Boxes, Whiskey, Fish, and Guns (Derek)
Oct 9, 2014 23:49:59 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2014 23:49:59 GMT -5
The surprise that Phoenix expressed actually surprised Derek and brought a smile to the tipsy man’s face. As a teenager, Derek had actually been quite the adventurous boy. He’d grown…unspontaneous in his middle age. But the interest of trying some new things still surfaced from time to time. And for this, Derek was willing to give it a shot for the sake of his son. Derek nodded. “I suppose we will,” he agreed, taking another sip. “There’s…a lot we don’t know about each other. It’s going to take some time to get through it all and figure out what works and what doesn’t in…” In how they relate to each other.
As long as Phoenix didn’t bring up the boyfriend issue, Derek could probably deal with his cocktail-loving, water-fearing, unathletic, passive and unassertive son. Maybe.
Derek watched the boy through the golden liquid at the bottom of his glass as he fidgeted and stumbled over his next words. He set down his drink and cleared his throat. “No, it must have slipped her mind,” he lied. Percie and he did talk about it briefly. Once. When they were both incredibly intoxicated. He thinks. “I haven’t told you mine either. So I suppose that makes us even.” Derek leaned forward and clasped his hands together. “Why don’t you go first.”
Derek managed a short, amused laugh. “You build up a tolerance over time. However, with your BMI, it’s not unlikely for it to affect you more quickly.” Derek had never been so skinny, not even during his swimming days. Derek nodded. “It is interesting.” Though he supposed that Phoenix didn’t have the….education to appreciate it.
When the first question came…well, while Derek was expecting it, it was still hard to hear, though he’d prepared himself for it and even prepared how to say his answers. Derek breathed. “You’re right. Nothing’s going to change. What I’m going to tell you are not excuses. But they are reasons. Because they are exactly what happened.” He paused and closed his eyes a moment. “I’m not sure what Myndi told you, but in the simplest terms, your mother was “the other woman”. I had a fiancee whom I was prepared to share my life and make a family with. I met your mother while on a seminar trip to Seattle, along with a select others from my class. We spent one night together, then I returned to Los Angeles. Two years later, I returned to celebrate with my classmates for being accepted into medical school. I met up with Myndi again….and that’s when I met you for the first time…and last time until this year. I provided your mother with adequate financial support for a number of years…until I no longer had the means to do so.” And that was where the story ended. Not truly, but that was all he could afford to tell Phoenix without revealing more than he wanted. He waited to hear the boy’s response.
As long as Phoenix didn’t bring up the boyfriend issue, Derek could probably deal with his cocktail-loving, water-fearing, unathletic, passive and unassertive son. Maybe.
Derek watched the boy through the golden liquid at the bottom of his glass as he fidgeted and stumbled over his next words. He set down his drink and cleared his throat. “No, it must have slipped her mind,” he lied. Percie and he did talk about it briefly. Once. When they were both incredibly intoxicated. He thinks. “I haven’t told you mine either. So I suppose that makes us even.” Derek leaned forward and clasped his hands together. “Why don’t you go first.”
Derek managed a short, amused laugh. “You build up a tolerance over time. However, with your BMI, it’s not unlikely for it to affect you more quickly.” Derek had never been so skinny, not even during his swimming days. Derek nodded. “It is interesting.” Though he supposed that Phoenix didn’t have the….education to appreciate it.
When the first question came…well, while Derek was expecting it, it was still hard to hear, though he’d prepared himself for it and even prepared how to say his answers. Derek breathed. “You’re right. Nothing’s going to change. What I’m going to tell you are not excuses. But they are reasons. Because they are exactly what happened.” He paused and closed his eyes a moment. “I’m not sure what Myndi told you, but in the simplest terms, your mother was “the other woman”. I had a fiancee whom I was prepared to share my life and make a family with. I met your mother while on a seminar trip to Seattle, along with a select others from my class. We spent one night together, then I returned to Los Angeles. Two years later, I returned to celebrate with my classmates for being accepted into medical school. I met up with Myndi again….and that’s when I met you for the first time…and last time until this year. I provided your mother with adequate financial support for a number of years…until I no longer had the means to do so.” And that was where the story ended. Not truly, but that was all he could afford to tell Phoenix without revealing more than he wanted. He waited to hear the boy’s response.
