Partly Believed (10)

It had been three days since Ria finally had came back to their dad's house, with Jerry by her side. She ignored everyone and escaped to her room, while Jerry walked Trooper upstairs and read him a bed time story. He also tried talking to Danny. And Danny talked back to him. He was starting to not care about the past, he wanted to get over it all. He wanted to not live with a black heart. He wanted to live, and not have to apologize for being ruthless. He wanted everyone to be happy. And that was wierd for him, because he usually didn't like to feel that way at all.
But today was different. Trooper wasn't as mischevious. He pulled a few more pranks but they were weak, and Danny wondered if he really just put on a front? Danny, wanted to squash the squabble between them but he just didn't know how.
"Daniel Ray?" It was late, around midnight when his father sat down on the couch beside him.
"Hey." Is all Danny spat out as he flipped channels.
"I'm sorry I haven't been around you know for six years, I just want to let you know I love you son. I love you and Victoria and Trooper ya'll are my world and I hope you three know that."
"Look, i'm not about emotion. I just feel the same." His dad half smiled and then pulled his boots off.
"So, want to go to work with me tomorrow? It'd get you out of the house?"
Danny mulled it over, before agreeing.
"Alright. Yeah."
"Trooper's coming to. I invited Victoria, but she turned it down." Danny rolled his eyes, but Jerry didn't see it.
"Okay."
"And, um Daniel Ray?"
"Yes." He hated to be called Daniel.
"I appreciate you hearing me out."
"Well, I got nothing else better to do." He smiled flipped his hair to the side and put it on CMT.
"I love this channel. Ever seen Broken Bridges?"
"No. I don't even know what this is."
"Oh, well it's a good movie. Probably my favorite." His dad sank down in the couch now. And when Jerry thought the conversation wasn't going anywhere. Danny had to ask.
"Where's Candice?" He breathed hard, looking at her picture on the wall.
"She's in heaven son. She's in heaven."
Danny felt bad, but he didn't want to say anything.
"And, Trooper doesn't he have any friends?"
"After Candice died, I just kept him out of school. Nana- you've met her right?" Danny shook his head. "Nana teaches him, and helps him out. I try to be there for him, ya know but it's hard to be there when I need someone here for me as well."
"Well, Dad," Jerry was shocked to be called Dad.
"I'm just saying, in a way that I know how. That I forgive you for missing out on my years."
"Means alot, son."
"And I forgive Candice for taking you away."
"Son, Candice didn't take me away. I didn't meet Candice til I left the house, I promise."
"But, Mom said-"
"What ever your mother said, I promise she did it out of emotional turmoil. I'll leave it at that."
Danny started thinking, he was much more mellow with out his electronics, and his late sleep schedule. He was much more alert. He remembered back to those years. How Larry moved in so fast, how Larry always had his mom on her toes. Always, kissing her and loving on her. It made sense now. How she would change the story around on his father. It was simple enough, because he was the one who left, he couldn't defend his case. He couldn't do anything. Because he didn't know.
"It makes sense." His father raised his eyebrows.
"Wow, I was expecting some name calling."
"No, really Da..." he stopped himself. "It does make sense. When you left Larry came in so fast. I mean he always leaves with her. He was always nervous around us well more like paranoid. It does, it does make sense." Danny was angry now but not at his father. He was mad at his mother.
"Well the past is the past son."
"No, i'm gonna call her out."
"Do what you please, just know that I really tried to be apart of yall's lives when I left. I really did. I have emails to show you. Come here."
Danny got up but he was confused.
"Um, emails? I thought you were about nature and didn't have a computer."
"Have you only seen the first two stories of this house?" Danny shrugged.
"My office is down stairs."
After Danny read the emails, to his mother from his father it all sank in. And now he was fuming.
"Now, son, don't take it out on your mother it was a long time ago and i've forgiven her, hell I've forgiven a lot of people."
"Do you forgive Larry, Dad. Do you forgive him?"
"Ofcourse." Jerry said it and he meant it. And Danny knew it.
"Then why'd you show me this?"
"Because, I need you to know that I'm not the bad guy. That I do love yall and that I do want yall in my life."
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