Never Gonna Be Alone

Chapter 8---What Did You Tell Him?

Chuck sighed, as he sat down. He thought about what Andrew had told him.

He wasn't that bad was he? Why is he the way he is?

He said he would make it up to Laten.

He can't believe Laten was cutting. That meant he was a horrible father. He so wished Faith, his late wife was here. He really needed her advise.

If she were here, he had no idea where to begin. 'I'm sorry' didn't cut it anymore. He didn't know how to talk to his own son. Laten seemed to hate him. Of course, Chuck coulden't blame him. There are times where Chuck coulden't even look at himself in the mirror. He didn't want to admit it, but he turned into one of those fathers he hated. Ones that ignored their children, ones that worked their life away.

Chuck felt tears in his eyes. He screwed up big time. He loved his son. He really loved him.

He had to go to work today. He had to come in at 7p.m. He sighed.

Don't you just love the city life?

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

Chuck groaned and got up. He went to the door and opened it. He was not really surprised when he saw his best friend stand at the door.

Uh-oh. He knew that look. It was Ryan's We-Need-To-Talk-Now-And-Don't-Try-And-Get-Out-Of-It look. Chuck sighed as he let him in. He sat back on the couch.

Ryan came in and shut the door. "Where is Laten?"

"He's in his room. Everything OK?"

Ryan stood in front of him and looked at him straight in the eyes. "I don't know. You tell me."

"I don't follow."

Ryan sighed. "I had a very interesting chat with your son. I'm not going to say what he told me, but I will say this. You need to get your act together, and pay attention to your son. You know what he thinks of you? He probably hates you. Not what he told me, but he probably thinks he hates you!"

"What, you had a talk with him? What did you say?"

Ryan shrugged. "I just told him what you would not. I told him that I was his Godfather."

Chuck's eyes went wide. "You what? Why?"

"He needed to know! I felt that it was his time to know."

Chuck stood up. "I'm his father, not you! I decide when it is the right time!"

Ryan gave him a deadly look. "Sit down, and shut up."

Chuck closed his mouth, and did exactly that.

"Now I told him that our conversation would not be told to anybody. I will not tell you what we are talking about, but I am very concerned about not only him, but for you too. He is not stupid. He knows what you are trying to do. I know what your trying to do."

Chuck sighed. "I am not a workaholic."

"Yes you are. Your son knows it, the counselor knows it, I know it, and you know it. You just can't admit it to yourself."

"I don't know what to do. Faith died, and I guess everything good in me, died along with her."

Ryan sighed. "The Twin Towers took us all by surprise. It was very saddening to see what happened. It happened 2 years ago. I'm not saying move on and forget about it. I'm just saying that the plane crash, the people driving and controlling the plane, wanted to damp all of our spirits. But that only made us stronger. We will never forget it, but your wife wouldn't want this to happen."