Lies We Tell

Chapter 7

Dave

I looked at the waves crashing against the rocks. It felt the same inside my heart. The whole family had come down to the beach house to celebrate the big success that the firm had reached. When Alan had suggested it I had just stared at him for a whole minute before replying that I would have to ask his daughter.

I had really expected a harsh reply but sadly he hadn't given any. Claudia really liked the idea and we were off to the beach house for the weekend. It wasn't the first time we had traveled down here but with my father-in-law in attendance, this was the first time.

He had thrown a celebration and everyone was where. I had been on my best behavior not to be embarrassed by him in front of the party. However, he had taken me by shock when he announced that he was retiring and I would be the one replacing him.

The former announcement itself had me in shock when he told me about the latter one. I just stared at him as if this was an enormous joke he was playing on me. I was frozen in my place. He had never left a day to criticize me. Throughout the years I had been rebuked by him, embarrassed in front of everyone. Never once did he appreciate me at all in all the progress I made as an employee of his or as his son-in-law. He criticized me even for my tie not being in the right place and him doing something like this was something out of the ordinary.

Not a day had gone by when I hadn't been hurt by his words and him doing this just took me by shock. I was sure if I was old and heart patient I would have been dead. This was too sudden. As if he had a change of heart within a few days.

"What are you doing here?" the voice had me jump and had my heart beating out of my rib cage. I looked to see Claudia standing beside me. I just smiled at her even though I was still reeling from the shock she gave me. I wasn't sure that was it a plan of her family to send me to an early grave.

"Still reeling from what your father said," I told her only to have her nod to me.

"Well I won't lie it was quite a bit shocking," we both stood side by side seeing the waves crash as she said this.

"All my life he has been this strict father. He never cared for me until it wasn't too late. Just like you, I was criticized a lot. I mean I didn't have any role model to follow and he never cared." I looked at her and I realized that she was too innocent. A brat but she was too innocent for her own good. I smiled at my own thoughts about her.

"Him doing something like this is out of the world, I tell you. He is even playing with Liam you know which is extraordinary," there was disbelief in her voice as if she was trying to believe her own words. It felt like she was more in shock than me at her father's changed behavior. Wrapping my arm around her shoulder I patted her arm as she laid her head on my shoulder.

"Looks like we both have to take it in and work it out," I replied to her knowing well that Alan was a stubborn man. We had no idea why he had done this but we both had to cope with it because Alan would never take back his words. However, that is what life has taught me all these years to surf the challenging waves of life even if it seems impossible.

"Well we are best at working things out," she turned and smiled at me genuinely. For the first time, I realized that she was my partner in everything now. In all my happiness, shock, pain, and everything. Just as she relied upon me for everything I relied on her. Somehow with the passing of time, we were turning more into what we were.

"We are the best partner in crimes!" She yelled happily making me laugh wholeheartedly. Letting go of my grasp she ran towards the waves. She was the only woman I knew who wouldn't mind running a thousand-dollar dress. She might be just a bit younger than me but s a kid at heart and maybe that was the reason why she had been able to make a place in what was left of my heart. She played with the waves. Running from them and into them.