A Different Divergent: A Better Tomorrow

~twelve~

Chapter 12

Tobias gazes harshly at Marcus and Ethan who are still standing nearly nose-to-nose, menacingly staring each other down. I'm confused by the scene unfolding in front of me. What are they doing here? I momentarily wonder if Tobias forgot to tell me he invited his father and Evelyn's lover to his mother's memorial service but it seems rather unlikely.

"Did you invite them?" I squeak, my voice high with anxiety. I ask the question knowing full well what the answer will be. They obviously found out about today's events somehow and invited themselves even though neither one of them is wanted here.

"No." Tobias recovers from the shock of seeing the unwanted guests and drops my hand. He walks through the invited guests to where Marcus and Ethan are facing off and asks, "What's going on here? Why are you here?" They don't move and don't take their eyes off each other. "I expect an answer." He's playing the part of Four well on a day he shouldn't have to. I walk up beside him and put my hands on my hips like my mom does when something really displeases her.

"Ethan Black!" I forcefully say. He finally tears his eyes away from Marcus and looks at me. "Four asked you a question. What in the hell are you doing here? You of all people were not invited."

"I need to be here," he says indignantly. "You know how much I loved her. She was my world. I've been lost without her. I need to say goodbye." The nerve of this man. Does he even know how wrong this is? I glance in Jeffrey and Laurel's direction and wonder if they have an opinion about their birth father staying. I study their faces carefully and think that embarrassment is the prevailing emotion I see. They're so lucky to have the Walsh's. I sigh.

"Yes, I know how you felt about my mother-in-law but that doesn't give you the right to just show up," I say. "You could have called me or Four and asked if it was alright to attend her memorial service."

"You would have said no," he grumpily says. I'm immediately taken aback. The stubbornness that Tyler has just recently began to show is a trait Ethan Black exhibits freely in this moment. For the first time since I met my adorable Tyler, I see his biological father in him.

"You have no idea what we would have said because you didn't give us a chance to think about it," I say.

"You're right," he says. "I'm sorry." You should be.

"Does Ellie know where you're at?" Tobias hatefully spits. Ethan Black is without a doubt the one man I know who Tobias hates. For as much distrust he has for his father, Marcus is his father, and he loves him on some level, although I know there are days he wishes he could hate him. Ethan glares at Tobias momentarily before remembering his Abnegation teachings. He bows his head and ignores Tobias' question. That poor woman. At least she grew a backbone for one day and made sure Tyler ended up with the parents who truly loved him and not with the man who was just looking for a way to hang on to his murky past.

"Marcus?" I say, turning my attention to my father-in-law. When he looks my way his expression softens, and I furrow my brows at him. I don't trust his newfound self-awareness. Something I can't put my finger on tells me he's playing us. "Why are you here?"

"Beatrice, I came to pay my respects to the only woman I ever loved, my wife and mother of my son," he says sounding sincere. "Like I told you and Four earlier, I can't change what I did in the past but I want us all to have a brighter future. I would like to stay if you would allow it, son. Perhaps your mother is looking down on us right now in hopes that we can put our past behind us." Tobias looks at his father, legitimate distrust in his haunted eyes. He looks from Marcus to Ethan and back then sighs. I think he's going to say something to them but he turns and walks over to his brother and sister who are waiting with their family.