Aphasiac

Chapter Twelve

Siebers Seafood & Steak
May 14, 1997

Darlene sat patiently at the table, taking small sips of her white wine. Her father had asked her for this favor. She felt a little bit uncomfortable trying to convince someone to support his production but he had asked and she had agreed.

She could see Jack weaving through the tables in the restaurant towards her, being led by a uniformed waiter. "Can I get you a drink, sir?" the man asked as Jack slid into his chair.

"Coffee," Jack said, not taking his eyes from Darlene. He didn't speak again until the waiter was well away from the table. "I'm only here to maintain some level of civility between Harold and I," he told her. "I have no fight with you and I don't want to be rude but nothing you can say will convince me that your father is in the right."

Darlene smiled, putting on her best charm but fidgeting under the table where Jack couldn't see her discomfort. "I know my father isn't always the easiest man to get along with," she said.

Jack rolled his eyes at the understatement and nodded a thanks to the waiter who placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of him.

"Anything to eat?" the man asked and Jack waved him off with a careless flip of his wrist. He poured a shot of milk into the mug and stirred slowly, his spoon clinking rudely against the cup.

Darlene broke the silence. "I love my father," she said. "I support him because I love him."

Jack shook his head, scoffing quietly. He licked his spoon and laid it on the linen. "You support him because he's going to make you rich," he said sarcastically.

Darlene struggled to maintain her calm demeanor. Her father never said this was going to be easy. "I know about you and Molly," she said gently, running a finger along the rim of her glass. "I know you can't have children."

Jack glared at her over his coffee.

She held up her hand to discourage any dialogue from him. "We're just asking you to consider this that's all," she said. "Just think it over."

Jack shook his head and set his mug down hard. "I couldn't be a father to something that wasn't human," he said.

"Not human? How are they not human, Jack?" she asked him.

He shrugged and didn't offer an answer.

"They're just children, Jack," she said. "They're like any other kid."

"Yeah right," Jack mumbled.

She reached across the table and placed a soft hand on Jack's cold one. "I know it must be terrible to find out you can never have children but we're offering to fix that. My father thinks it might help you heal if you let one of these kids into your life as your own."

Jack pulled his hand out from under hers and lifted his cup to his lips. He drained the last of the coffee, flinching slightly as it scorched his tongue, and looked at her coldly. "Harold's last concern is my pain," he said, setting down his mug and grabbing a breadstick from the basket in the center of their table.

"Please Jack, just tell me you'll think about it?" Darlene begged.

Jack shrugged and took a bite of his bread.

Darlene started rooting around in her purse. "Do you have a pen?" she asked him.

Jack shook his head, acting disinterested.

She pulled out an eyeliner pencil and tore a corner of her napkin. "Here," she said, writing on the napkin with the make-up. "I want you to take my number. Please think about this and call me if you change your mind." She pushed the napkin across the table to him.