nathan is with Haley. We need to just stick tight where we are."
"No!" his voice boomed. "You don't understand." And then it hit him. She did understand. Less than a week ago, she had to sit helplessly by her son unsure of his condition. He sighed, moving towards the counter and taking a seat. Not admitting that she was correct, but acknowledging their shared pain.
She sat down next to him, the awkward tension never letting up. They stayed there, silent, for what seemed like forever, until Karen finally talked. "It must be hard for him," she spoke softly, like she always had. She looked down seemingly pondering the impossible situation. Somehow, she knew that they had asked Nathan to choose. "It must be hard," she repeated. "Our choices define us, Dan." She paused finding the words. "And he's so young…" She trailed off. "Too young to decide sometime that huge." She looked back up, straight into his eyes, the double meaning unmistakably clear.
She was such a gentle creature, he thought staring back at her, an indignant look surely plastered to his face for no real reason. Even when she referenced a huge failure in his life, she dulled the edges. Made it seem like age and circumstance instead of character and foolishness had their hands in his ultimate letdown. He could feel his features soften in the presence of her warmth. He could remember why he had loved her so much so long ago.
"It's all falling apart," he breathed, his stern composure finding comfort and tenderness in the wake of her words. "I'm not strong enough." He never looked away. He was afraid to really, afraid he really would fall apart. When had he become so weak, he wondered.
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these wounds won't seem to heal
this pain is just too real
there's just too much that time cannot erase
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Or maybe it was just that he was never strong. He was always racked with guilt and shame, pain and anguish. The wounds inflicted by his father never had time to heal because he was too busy etching new scars into him own skin. He lost his father. He lost basketball. He lost Deb. He was losing Nathan. And he had lost Karen – the one person who had really loved him and not just the shell of man he had become.
Comments? Suggestions? Don't hesitate to review. I'm a feedback whore J