Chapter 21

Derek

Later that evening, there was a knock on our bedroom door. I got up to answer it.

To my surprise, my father stood there, dressed in a suit.

“I want to go out for dinner,” he said. “I want to take you and Amy.”

Amy peeked around my shoulder, a smile beaming on her face. “Really? Yes! Oh, I would love that. We should go to Cliffside. I absolutely loved that place.”

I hadn’t seen my father go out in years. “That sounds great. We’ll get ready now and meet you in the foyer.”

“Wonderful.”

Amy and I quickly got ready. While we dressed, she told me about the conversation they’d had the other day, how he had suggested the restaurant, and how much she had enjoyed it. As I listened, each of her words chipped a mark into my heart. This woman was having a profound effect on me.

Soon, we were dressed and on our way downstairs. Amy had on an elegant, yet simple, blue gown, paired with gold heels and a loose braid. She looked beautiful, and I could hardly keep my eyes away from her.

My father wanted to take the Porsche, so I grabbed the keys and led the way to the garage. He insisted that Amy sit in the front with me, while he lounged in the back seat.

On the way to the restaurant, Amy and my father talked. She was turned around to face him, gesturing widely with her arms, obviously very engaged in the conversation. Listening to them chatter, a great sense of contentment flowed through me. I hadn’t seen my father so laid back and amiable in… well, never. Amy was having a profound effect on him too, I was convinced of it.

We reached Cliffside in a short time. I had never been there, but as we pulled up my father told me that he and my mother used to come here all the time. That information caused questions to rise in me that I hadn’t experienced in a long time. I tried to imagine my father young, and my mother alive, the two of them walking into this same building, still in love.

I took Amy’s hand in mine.

“Isn’t it amazing?” She bounced on her toes. “Look at that view. I just love the ocean. This was the perfect place to build a restaurant, I think. And wait until you try the food!”

We got a booth by the window. My father sat across from us. I watched him carefully as he looked through the menu, then out the window, and around the building. His happiness was evident on his wrinkled face. It was like I was looking at a new man.

A waitress came up to our table. “Are you ready to order?” she asked us, her voice pleasant and chipper.

My father ordered a seafood bowl, after telling Amy and I that he used to get the very same thing every time, and that he was happy to see that it hadn’t been removed from the menu. I asked for a steak, cooked medium rare, and Amy wanted a chicken Caesar salad.

“This place hasn’t changed at all,” my father said, leaning back in his seat. “Just me… just me.” He paused, before continuing.

“I wanted to bring you two out to dinner today to talk to you.” There was trembling in his voice, something I had never experienced from him. “Derek, when you brought Amy to my house this week, I admit, I was very skeptical. I believed she was just a passing fancy. Even when I learned about the baby, I still wasn’t sure. I’m the first person to know that a child won’t hold two people together. But, after watching you two this week, I am comforted. You are a beautiful couple.”

My voice caught in my throat at my father’s words. I glanced over at Amy, who had tears welling in her eyes.

“I have been married four times,” my father said, holding up four shaky fingers. “And none of those relationships went the way I intended. I would say that I have had my fair share of experience in the world of love. I’ve been in love, and I’ve fallen out of it. I completely believe that you two have what my relationships always lacked. You are both selfless, generous, compassionate people.”

My father now turned directly to me. “Derek, I have watched you grow up from the very first day of your life. I admit, I have not been a tender father, but I pray that you have not mistaken my strictness for a lack of love. I have made many, many mistakes, but I have never stopped loving you—not from the moment that I first held you. And I am incredibly proud of the man you have become.”

There were tears in my eyes now. I brushed them away. Then my father turned to Amy.

“Amelia, dear. I am not an ignorant man, and I know that I am to die soon. That’s the simple truth of the matter, and I accept that. I feel so lucky that I lived long enough to meet you. In just one week, I can tell how happy you’ve made my son. The changes in his behavior are… well, it’s like he’s a different man. Softer, more relaxed, more carefree. Everything I wanted him to be, or to have, everything that I couldn’t buy him, no matter how much money I had—you have given him. To live to see my son’s life so fulfilled has made my own worth living. I cannot thank you enough.”

My father reached forward clasping both of our hands. “So, whatever it might be worth to you, I give you my full blessing. I may not be here to witness it, but I hope that you two live long and joyful lives together, filled with adventure. My greatest comfort is the certainty that my grandchild will grow up with two loving parents.”

I squeezed his hand tightly. The moment was bittersweet. Now that I had what I had always wanted, the only thing that I could desire was for my father to not be sick.

“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice catching in my throat.

Amy nodded in agreement, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The waitress approached us with a tray of food. My father coughed, sat up, and smiled.

“Now,” he said. “Let’s eat!”

* * *

When we returned home later that evening, Marshall Harrison, my father’s lawyer, was waiting for us in the foyer. When he saw us come in, he swung toward us, looking impatient.

“Mr. Rittsman.” He nodded curtly at my father. “I’ve been waiting for hours. We had an appointment.”

“I tried calling,” my father said, as he waved his hand dismissively. “I went out with my family. Come back tomorrow, I’m tired now. Goodnight, Marshall. Goodnight, Amy. Derek, walk with me?”

Marshall was furious, but didn’t say anything. I took my father’s arm and turned to Amy.

“I’ll be right up, beautiful,” I said. Amy smiled and kissed my cheek, but I noticed her glancing nervously toward Marshall, who was picking up his bags and heading toward the door.

I followed my father out of the room and helped him up the stairs, carrying his oxygen tank for him. While we walked, he chatted. I noticed his breathing was a little heavier, having exerted himself more than usual that day.

“She’s wonderful, you know,” he told me.

“I do know,” I said, smiling. “I really got lucky, meeting her.”

“Tell me,” my father said, something in his voice shifting. “And be honest with me. Is she someone you can see yourself spending the rest of your life with?”

I hesitated. “I…”

“Derek, think about it. Not just through the good times. The bad times. The average times, too. Relationships are never an easy ride. Love is a choice. You have to be able to make the conscious decision to put forth the effort. A lot of times, it comes down to asking yourself, is she worth it? For me, the answer was never yes. I want things to be different for you. So really, really think before answering. Do you think that Amy is a woman that you can spend the rest of your life loving?”

And I did think about it. The question seemed important to him, and I was tired of lying. I owed him some honesty.

Amy. I imagined growing old with her. I imagined starting a family with her. I imagined coming home to her after a long day of work. I imagined fighting with her, and making up with her, and never giving up on her.

And it wasn’t hard.

“Yes,” I said, truthfully. It felt like I was finally admitting something obvious to myself. “Yeah. I could.”

“Then marry her,” my father said, then shrugged with a smile.

* * *

Once I had helped my father to bed and said goodnight, I went to my bedroom, but Amy wasn’t there. Concerned, I went downstairs, toward the foyer. I paused before opening the door when I heard voices on the other side. It was Amy and Marshall.

He should have been gone by now. What was he up to?

“How’s the pregnancy going, Miss Parker?” the lawyer asked her, but his tone was far from friendly. There were layers of suspicion and malice in his voice.

“Very well, thank you.” To my surprise, Amy also sounded resentful, something I’d never heard from her. It caused a rise in me. I wanted to burst into the room and pull her away from him, but I resisted the urge. I had to find out what was going on first.

“Glad to hear.” He sounded anything but.

“Why are you here?” All fake pleasantry dropped.

“To talk to Mr. Rittsman about his will.”

“Well, he went to bed,” Amy said. “You can come back tomorrow. Unless you’re here for something else.”

“And whatever would that be?”

“You tell me.”

They were quiet for a few moments, sizing each other up. I heard Marshall finally exhale.

“Your charade isn’t going to last for long, Miss Parker.”

“You’re insane. I don’t have any charade.”

“You’re a liar,” Marshall snarled. “And so is your boyfriend. I don’t know why Mr. Rittsman even puts up with him.”

I half-expected shy, quiet Amy to bow her head, to back down. But, instead, she snapped back at him.

“I don’t know you,” she said. “And you don’t know me. Frankly, I would prefer to keep it that way. I understand that you believe I have some great scheme to get rich. Which is fine. With your job, you’ve probably worked with lots of greedy, selfish people, so I get it. But you can’t keep accusing me of something for which you have no evidence. That’s called harassment. I’m pretty sure that’s illegal.”

“Oh, it’s only a matter of time before the truth comes to the surface,” Marshall said. “Whatever you’re hiding, I’ll find it.”

“You’re going on a wild goose chase,” Amy responded. “That’s the truth. I’m trying to help you, here. Don’t waste your time. I have absolutely no interest in anyone’s money.”

“Then why are you here?”

“For Derek. That’s all.”

“Tell me, Amy.” The smugness was audible in Marshall’s voice. “Do you love him?”

“Excuse me?”

“I want to hear you say, in complete honesty, that you love Derek. If everything is as you claim it is, that should be obvious. It should be easy. So, go ahead.”

That caught Amy off guard. “Of… of course,” she stuttered. “He’s wonderful. He’s a better man than you.”

Marshall laughed, a harsh, barking sound. “That wasn’t what I was asking, Miss Parker.”

“I don’t have to tell you anything,” Amy said, her voice wavering.

“You’re right,” Marshall said. “But you will have to speak in front of a judge, and a jury, and a whole court. I’m sure they’ll be very interested in what you have to say.”

“What?” There was panic in Amy’s voice.

“As soon as I find what I’m looking for, I’m positive that Mr. Rittsman will press charges. The stress of a trial, along with your betrayal— that’ll kill him before the cancer does, I’m sure. Unless you tell me now, and we can deal with it much, much more discreetly. Wouldn’t that be better? For him, and for you.”

“I…” Amy hesitated. “No. I’m here for Derek. I don’t have anything to hide. I don’t have anything to tell.”

“If that’s what you’re sticking with.” His voice dropped. “Miss Parker, I’m going to tear your life apart. You are going down.”

“Why?” She sounded nearly defeated, which crushed me. “Mr. Harrison, please. I have done nothing against you, or Walter, or Derek.”

I decided it was time to intervene. I opened the door, glaring coldly at Marshall.

“Marshall,” I said. “I thought you were leaving.”

“Just having a few words with Miss Parker,” he said, a fake smile on his thin, dry lips. “She had a few questions regarding legal matters.”

“Right,” I said, my voice flat. “Goodnight, sir.”

He took the cue, and left quickly.

I looked at Amy. She was as pale as a ghost, sweaty and trembling. I had half a mind to follow Marshall and hit the smirk off his lips for harassing Amy like this.

“How much of that did you hear?” Amy asked, looking like she was about to cry.

“Enough to gather the tone of the conversation. I’m so sorry, Amy. He’s a snake. He’s always been despicable. He’s envious, I think, of anyone who gets close to my father.”

“Derek,” she said, “I know we’ve talked a lot about what we’re doing. And I finally decided that it’s the right thing. But is it the legal thing?”

“You won’t end up in jail,” I said, hoping that was comforting. “You won’t end up in court, either. Marshall is just trying to scare you into confessing something. He won’t be happy until he hears what he wants to hear.”

“If you’re sure,” Amy said.

I pulled her into a tight hug, showing more confidence than I felt.

“I am.”