Home Again (7)
The doorbell was ringing mercilessly when Stephen rushed to answer it. Fred was standing there, his face eaten with worry. "Good afternoon." "Good afternoon Fred. Are you looking for Daniel?" Stephen inquired.
The doorbell was ringing mercilessly when Stephen rushed to answer it. Fred was standing there, his face eaten with worry.
"Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon Fred. Are you looking for Daniel?" Stephen inquired.
"Yes! Have you seen him?" Fred asked in panic.
"Yes he's here, don't worry."
Fred sighed in relief and shouted "Dad, Phillip he's here!"
Edgar and Phillip ran toward the house.
"Oh God! We were just about to call the police!" Phillip said.
"How did he come here?" Edgar shouted angrily.
Stephen told him.
"But I was going to have a heart attack! We've been looking for him for nearly an hour!" Edgar shouted.
"Dad, calm down please." Fred said nervously.
"Dad!" Daniel's voice came from inside.
Edgar moved Stephen out of the way and rushed inside. He grabbed Daniel's arm aggressively and grunted "Haven't I told you not to open the door to anyone or go outside the house?"
"Hey! Take it easy!" Stephen protested.
"Stay out of this." Edgar shouted in rage then he pushed Daniel brutally outside the house.
Fred took Daniel's arm gently and walked home. Daniel was shivering and breathing heavily.
"Relax Daniel, relax please." Fred muttered.
They all headed home and as soon as they entered the house Edgar shouted in rage "Why did you do this Daniel? Why didn't you call us at least instead of causing all this panic?"
Daniel looked at him with widened teary eyes.
"Don't look at me like this! Answer my question!" Edgar said firmly.
This was how Burns used to shout at him right before a brutal punishment. Daniel was scared of what is coming, he was paralyzed and couldn't move.
"Dad stop, it he's shaking like a leaf!" Phillip shouted.
Edgar headed to his room still huffing and puffing.
Fred sat beside Daniel and said reassuringly "He's just blinded by anger please forgive him."
"What did I do?" Daniel choked.
"We ... we were just so worried Daniel...just make sure you keep us aware of your whereabouts."
"What is he going to do to me?" Daniel asked in fear.
"He'll do nothing!" Fred said emphatically "He'll probably come and apologize for what he did."
................................................
Edgar walked slowly to Daniel's room. Daniel was standing beside the window crying silently.
"Dan." Edgar said.
Daniel turned to him and wiped his tears.
"I was so worried about you, overreacted." Edgar declared.
Daniel said nothing because he felt a lump in his throat. Edgar held his shoulders gently and said "For a moment I thought I lost you again, do you understand how hard this is for me?"
"You were so rude to Stephen, he was so nice to me." Daniel demurred.
"I will fix this don't worry."
"You grabbed my arm so hard it hurts." Daniel said rolling up his sleeve.
Edgar rubbed it gently and kissed his forehead.
"I'm sorry Dan, I'm so sorry son."
.............................................
"I'm sorry for what happened Stephen, I overreacted. I hope you understand the situation I was in."
"I'd have gone crazy too, don't worry." Then he said after a pause "The way you treated your son was a shame."
"I was under a lot of pressure ...."
"You should work hard to regain his trust."
Edgar looked down with guilt.
"You should be more patient and compassionate."
"We're doing our best." Edgar assured.
"If you allow me, I'd like to be involved."
Edgar gave him a confused look.
"Daniel needs constant support and supervision, you are so busy and due to my work as a writer I stay at home most of the time. I think I can offer a lot of help." Stephen explained.
"But you know, Daniel is not an ordinary teenager." Edgar pointed out.
"I know." Stephen said with a smile.
"So he stays with you during the day while we're at work."
"Exactly."
"Why not? I agree." Edgar said.
Home Again
Re: Home Again
Home Again (8)
Things have become easier since Stephen shared in taking care of Daniel. It gave Edgar and his sons more time to focus on their work. Stephen took Daniel to the therapy sessions and the rehabilitation center.
Things have become easier since Stephen shared in taking care of Daniel. It gave Edgar and his sons more time to focus on their work. Stephen took Daniel to the therapy sessions and the rehabilitation center regularly. He devoted himself to read about kidnap victims. To him, it was a kind of interesting adventure but he really did care.
"F-R-A-N-K, Frank... visited his gran..." Daniel stopped reading and put the papers on the table and said in disappointment, "I can't Stephen."
"No, you can! You're doing great! Continue."
Daniel looked irritated.
Stephen approached him and said softly, "Daniel, you need to exert more effort, don't you want to join school?"
Daniel shook his head and said helplessly, "I don't know! I don't know what I want."
Stephen put his arm around Daniel's shoulders, looked at his watch and said, "It's ok, we can continue later, your dad is coming to take you in a minute anyway."
"Stephen, where is your family?" Daniel asked curiously.
"My parents died a long time ago."
"Don't you have children?"
Stephen was silent for a moment before he said, "Twenty years ago I was married to a beautiful young woman and we had an adorable son. One day she was driving home drunk, the car slipped, turned upside down and fell in the river. It was a terrible accident. They were rescued but my son died in the hospital."
"Where is she now?" Daniel asked.
"Four months after the accident, she filed for divorce."
"Oh my God Stephen this is so bad." Daniel said sympathetically.
"If James was alive, he would have been your age now." Stephen said with a faint smile.
Daniel put his hand on Stephen's and said innocent reassurance, "He must be in a better place now, like mom."
Stephen looked through him and his lips parted to say something, but the door bell rang to end their intimate conversation.
***********************************************************************
Back at home, Daniel sat on the couch and looked at TV absent-mindedly.
"How did your day go?" Edgar asked.
"Fine." Daniel murmured.
"What about your reading lessons?" Edgar asked while pouring himself a cup of tea.
"Difficult." Daniel said in disappointment.
"Do you only have one word answers?" Fred said sarcastically.
"Fred!" Edgar shouted gazing at him warningly.
"Well! I just hate the fact that we seem to be pulling the words out from his mouth! If he doesn't want to talk, don't talk to him!"
Daniel gave him a confused look and said, "Did I do something wrong?"
"Nothing!" Fred said, deeply annoyed.
"Stop it Fred!" Edgar grunted angrily.
"Ok! I will stop it! Just keep pampering your crazy son!" Fred shouted, then he pointed his finger at Daniel's face and said slowly in anger, "You are a burden to everybody!" After spitting these words he ran up the stairs to his room.
"What's wrong with him?" Edgar asked Phillip.
"I don't know, I think he's having a difficult time with Marissa." Phillip answered looking at Daniel.
Daniel buried his face in his knees and wept quietly. Edgar approached him and said, "Dan, don't cry."
"I am not crazy." Daniel screamed.
"You're not." Phillip emphasized. Daniel was breathing heavily and visibly shaking. Edgar held his hands strongly and said, "Dan, please calm down, relax."
Daniel got up to his feet and ran to the door, but Edgar and Phillip stopped him before he opens it. Daniel shouted in anger "Leave me alone I want to go!"
"Where do you want to go?" Edgar asked.
"I want to go out!" Daniel shouted louder trying to dodge them. Edgar and Phillip restrained him while he screamed and tried to break free from their grip.
"Let me go!" He screamed up to his lungs.
"Dad he's breaking down." Phillip said worriedly.
"Get me the sedative." Edgar said.
Phillip rushed to the bathroom and came back with a syringe his hand.
"Let me go please." Daniel cried, his resistance weakening.
"Dan, I can't let you go out alone." Edgar said firmly.
Daniel collapsed on the floor and broke down. "Why are you doing this?" He screamed in a choking voice. Phillip squatted on the floor, took Daniel's arm and injected the sedative right through his veins, "What are you doing? I don't want needles please, please, ouch!" Daniel begged.
"You'll be all right now." Phillip said gently while straightening himself up.
Edgar and Phillip hauled him to his feet and escorted him to his room.
Daniel lay in bed, looking at the ceiling with eyes full of tears. He had an awful nagging feeling that he is not and will never be a normal person. Seeing all people around him living and functioning made him feel more and more impotent. He felt that he just wanted to disappear. His head felt and heavy and he felt that he had no control on his eyelids. His body became numb and immediately he was deeply asleep.
Things have become easier since Stephen shared in taking care of Daniel. It gave Edgar and his sons more time to focus on their work. Stephen took Daniel to the therapy sessions and the rehabilitation center.
Things have become easier since Stephen shared in taking care of Daniel. It gave Edgar and his sons more time to focus on their work. Stephen took Daniel to the therapy sessions and the rehabilitation center regularly. He devoted himself to read about kidnap victims. To him, it was a kind of interesting adventure but he really did care.
"F-R-A-N-K, Frank... visited his gran..." Daniel stopped reading and put the papers on the table and said in disappointment, "I can't Stephen."
"No, you can! You're doing great! Continue."
Daniel looked irritated.
Stephen approached him and said softly, "Daniel, you need to exert more effort, don't you want to join school?"
Daniel shook his head and said helplessly, "I don't know! I don't know what I want."
Stephen put his arm around Daniel's shoulders, looked at his watch and said, "It's ok, we can continue later, your dad is coming to take you in a minute anyway."
"Stephen, where is your family?" Daniel asked curiously.
"My parents died a long time ago."
"Don't you have children?"
Stephen was silent for a moment before he said, "Twenty years ago I was married to a beautiful young woman and we had an adorable son. One day she was driving home drunk, the car slipped, turned upside down and fell in the river. It was a terrible accident. They were rescued but my son died in the hospital."
"Where is she now?" Daniel asked.
"Four months after the accident, she filed for divorce."
"Oh my God Stephen this is so bad." Daniel said sympathetically.
"If James was alive, he would have been your age now." Stephen said with a faint smile.
Daniel put his hand on Stephen's and said innocent reassurance, "He must be in a better place now, like mom."
Stephen looked through him and his lips parted to say something, but the door bell rang to end their intimate conversation.
***********************************************************************
Back at home, Daniel sat on the couch and looked at TV absent-mindedly.
"How did your day go?" Edgar asked.
"Fine." Daniel murmured.
"What about your reading lessons?" Edgar asked while pouring himself a cup of tea.
"Difficult." Daniel said in disappointment.
"Do you only have one word answers?" Fred said sarcastically.
"Fred!" Edgar shouted gazing at him warningly.
"Well! I just hate the fact that we seem to be pulling the words out from his mouth! If he doesn't want to talk, don't talk to him!"
Daniel gave him a confused look and said, "Did I do something wrong?"
"Nothing!" Fred said, deeply annoyed.
"Stop it Fred!" Edgar grunted angrily.
"Ok! I will stop it! Just keep pampering your crazy son!" Fred shouted, then he pointed his finger at Daniel's face and said slowly in anger, "You are a burden to everybody!" After spitting these words he ran up the stairs to his room.
"What's wrong with him?" Edgar asked Phillip.
"I don't know, I think he's having a difficult time with Marissa." Phillip answered looking at Daniel.
Daniel buried his face in his knees and wept quietly. Edgar approached him and said, "Dan, don't cry."
"I am not crazy." Daniel screamed.
"You're not." Phillip emphasized. Daniel was breathing heavily and visibly shaking. Edgar held his hands strongly and said, "Dan, please calm down, relax."
Daniel got up to his feet and ran to the door, but Edgar and Phillip stopped him before he opens it. Daniel shouted in anger "Leave me alone I want to go!"
"Where do you want to go?" Edgar asked.
"I want to go out!" Daniel shouted louder trying to dodge them. Edgar and Phillip restrained him while he screamed and tried to break free from their grip.
"Let me go!" He screamed up to his lungs.
"Dad he's breaking down." Phillip said worriedly.
"Get me the sedative." Edgar said.
Phillip rushed to the bathroom and came back with a syringe his hand.
"Let me go please." Daniel cried, his resistance weakening.
"Dan, I can't let you go out alone." Edgar said firmly.
Daniel collapsed on the floor and broke down. "Why are you doing this?" He screamed in a choking voice. Phillip squatted on the floor, took Daniel's arm and injected the sedative right through his veins, "What are you doing? I don't want needles please, please, ouch!" Daniel begged.
"You'll be all right now." Phillip said gently while straightening himself up.
Edgar and Phillip hauled him to his feet and escorted him to his room.
Daniel lay in bed, looking at the ceiling with eyes full of tears. He had an awful nagging feeling that he is not and will never be a normal person. Seeing all people around him living and functioning made him feel more and more impotent. He felt that he just wanted to disappear. His head felt and heavy and he felt that he had no control on his eyelids. His body became numb and immediately he was deeply asleep.
Re: Home Again
Home Again (9)
Fred looked down and said, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"
It was early in the morning. Fred wandered into the kitchen yawning sleepily.
"What's the time?" He asked.
"Seven o'clock." Edgar grunted from behind his newspaper on the table. Henrietta was preparing breakfast.
"Where is Daniel?" He asked, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands.
"Asleep." Phillip murmured, "I had to inject him with a sedative last night."
Fred sighed and expressions of guilt were written on his face.
"It's the first time you ask about him in the morning." Edgar said sarcastically.
"I was horrible yesterday." Fred said in deep regret.
"God only knows what your words have done to him." Edgar grunted.
"Dad, please, I already feel awful." Fred said.
"Why? I just want to know why?!" Edgar shouted, putting down the newspaper violently.
"I don't know what was wrong with me, I don't know how I said this." Fred said regretfully.
"That was childish and pointless." Edgar confirmed.
Fred looked down and said, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"
"You're apologizing to the wrong people." Phillip said.
"I know, I will talk to him."
"Fix this." Edgar said angrily.
Fred took a shower and walked carefully inside Daniel's room. Daniel was in bed, awake and staring at the ceiling with red eyes.
"Hey! Good morning." Fred said sitting on the side of the bed.
Daniel stood upright and replied uneasily, "Good morning."
Fred said directly, "Daniel, yesterday I was foolish and cruel. I said stupid things to you which I didn't really mean." He paused for a moment to see the effect of his words. Daniel looked away and said nothing as he felt a lump in his throat.
Fred grabbed the top of Daniel's arms and said sincerely, "I know I haven't been supporting you enough since you came back. Daniel, please, I want you to forgive me. I am so sorry." Fred could feel Daniel's body shaking.
"So you don't think that I'm a burden?" Daniel choked, avoiding eye contact.
"No! No! I don't think you are!" Fred protested regretfully tightening his grip.
"But I am! I know I am! I see everyone making efforts to take care of me!" Daniel shouted tearfully. Fred wiped Daniel's tears sympathetically while he continued, "You know what? I hate it! I hate it that I am so dependent. I can't be a normal person, I feel like a... like..." He shook his head violently and said, "I can't even express myself in words."
Fred looked at his little brother with expressions of pain painted on his face. He hated himself more for what he said, realizing how vulnerable Daniel was.
"Fred, I'm scared... I'm trying hard but I'm scared. What seems easy for everybody is difficult for me. My life stopped twelve years ago, I see little children talk about things I have no idea about. I'm missing out." Daniel's mind was racing, there were a lot of things he wanted to say, but he couldn't articulate them.
"Don't be scared! We're all here around you. We love you and we will always be there." Fred said kindly.
"I'm making life difficult for everybody." Daniel sobbed.
Fred put his arms around Daniel's shoulders and said gently, "Dan, listen to me carefully, you are a blessing. In the last twelve years there was a void in this house and inside all of us. We were all trying to function as a normal family, but we never forgot that there is a lost family member. You can't imagine how painful and heartbreaking is that, it tore our souls in half." Fred sighed and continued, "We all cling to the hope that they will find you and that you'll be back among us. You know, Dad was summoned dozens of times by the police to identify corpses that they thought it was you, it is difficult to describe in words how he went through this. Now you are here and we are happy, relieved and so blessed that you are home again, after all these painful years. In fact, you presence gathered us together. You saved us from all the awful thoughts and feelings we had every night before we sleep. No matter what happens I want you always to remember this."
Fred waited till his words sink in Daniel's heart and mind and then continued, "We know what you've been through is the most inhumane experience but I promise, we'll help you to land on a safe shore."
"Are we traveling?" Daniel asked innocently.
"No, why?" Fred asked puzzlingly.
"You said we're going to the shore." Daniel answered.
It took Fred a couple of seconds to get this and when he did, he laughed out loud till he coughed.
"Well, tell me, do you like the sea?" Fred asked.
"Yeah, but Burns never took me there." Daniel said frowning.
"We have a yacht, I will arrange that we all will go there this weekend." Fred said seriously and continued, "So did you forgive me?"
"Yeah." Daniel said with a toothy smile.
Fred stood up and said, "Ok, let us go down to eat breakfast."
"No, I want to sleep." Daniel begged.
Fred hauled him to his feet and said jokingly, "You can sleep afterwards, you have to come down with me now, Dad has to see that you're alright or he'll kill me!"
Fred looked down and said, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"
It was early in the morning. Fred wandered into the kitchen yawning sleepily.
"What's the time?" He asked.
"Seven o'clock." Edgar grunted from behind his newspaper on the table. Henrietta was preparing breakfast.
"Where is Daniel?" He asked, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands.
"Asleep." Phillip murmured, "I had to inject him with a sedative last night."
Fred sighed and expressions of guilt were written on his face.
"It's the first time you ask about him in the morning." Edgar said sarcastically.
"I was horrible yesterday." Fred said in deep regret.
"God only knows what your words have done to him." Edgar grunted.
"Dad, please, I already feel awful." Fred said.
"Why? I just want to know why?!" Edgar shouted, putting down the newspaper violently.
"I don't know what was wrong with me, I don't know how I said this." Fred said regretfully.
"That was childish and pointless." Edgar confirmed.
Fred looked down and said, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"
"You're apologizing to the wrong people." Phillip said.
"I know, I will talk to him."
"Fix this." Edgar said angrily.
Fred took a shower and walked carefully inside Daniel's room. Daniel was in bed, awake and staring at the ceiling with red eyes.
"Hey! Good morning." Fred said sitting on the side of the bed.
Daniel stood upright and replied uneasily, "Good morning."
Fred said directly, "Daniel, yesterday I was foolish and cruel. I said stupid things to you which I didn't really mean." He paused for a moment to see the effect of his words. Daniel looked away and said nothing as he felt a lump in his throat.
Fred grabbed the top of Daniel's arms and said sincerely, "I know I haven't been supporting you enough since you came back. Daniel, please, I want you to forgive me. I am so sorry." Fred could feel Daniel's body shaking.
"So you don't think that I'm a burden?" Daniel choked, avoiding eye contact.
"No! No! I don't think you are!" Fred protested regretfully tightening his grip.
"But I am! I know I am! I see everyone making efforts to take care of me!" Daniel shouted tearfully. Fred wiped Daniel's tears sympathetically while he continued, "You know what? I hate it! I hate it that I am so dependent. I can't be a normal person, I feel like a... like..." He shook his head violently and said, "I can't even express myself in words."
Fred looked at his little brother with expressions of pain painted on his face. He hated himself more for what he said, realizing how vulnerable Daniel was.
"Fred, I'm scared... I'm trying hard but I'm scared. What seems easy for everybody is difficult for me. My life stopped twelve years ago, I see little children talk about things I have no idea about. I'm missing out." Daniel's mind was racing, there were a lot of things he wanted to say, but he couldn't articulate them.
"Don't be scared! We're all here around you. We love you and we will always be there." Fred said kindly.
"I'm making life difficult for everybody." Daniel sobbed.
Fred put his arms around Daniel's shoulders and said gently, "Dan, listen to me carefully, you are a blessing. In the last twelve years there was a void in this house and inside all of us. We were all trying to function as a normal family, but we never forgot that there is a lost family member. You can't imagine how painful and heartbreaking is that, it tore our souls in half." Fred sighed and continued, "We all cling to the hope that they will find you and that you'll be back among us. You know, Dad was summoned dozens of times by the police to identify corpses that they thought it was you, it is difficult to describe in words how he went through this. Now you are here and we are happy, relieved and so blessed that you are home again, after all these painful years. In fact, you presence gathered us together. You saved us from all the awful thoughts and feelings we had every night before we sleep. No matter what happens I want you always to remember this."
Fred waited till his words sink in Daniel's heart and mind and then continued, "We know what you've been through is the most inhumane experience but I promise, we'll help you to land on a safe shore."
"Are we traveling?" Daniel asked innocently.
"No, why?" Fred asked puzzlingly.
"You said we're going to the shore." Daniel answered.
It took Fred a couple of seconds to get this and when he did, he laughed out loud till he coughed.
"Well, tell me, do you like the sea?" Fred asked.
"Yeah, but Burns never took me there." Daniel said frowning.
"We have a yacht, I will arrange that we all will go there this weekend." Fred said seriously and continued, "So did you forgive me?"
"Yeah." Daniel said with a toothy smile.
Fred stood up and said, "Ok, let us go down to eat breakfast."
"No, I want to sleep." Daniel begged.
Fred hauled him to his feet and said jokingly, "You can sleep afterwards, you have to come down with me now, Dad has to see that you're alright or he'll kill me!"