Just One Night

28. Revelations

Daniel

"What are you and Dad up to now? " I ask him accusingly.

The core of my being has been decided by my family. They have deviated from the boat of my life as per their accord.

It's fishy for them to say that. What are they up to?

Did my hiding away scare them? It's not the first time I have run away from home. Earlier it was for simple reasons to name it- Not letting me befriend some of them or Not letting me go to some places. Now I believe it wasn't that, the basic suggestion was them ruling my life over without love. They still do.

Derek looks at me quite offended. "This has nothing to do with Dad. "

I roll my eyes. I know how he keeps himself around our firm and other holdings discussing with Dad how to lead and conquer some more.

Maybe to do that they have created a mess with Brooklyn. Why doesn't he marry Alicia himself? I don't care about my work. If he cares enough, he should marry her.

I bite my tongue at the instantaneous thought.

I can say it out loud but I know Roselie and he has something pure and blissful. The part of me that still loves the old Derek- my Derry if he has any of it left in him- wouldn't allow me to speak that way to him.

I gather my thoughts and give him just a glare. He looks at me with concern. He seems to have so much on his mind but he presses his lips between his teeth.

"I am not good at this, Danny. Letting people understand yourself is too difficult than it seems. Sometimes words never fill it all. About Dad and I being up to something, no we are not. We are not close enough that you think we are. Just like I have drifted from you, it's been the same with our parents too. Now I am trying to work out a better arrangement for all of us accepting all the flaws that we all have. Because Danny we are family and that's what matters. More than that I value you and your happiness. "

He gazes at me then adds, " The last time you ran away, it was when you found out about dads affair. You were broken."
A chill runs down my spine. The flashes of the encounter run through me and I try to subside it. He doesn't give me time to have a footing and continue.

"I had my share of pain and it had occupied me to look out for you and understand how I should treat you. I know the way I handled Alicia with you was cruel. I should have come straight at you instead of making you watch her wrapped in your best friend's arms. Later making you marry her was the worst. You were fucking around senseless after Alicia and ignorant towards your company, setting you up for a while with her felt like a good option considering how Brooklyn has a belt around our neck. I didn't think you would pull this stunt. Do you have any idea what kind of women you have slept with, the kind of places you have been to in these three days?"

I just stare at him in contemplation. He hadn't said this much in more than a year then he said it in just a minute.

I thought he hated me for nothing for consecutive act cruelly. The way he set me up to walk into the room when Alicia fucked. The way he had coerced me into so many complicated business affairs. Then the marriage. Listening to him feels like he never meant to hurt me.

"I don't care about that," I say.

"You are so spontaneous, Danny. Unpredictable. You are too rash sometimes and then you don't care at all. You have to trust and put in some faith. " He says but stops midway.

"Listen to me. Get up, get dressed and eat something. Let us go to a nice place." He suggests standing up. I would have snapped at him other times but I wanted to listen to him.