Dricki: Only on Camera

Take Six

"What's up son? Didn't know I'd run into you here." his father greeted him with the same woman who had ruined his parent's relationship some twenty years ago.

Nicki looked between the two men. "Nicki, let's go." was all Drake said. He stood and grabbed her hand.

His father called after him. "Aubrey!"

Drake knew it was serious so he turned around. "What?"

His father walked closer to him. "You've got to stop acting like this. I've apologized so many times. What more do I have to do son?"

"Maybe you shouldn't go around fucking the help that's what you shouldn't have done."

"Aubrey dear, listen to your father." the woman said.

"Are you serious? You're the reason for all of this. The babysitter fucking my father. My childhood was white picket fences, just glorious thanks to you."

"It's been twenty years, get over it. And plus, you have a sibling on the way." she rolled her eyes.

"You're like thirty-six-why am I even talking to you. I'm gone." Drake took Nicki's hand and walked off before his father could protest.

They were walking to the parking garage. "You okay?" Nicki rubbed his shoulder.

"I'm fine." he said tiredly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked and he smiled at her for being so concerned.

He took a deep breath. "My family was fine. My mom was a teacher. Best person in the world. My dad was going on tour with Jerry Lewis, he was a drummer. My mom had to stay after school to grade some papers the same night he had came back home. The woman who he was with...her name is Leslie. She ruined everything. Fucked my father and they have been inseparable ever since."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe it'll help relieve some stress if you talk to him."

"I can't. It's like he expects me to forgive him. Like I'm supposed to. I can't forgive him."

"My dad and I never had the best of a relationship...and the some of the shit he did was unforgivable...took me a long time to overcome it. I had a heart to heart with him and now we're back on speaking terms. That will help. The first step to forgiveness is honesty and hearing each other out."

"There's no excuse for why he did what he did."

"I'm not saying that he is right for doing what he did and that he can justify his actions because he can't. All I'm saying is that you have to sometimes put yourself in the other person's shoes to be able to forgive them."

"Would you be able to forgive him if that was your father?"

"It wouldn't be easy, but yes, I could."

"What did your father do that was so horrible?" Drake asked.

"He was on drugs. He was out on the streets something terrible. It got to the point where he tried to kill my family in a house fire. It hurt me so bad...but I learned how to forgive people and you should too."

"Wow. How long did it take you to forgive him?"

"Couple of years...I'm not saying it's going to be that easy for you because it's obvious that you are hurt behind it all, but just start by talking to him. If not for yourself, do it for me." she smiled which in turn made him smile.

He put his arm around her waist and pulled his phone from his pocket with his free hand. He dialed his father's number and arranged for them to meet the following week.