Father and Son

Derek ignored her at his best since he was feeling hurt. He through the phone to the bed. Fred forwarded him what Taaliyah had sent and asked about Derek. And he no longer received the messages from her. Derek understood that Taaliyah understood how he is ignoring her. But he had no choice. Talking to her might end up in a fight where he definitely would ask about Danny to her and she will feel bad about it. But he had no idea about how his moments with Min Ah were affecting her just like him. But she never overreacted.

Though Min Ah had tried to cheer him up in their way way, it did not work. Seeing Danny and Taaliyah together really angered him, upset him. He sat in the room alone and did not talk to his parents again.

He wished to be distracted. And at the right time, his father walked on. "Derek," John called. "Am leaving tonight, back to Y city," he said. "Have to report back to work, I cannot get leaves any longer,"

"Okay," Derek said and looked at his father. John smiled but Derek could say how deeply hurt he looked. "Sorry," he said.

"Don't," Derek said quickly feeling awfully bad for his father.

"I wanted to give a surprise, but it turned out to be a disaster," he said.

"Am fine, travel safe," Derek said and sat back on the bed.

"Grab dinner together?" he asked his son. Derek looked at him for a moment.

"Okay," he agreed.

"Get ready, I will take you some where good," John promised and walked out.

Derek looked at himself in the mirror and took a black jacket from the wardrobe and put them on. His hand hurt a little but he managed it. He ran out to the living room. He saw Amy, his mother watching television peacefully. "Take care," she said and kept watching the dance reality show. He nodded and out on his shoes. His father had started the engine.

They went to town. "How is school?" John asked.

"Good," he answered in a word.

"Did you settle? What about friends?"

"Hmm it's nice, all are good," he said without expressing much.

"Keep up with the studies, you know your mother,"

"I know," Derek smiled and looked outside.

"i see you are still upset, you can talk your father about anything, man to man talks, you know, you don't have to hide or hesitate," John was trying his best in parenting, wishing to develop a close bond with his only son and onmy child he will have life. His dream was to have many children but unfortunately it appeared Amy hates having kids and had Derek for John's sake.

"Am going to join guitar classes," Derek said finally. Though John was not expecting it, he took it really well.

"Good," he said. "How? Should I look up for a teacher? he asked responsibly. He wanted his son to achieve his dreams. John had always loved his son's talent in singing and dancing and encouraged them always. He believed in his son's dreams. He swore to support Derek through anything.

"No, we found a teacher," Derek told his father.

"We you mean?" John asked.

"My friend Min Ah, she knows a sir, she asked me whether I wish to attend classes with her. So I agreed, she is the school PTA president's daughter," he had no idea why he said that. But John was impressed.

"That's great, I guess you just ha very commence with the lessons then,"

"Yes pa, after the finals, we will start the class, the vacation, I will be occupied this way," he said and felt glad.

"What about vocal training?" John was concerned about that.

"Don't worry, I don't need that," he said.

"Why?" John wanted to know what he meant by asking him to not worry. "Do you not want to learn music and train your vocals?"

"I found a soluthin for it," he said and smiled. After days, he felt relieved and smiled from the bottom of his heart.

"I found recently that the public library here in the town has a great facility for young musicians. On their top floor, they have the whole place set for an instrument room and one recording room. They have all equipments in working condition. I can take the membership there and perform once for screening to show them and get the music room membership. It will be free to use,"

"How did you know all this?" John was surprised to see how his is mature at a young age and taking life decisions for himself without wavering where he himself yet had trouble making a decision. For a moment John was so proud Derek and admired him. "Go take the membership tomorrow itself," John said to Derek. He sensed the excitement in his son and how he came back to his life. Music means so much to him, it looked like.

"But why music?" John wanted to know. To that question, Derek smiled wide and looked outside the window.

"It heals," he replied and did not say further. It indeed healed him.

Little Taaliyah flashed before his eyes. When John and Amy had a huge fight at home, Derek tried to endure the fear and came to school. And he broke down. Taaliyah who saw it one day handed him a head phone and a sony pink and colored Walkman. "Listen to the music, it's good to drive away the loneliness, you can keep it and give me back later when you are okay," she said.

That smile still remained in his eyes and fresh in his memory. The day he first noticed her. The day he looked at her and smiled back.

His interest in music began then. As he heard more, he wanted to sing too, he wished to become a singer and help people heal.

"Derek," his father called him.

"Hmm?" he came back to reality.

"We have reached the restaurant, get out," John said. Derek got out but he did not expect to stand in front of someone he was least expecting at that hour.

"You," he said. John slammed the door and looked at his son who stood with like he had seen a panther before him.

"Derek.." he called and walked forward.