A Cross Examination of a Disgrace and Syrup with Honey

Important Information: They're Not Happy

Derek Phillips had never considered himself the brightest of men, but he was proud of one thing: he could read his son like an open book.  So as soon as Garrett got out of the car the next morning, face pale, eyes red and swollen, and looking as if someone had shot his cat, he knew something was wrong.  And when he noticed Nate's absence, he thought he knew exactly what it was.

He decided to wait until Garrett was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee clutched in between his hands to say anything.  He was glad Dana wasn't home.  That would give them enough time to have a good father/son conversation.

When he finally opened his mouth to say something.  Garrett beat him to it.

"I know what you're dying to ask, so I'll just say it," his son muttered, his voice emotionless.  "Nate broke up with me."

His fatherly instinct told Derek to find Nate and kill him for making his little boy look so miserable.  The reasonable man in him, however, seemed suspicious.  Why would Nate break up with Garrett?  He had seen them together.  Nate loved Garrett more than anything else in his life.  Something wasn't right.

"What happened?" He asked calmly.

Garrett shook his head.  He looked exhausted and Derek wouldn't have been surprised if he told him he hadn't slept all night.  He decided to scold him later about driving to Fort Wayne in that state.

"He lied.  I know he lied--"  Garrett whispered, completely lost in his own thoughts.  "I could see it in his eyes.  He didn't want to leave me.  It hurt him to leave--"

"Garrett you're not making any sense," Derek extended his hand over the table and put it on top of his son's, which were shaking around his coffee cup.  "Start from the beginning, Garrett.  Come on."

So Garrett slowly started telling his father everything that had happened at the party the night before and afterwards at Ellie's.  He didn't leave any details out and Derek gritted his teeth when Garrett repeated Walter's words.  He had done nothing during Nate's birthday party because Dana and Garrett had asked him not to make things worse, but he promised himself one thing right then and there, as he saw his son's eyes filling with tears on the morning of Christmas Eve: the next time he had Nate's father in front of him, he was going to give him a piece of his mind.  And, if no one stopped him, probably a piece of his fist too.

That bastard.

"Listen, kiddo," Derek sighed after Garrett went quiet.  Deep in his eyes, Derek could see the mix of feelings Garrett was experiencing, not only pain and confusion but anger and desperation too.  "I think you're right.  I think you're right.  I think Nate lied because he didn't know what else to do.  He's crazy about you and he probably didn't know what to do after last night.  He panicked, thinking this was the best way to go and he made a mistake."

"So," Garrett sniffled and looked up at him, frowning.  "Do you think he really does love me?"

"Garrett," Derek leaned closer over the table, serious.  "There's a picture of his face when he looks at you next to the word love in the dictionary."

Garrett chuckled lightly as he rolled his eyes and wiped his tears away.  "What should I do then?  Should I call him?"

Derek stood up and took his empty cup to the sink.  "I don't know.  Maybe you should give him some space, Garrett.  It seems to me that Nate needs to analyze his life and decide what's more important to him.  He won't ever be able to completely be with you if he doesn't resolve his issues with his family first."

Garrett sighed, frustrated.  "I wish I could keep him away from them.  They do nothing but humiliate him and bring him down all the time."

"But he's not a child.  He's an adult man who needs to make decisions on his own," Derek replied, coming behind Garrett to put his hands on his son's shoulders in support.  "The only thing you can do right now is wait."