Father-Son Confrontation

Arianna left the Lieutenant and walked back towards Edwin who was waiting for her. He smiled cheekily. "Let me guess, he managed to piss you off just by opening his mouth?"

Arianna exhaled. "You have no idea." She walked alongside him as they returned back to the sleeping quarters to get their things and prepare to leave the camp.

Edwin had already packed his things so he waited for her to finish up so they could walk together to the gate. He had developed a habit of waiting behind for her or walking with her. After a while she was finished. They walked together in silence till they reached the gate. A car was already waiting for Arianna at the gate. She turned to him. "We could give you a ride back."

He shook his head. "Don't bother about me. I'll get home in due time."

She nodded slowly though gave him a look that seemed to say, 'I don't like that at all…'

She got into the car and waved at him. Edwin waved back and waited, watching as the car sped out of sight. He sighed deeply and looked around. He would need to go out a bit to get a taxi.

He was well aware that his father wouldn't even want to pick him up just so that he wouldn't be associated with a 'failure of a son' like him—that's if he even remembered that they were supposed to return back today.

He sighed again. It took him about ten minutes before he got a taxi and returned home.

….

It was already late in the evening when he arrived at home. He knew very well that unless something happened that his father would be at home at that time. He really didn't want to see him this evening. At least not on the first day of his return.

He could almost imagine the way he would look at him—with so much regret and disappointment. He sighed; there was no running away from it. He had to face him and not let him continue to put down his ego as a man.

He took two deep breaths to calm his mind before pushing the door open and walking in. just as he had imagined, his father was in the living room with a book in his hand. He looked up slightly at him before going back to his reading.

"You're back," Gordon said with a flat tone. "How was camp?"

Edwin clenched his fist hard till his knuckles turned white. He took steady breaths again before saying, "I almost got killed a week ago, father, and this is all you can say after seeing me for the first time?"

Gordon lowered the book in his hand and gave him a cursory gaze. He shook his head. "You're fine, young man."

"You never called the previous week to ask how I was doing."

"I knew you were fine from the reports and if you had any troubles you'd have contacted me first."

Edwin nodded with a smile on his face. 'My life means so little to him. I bet he wishes it was sister who was here right now.'

Despite his thoughts he pressed on. "Still, you should have called. I waited for you to call."

Gordon dropped the book he was reading and gave him an intense look. His eyes seemed so deep that Edwin could almost see vortexes deep within. He exhaled and said, "I told you that the army was like that.

"We take risks, we put our lives on the line every day and you can't have it any other way. There is always someone trying to kill you.

"Besides, I warned you to not waste your time going."

His voice oozed acid. Edwin nodded gently, indifferent about the remark he had just made. 'A waste of time…'

He looked back at his father with wild eyes and gritted teeth. "Is that how you see my efforts? A waste of time?"

Gordon only continued to read. Edwin stepped forward so that he was standing closer to him. "Is it a waste of my time or yours?"

Gordon glanced at him. "What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb with me father!" he said with gritted teeth that threatened to break off. "Admit that you wish that my sister was still here. If she was then maybe you'd be proud but not of me."

Gordon snapped the book close. He was annoyed that he would raise his voice at him, his father, and he was pissed off that Edwin would bring his sister up. How dare he dig up his wounds?

Gordon stood up slowly and towered over Edwin. "You're right. I'd be happy if she was here so don't go about abusing her memory.

"Stop trying to be her. Stop trying to replace her. Stop trying to fit into Celine's shoes! No matter what you do you can't measure up to her."

Gordon fought back the warm liquid that tried to force itself out of his eyes. He glared at Edwin intensely. Edwin only nodded with a smile.

"At least it's out of your system, father." He said with a slight smile. "I can't measure up to Celine but guess what? I will surpass her!"

He could surpass her because that's what she taught him. That was the lesson she had tried to drill into him repeatedly when he was younger. That was how much Celine believed in him.

Gordon looked at him and opened his mouth to say something but then he closed his mouth again. He sat down and picked the book up and continued to read. Edwin didn't stay long either.

He jovially walked to his room. He was feeling on top of the world for finally being able to confront his father about the worries he had. He felt relieved that he could lash out at him to ease the frustrations of the training camp.

It was more than satisfying to hit back at him where it hurt the most. He felt bad for using his sister against him like that but in the end it achieved the needed effect.