Chapter 20
Andy stayed up all night. 'Will the past ever stop haunting me?', he kept asking himself until sunrise, when he decided to go to his office, in order to get it out of his mind by studying a case but to no vain. He wasn't able to concentrate not even for one minute. Seeing that there was no point in staying there, he got into his car and drove to Heather's place. Perhaps if he spent some time with his sister and niece, it would improve his mood. When he arrived, he parked by the side walk but he didn't get out. From outside he could see Annie playing happily in the garden while her parents had breakfast. Andy started the car and kept driving. He was always avoiding Dean but in that moment he was trying to escape from his past… And his brother in-law reminded him of it.
Dean's family was the wealthiest in the country, more than Deirdre's even. Their only son grew up in luxury and everyone considered him a very sought after bachelor, so he used his family's fortune, the power of his name and his good looks, to have fun all over the world surrounded by beautiful women. The engagement to Deirdre was something he never wanted, just like her. He agreeded to it though, because he wished to do his father's will, who was thinking exactly like Craig and hoped for a rich bride for his son. When thankfully Deirdre broke the engagement, Dean found the perfect excuse to continue to live his life as before.
Several years passed until he met Heather. By then, he was the head of the family's business and nobody could tell him how to live his life. He approached her himself, although she didn't come from a wealthy family, because he had decided that she was the only woman who could stand by his side. At first, Heather didn't succumb to his flirting but with his persistence he managed not only to win her but to make her fall madly in love with him. Andy, on the other side, wasn't fooled. He could clearly see Dean's character and believed that a man like him could never bring happiness to his sister's life. That's why, when he proposed to her, Andy made it clear that he was totally against it.
But Heather wouldn't listen. Since her childhood she had been reasonable and logical but Dean made her change. Her love for him was blinding her and drove her against her brother, whom she always respected. Very soon Andy saw that his words fell on deaf ears. Heather was crazy about Dean and she was going to marry him with or without her big brother's blessing. He also realized that if he continued to be against this relationship, he would permanently lose his sister and that was something he would never allow to happen. So he had to accept their marriage and Dean into his family, in order to keep it together. Initially, he hoped that Heather would see her mistake and get a divorce but he was proven wrong. Annie's birth only strengthened their marriage.
'Why did I remember all this?', he thought hitting his hand on the wheel. His phone rang showing that he had a message and Andy pulled over to read it. He clenched his jaw, left the phone aside and continued to drive. After a long while, he stopped outside a quiet coffee place. He got out of his car and walked in taking a look around. The smell of wood and fresh coffee was floating in the air. A family was sitting at the table in the middle while at the corner he could see a young couple enjoying the warmth as they were sitting next to the fireplace. Andy walked slowly towards the table at the exact opposite corner and sat on a chair.
''Welcome'', said the woman waiting for him holding a cup of hot tea.
''Hello, Deirdre'', Andy said and he called the waiter.