Chapter 7
Andy slid out of his car, and proceeded to enter his house. Throwing his car keys onto his desk he rolled over his chair and sat down in front of his computer. He pulled up his email in search of a response from an old friend from medical school that he had been keeping in contact with pretty regularyly. He didn't know how he was going to tell this long lost friend his new news. He scanned the list of new received emails. Without thinking, he automatically deleted several spam emails, hunting for the appropriate address. Suddenly, he stopped himself as he ran across a new name.
"Ephram Brown," he mouthed as he clicked on the email to open it. Leaning back in his large, leather chair, he read his son's email.
Dad,
I can't believe I'm even sending this email, but here it goes. I can't lie and tell you I'm not still pissed at you, because I am, and will probably be for a long time. You knew what you were doing. You're a doctor. You're the one always preaching stuff like this to other people. What, did you think for some reason you could beet the odds; that you were special somehow? Because guess what Dad, you aren't and you can't. Dad, Delia and I have already lost one parent. That's something you don't understand. You've never had to deal with such a situation. You have no idea how it feels to lose the one who is supposed to take care of you. And then you went and put yourself in a vulnerable position. I can't seem to get over that, Dad. I love Linda, and I know you felt for her too, but I thought you loved Delia and me more.
But despite all this, you're still my dad. I don't want to lose you. I don't want to lose another parent. I'm sorry I blew up at you, but you have to understand, and realize I had perfect reason too. I come home in two weeks, and I hope that we can work through this. It's definitely going to be weird, but I really don't want another thing to piss each other off with. I am tired of that.
Please think about all this.
Ephram
Holding his head in his hands, he reflected upon his son's words. What made him think he could withstand it? What made him think that he of all people could be the lucky one? And why hadn't he thought of his children? They had already lost one parent? He couldn't be selfish anymore. It was now his job to live for them, not himself. And why was he blessed with such a wonderful son. The email itself had blown him away. Ephram was as stubborn as his father. Neither of them would ever give in to the other, nor admit weakness, but Ephram had given in, because he knew he had to. He knew this had to be worked on. Why did he, Dr. Andrew Brown, get such an amazing son?
Clicking on respond, Andy began a response to his son.
Ephram,
First, I want to thank you for this email. It meant a lot to me, that you would actually do such a thing and realize that we need to acknowledge and work on this. My eyes have definitely been opened and I can't tell you how much I'm regretting my actions over the last year. I should have thought of Delia and You, but instead, I only thought of myself.
I don't know why I thought I could outrun this disease. I was simply being selfish and stupid. I wanted Linda. I didn't think about any of the consequences. I only thought of myself.
But please don't blame any of this on her. It was me, only me. Please remember that.
Oh, and don't think I figured all of this out on my own. You can thank Nina when you get home.
See you in two weeks,
Dad
Satisfied with his response, he hit send. Finishing at the computer, he made his way into the kitchen to find something to eat.
"One kid down," he told himself as he pulled a loaf of bread from the pantry. How was he going to tell Delia? It would be completely different with her. She was younger. She had no idea that Linda and her dad had been sleeping together. He never wanted her to know that. She was young and innocent; he wanted to keep her that way. Her initial response to Linda had been hard enough. Delia rejected her at first, never wanting anymore to fill her mother's place. How would she respond when she found out that that woman gave her father a disease that would one day take his life? It wasn't Linda's fault, but Delia wouldn't realize that.
"Why was I so stupid?" he banged his head against the fridge. "Delia is the only woman in my life. Why did I have to change that?"
"What? What did you say, Dad? Is everything ok?" Delia had entered the house and then the kitchen. Dr. Brown jumped, surprised by his daughter's entrance.
"I thought you were staying at your friend Melinda's house?"
"Her mom just dropped me off. We got bored, so…"
"Oh ok, um Delia, um, I want to, um…I want to talk to you about something very serious. Will you come and sit at the kitchen table with me?"
A/N:
Hahahehe, everyone else always does annoying cliff hangers that make you anxious for more and beg for updates, so here is my pathetic attempt at one. And sorry for my long absence. I'm busy with school and have been working on some other stuff for Please read and review. Psalm57 likes reviews like cookie monster likes cookies.
