Dolphin Tale 4

Chapter [16]

"You."

"Who is it, Sawyer?"

Sawyer continued gaping at the man on the doorstep. "That's not possible..."

Lacie frowned and walked over to the door. "What's not possible?" She took one look at the man and suddenly understood. "But, that is impossible. Sawyer, is that your..."

Sawyer nodded slowly in disbelief. "It is. But, how?"

"Didn't he leave ages ago? He left you and your mother ages ago, so why is he here, now?"

Sawyer shrugged. "Yeah, he left ages ago. I don't know why he's here."

During all this time, the man on the doorstep hadn't uttered a single word. He just gazed longingly at Sawyer with the same eyes as Sawyer's.

¬Sawyer turned to face the man. He sighed, nerves getting the better of him, and smiled slightly. "Dad?"

The man smiled and nodded. "Sawyer. And who is this lovely lady in your company?"

Lacie stepped forward, smiling faintly. "Lacie. Lacie Armstrong. Girlfriend."

Sawyer coughed uncomfortably. "Friend."

Lacie shot Sawyer a frown, "I was under the impression that we were—"

Sawyer shook his head. "Not now, Lacie. We will discuss this later." He turned to face his father, "Dad, what are you doing here?"

Sawyer's father frowned. "Aren't you glad to see me? I thought that, after all these years, you would at least be glad to see me, let alone speak to me. Or, perhaps, that you'd be a bit more gracious and welcome me back into your house."

Sawyer stared at his father, all traces of friendliness gone. A bitter cold replaced the warmth that he had originally displayed. "You can't just come waltzing back here after all these years. After all these years, how can you think that you can just come waltzing back into my life as though you never left? How?"

Sawyer's father frowned. "I admit that I left, Sawyer, and I'm sorry. I made the wrong choice. But, this is our house, as I remember it. We used to live here together. Do you remember those times?"

Sawyer nodded and closed his eyes. "Don't bring back those memories, Dad. It's painful enough to see you and hear you, let alone reminiscing the past." He sighed. "Besides, you don't exist in our lives anymore. You're gone. You're nothing more than just a shadow. You're nothing more than the dust that rests on everything. You're nothing more than just a memory. The move you made was permanent. Your choice was permanent. You made it clear that you weren't coming back."

"Only death is permanent, Sawyer. Only death is permanent."

"Whatever. Can you just leave? You don't belong here anymore, Dad, okay? You don't exist to us anymore. Just leave. Don't make us go through the pain of remembering everything, okay? Life has already been really painful for us all. Don't make it even more so."

"Can I just come in and sort some things out? I really want to talk to your mother, Sawyer. Where is she?"

Sawyer shook his head. "No, you can't come in. You want to talk to her, but you don't need to talk to her. There's a big difference, even though there is only a one word difference. And she's working. We've all got to make a living, you know. It's how we have food on our plates, clothes on our backs, and a roof over our heads. I work, too, you know. We've been working ever since you left, so you can blame yourself for this."

"Sawyer, I did say that I'm sorry—"

"Sorry is not going to make up for what you've done. You've torn our family apart, and it won't be able to be put together again. I suggest you just leave and not come back. You're not welcome here anymore. This is not your home."

"This has always been my home, Sawyer, and it will remain to be for as long as I live. Now, would you please let me in?"

"No."

Sawyer's father sighed. "Look, Sawyer, I know that it hasn't been an easy time for you..."

Lacie looked helplessly at Sawyer who looked like he so desperately wanted to pound his father into a pulp. His face was twisted in red hot fury. He looked simply... livid. "I think it's best if you leave, Mr. Nelson. If you truly cared for Sawyer, you'd respect his choices. He hasn't had an easy life, you know. Just leave, Mr. Nelson, and don't come back. Ever."

Mr. Nelson stared at Lacie. "Who are you, and do you really think that you have the power, the authority, to tell me what to do? I'm a grown man, girl. I can make my own decisions."

Lacie gritted her teeth. "You are a father, Mr. Nelson. You are Sawyer's father. You should learn to respect your son's opinions and decisions and feelings. Oh, and I'm Lacie Armstrong. I've already introduced myself, though, so in the short period in which we have chatted, I have already deduced that you are an impatient man, a terrible father, and a bad listener."

Mr. Nelson ignored Lacie and looked at Sawyer, pleading with his eyes. "Please, Sawyer. I love you with all my heart and soul. I always have, and I still do. I still love your mother, Sawyer. She still holds a special place in my heart. She always has, and she always will."

"Why don't you tell her that, yourself? Face to face. I don't think you'd be able to, would you?"

"Sawyer, please. Your mother is still at work. If you let me come inside, I promise that I will tell her that when she gets back."

"No. Just leave. It's best if she doesn't know."

"Please. I just want to speak with her."

"What is going on, here? Sawyer, honey, please explain. Who is this man?"

Sawyer bit his lip. "Mom, this is..."

Mr. Nelson spun around to face Lorraine Nelson. "Lorraine..."