Chapter 16

Dustin excused Lenny from work early again. But this time it was because Lenny needed to recover from shock. He paced his room nervously with Kylie watching his every move. This all seemed too horrific to be true. After seven years of smooth sailing, his life had suddenly crashed into an iceberg. On the plus side, at least it was Kathleen instead of Lino but either way, there was no way this could have a happy ending.

At last, Kylie spoke up. "Lenny, would you please tell me what the big deal is?"

"The big deal is I haven't seen my mom in seven years and now she comes up here with no warning and I'm supposed to meet with her tomorrow," Lenny explained.

"Yeah, that part I get," said Kylie. "What I don't get is why you're acting like it's Shark Vader instead of your mom."

"Because, didn't you hear what Dustin said?" said Lenny. "'She's got a husband back home'. That means my dad is alive and for the last four years I thought he wasn't."

"So?"

Lenny sighed, annoyed that Kylie wasn't following. "So, my mom's gonna recognize me the minute she sees me, go back home and tell my dad I'm here."

"Okay, I don't know what all this is about," said Kylie. "But it seems to me that you're overreacting. If your mom came all this way to try and find you, she must've really missed you since you left."

"Yeah," said Lenny. "And Pop should've thought of that before he kicked me outta the house."

Kylie looked confused. "Wait, I thought you said you ran away."

The secrets were beginning to come out one by one. "Well, I did at first," Lenny admitted. "But then I went and let myself get caught. I talked to Pop about why I left and thought for sure he'd understand and take me back. Turned out I thought wrong. He looked me straight in the eye and told me to leave."

"Why?" Kylie asked.

"The exact same reason why I ran away; because I wasn't the son he always wanted. As opposed to my 'perfect' brother and his cold blooded killer ways."

Kylie reached her fin out and affectionately stroked Lenny's cheek. "Lenny, I… I didn't know."

"I didn't want you to know," Lenny replied. "Talking about it only would've made me feel worse."

"Don't feel bad," Kylie said with a small smile. "I'm glad you told me what really happened, even if it took a while to gather up the courage."

"Courage," Lenny repeated. "No one ever has courage when it comes to my dad."

"I hope that's not true," said Kylie. "I wanna be in a good mood when I meet him."

Lenny almost fell back when she said this. "Meet him?" he said in a raised voice. "Who said anything about you meeting him?"

Kylie looked hurt. "You're not gonna introduce me to my father-in-law?"

"He is the last person I'm ever gonna introduce you to," said Lenny.

"But Lenny…"

"Didn't you hear me, Kylie?" Lenny practically shouted. "He disowned me, he kicked me out, and he told me he never wanted to see me again."

"Well, maybe he was just mad when he said that," said Kylie. "And he's had seven years to think it over. If that's the case, then I want to meet him. And I'm pretty sure Kendall's gonna want to meet his grandfather."

"No!" This time Lenny really did shout. "I am not introducing my son to the shark who's responsible for all my misery!"

Now even Kylie was starting to lose patience. "Don't you think I should have a say in this?"

"You don't get it, do you?" Lenny asked. "I'm trying to protect you both. I'm doing you a favor by not letting you meet him."

Kylie really didn't get it. "How is shutting your own parents out of our lives protecting us?"

Lenny sighed. All these years, he'd hoped he'd never have to tell a soul what Lino threatened to do to innocent vegetarian sharks. Now Kylie was vaguely demanding him for an explanation, and he knew the truth would make her feel horrible. But at the same time, it would also make her understand the urgency of this situation. He took a deep breath and finally spilled his guts.

"Kylie," he started, "I have to confess something. There's a reason why I never told you he kicked me out."

"And that would be?"

"He thought I was a disgrace to sharks because I was a vege… because I was different," Lenny continued. "So I told him I'd go somewhere where sharks would accept me. He said I'd never find a place like that and then said that if he ever found out that there were other vege… other sharks like me, he would… kill them."

"What?"

Lenny shut his eyes to avoid looking at the shock on her face. "Now do you see why I can't introduce you to him? If he finds out about this reef, no one will be safe. Not you, not your family, not even Kendall."

"You seriously think he'd be cruel enough to kill a child for being a vegetarian?" Kylie asked, still not being entirely convinced.

"I know he'd be," Lenny replied. "He told me so himself. He would kill every last vegetarian shark he could find, no matter if they were women or children. Kinda like that human guy from Germany in the '40's who killed six million people just 'cause of their religion."

Kylie raised an eyebrow. "So now you're comparing your own dad to Adolf Hitler?" she asked in an annoyed manner.

"All he's missin' is a mustache," said Lenny.

"Lenny, that is horrible."

Lenny nodded. "I know. Can you see it? All of us being sent to prison just 'cause we're a little different?"

"I was talking about you," said Kylie. "Comparing your own father to one of the most evil people in history? That's really just a sad thing. For all we know, maybe he's been missing you and now he's ready to apologize."

"HA!" Lenny snapped. "Do you have any idea who you're talking about? He's never apologized to anyone, for anything!"

"Well, it's been seven years," Kylie pointed out. "People change."

"Not him," said Lenny. "I spent the first nineteen years of my life with him. He was always the same. Stubborn, hotheaded, impatient. If he never changed then, what makes you think he's any different now?"

"You'll never know until you give him a second chance."

"It's too late for second chances, Kylie. He had his chance and he blew it big time."

Kylie shook her head. "Everyone deserves a second chance."

"No, not everyone. Not people who disown their family just because they're different."

Kylie was silent for a moment, then she said, "So what are you gonna do when you meet with your mom?"

Lenny shrugged. "I don't know. Hide my face, let Dustin do all the talking, and tell her we'll try to find her son even though we won't."

"That is a horrible idea."

"Well what would you rather me do?" Lenny asked. "I had to run away from home because my dad was pressurin' me. Then when I finally thought he was changing, he told me he never wanted to see me or anyone like me again. Now, no thanks to him, I can't even face my own mom."

"But he's still your father."

"Exactly," said Lenny. "And he kicked me out just for being a vegetarian. Just imagine what he could do to you and Kendall. I don't wanna see you both get hurt the same way that I did." Tears started to form in his eyes as he looked back at his wife. "I just want you both to be safe." He sat down on his bed and inhaled deeply.

Kylie was silent for several seconds, trying to gather together the right words to say to her flustered husband. When they finally came to her, she took a seat next to him and began her lecture.

"Lenny," she started, "do you remember the day we first met?"

"I try not to," Lenny replied sourly. "That brings back memories that are literally painful."

Kylie knew he was referring to the two of them unintentionally bumping heads repeatedly. "That's not quite what I meant, but at least you remember something from that day."

"Then what did you mean?"

"Do you remember asking me if my Uncle Patrick always had the face of a dried-up sea cucumber? And I told you he only appeared that way but on the inside he was a saint?" Kylie asked.

Lenny thought for a moment and then nodded.

"Well, maybe the same principle applies to your dad," Kylie continued. "Maybe he only appears rough around the edges, but on the inside beats a heart of gold."

Lenny didn't seem to agree with that statement. "If that were half true, he wouldn't have disowned me and threatened to kill innocent sharks."

Kylie sighed. "Lenny, he shouldn't have thrown you out, and I admit what he said was horrible. But if your mom has spent all these years trying to find you, it must mean that they both have been missing you and that he's willing to apologize. And if you don't forgive and embrace him, you could be making the same mistake he did."

The expression on Lenny's face remained bitter. He clearly wasn't putting much thought into what she was saying.

"Maybe this'll help," Kylie continued. "Do you know why I fell in love with you?"

"'Cause of my accent? My sense of humor? The fact that I'm a vegetarian like you?"

Kylie gave him a half smile. "Well all those did play a minor role," she admitted. "But what really ignited the flames was that I could tell from the start that you weren't like most guy sharks I've seen from out of town. I could see that you were sensitive, loving, and forgiving. Those are all things that most guys outside this reef would keep bottled up all their lives. But not you."

Lenny winced. "Thanks, I guess."

"My point is, right now you're not being the Lenny I fell in love with, who would forgive anyone without having to think twice. But I'm not gonna argue with you about this because arguing will just make everything worse. I'm just saying it really makes me sad to see you like this. If you are the Lenny I fell in love with, you'll hear your mom out when you meet her, you'll forgive your dad, and you'll welcome them both back into your life with open fins."

She could tell Lenny was at conflict with his conscience. That at least was a sign that he was finally listening to her words of wisdom.

She patted him on the back and said, "Now, enough moping. I'm gonna go pick up Kendall and then we'll have dinner." She got up from the bed and made her way to the door. Before she was out, she said in a happy tone, "I ordered your favorite dessert." She really hoped that would've perked him up. No such luck. He was still moping on the bed with a sour look on his face. She swam up to him again, looked him in the eye and said, "I'll still love you whatever you do, but I'm convinced we'll all be a lot happier if you face your mom tomorrow." She kissed him on the cheek and left him alone to sulk in his thoughts.

Now Lenny really didn't know what to do. He seriously doubted that Lino had changed at all since he last saw him. But at the same time, he didn't want to disappoint Kylie. She was right after all. It wasn't exactly common for him to be bitter and unforgiving. But they were talking about the shark whose definition of "different" was "has no right to live". All these thoughts were too confusing, but he couldn't stop thinking. Whatever he chose to do the next day would make a serious change in his life, and that was a fact. But the problem was, which decision would lead to happiness? And what was the right thing to do?

End of chapter