The Disastrous Love Lives of the Delaney Family

3.9 William Klein

It's been a week since I made Bronwen upset. I texted her the evening of the incident and apologised. She texted me back and asked if I knew why I was apologising. I said yes, it was because I had upset her. Bronwen asked if I knew why I had upset her. 

I did not know. 

I've recounted our time in my dark room repeatedly, even in slow motion, and I still can't figure out where in our encounter I had upset her. Was it something I had said? Or was it something that I had done? Was it deliberate? Implied? Perceived? From my perspective, I hadn't gone out of my way to upset her. I was talking about photography, why I love it, why I prefer black and white, how the emotions make me feel... then she asked me a question. I answered honestly. Then she was upset. 

Something about my answer to her question had upset her. 

"Dad, something about my answer upset her." 

Whenever I feel conflicted, I'm unsure why, but I run back to my childhood bedroom. Something is comforting about being in the environment that had been my sanctuary for over eighteen years. From the muted green of the walls to the soft texture of the carpet, even the familiarity of where all my trinkets are placed, there is nothing like being in this room. 

It also helps that most of my guitars are still here and the amp, too. Léa and Sera categorically said that I was not allowed to have my guitars at their flat due to the noise. Which was fine at the time I moved in since I wasn't supposed to be standing there very long, but it's been over a year and I miss having my guitars and being able to strum as I process my thoughts and feelings. 

"Dad!" I shout again. He obviously hadn't heard me the first time, otherwise, he would have come to my room. "Dad!"

Two minutes and eighteen seconds later, Dad, with overgrown stubble covering his face, walks into my room and heaves out a heavy sigh. "Joseph-" I wince at the name. He just Joseph'd me. This will not end well. "I cannot hear you if you are playing the guitar, while it is plugged into the amp, and your song choice is a loud cacophony of noise."

"It was my rendition of Burrows by Pink Fairy Armadillos." When Dad simply stares at me, I know not to bother explaining more. "More to the point, how did you know to come up here if you couldn't hear me shouting over the loud cacophony of noise?"

Dad smiles. "A parent's intuition, I suppose." I'm not sold on the scientific nature of that comment. "But alas, I am here. What it is that you were yelling at me for?"

"Something in my answer upset her."

"Her, who?"

I accidentally hit some of the strings of the guitar which makes me jump at the unexpected noise. "Bronwen. Something in my answer upset Bronwen."

Given that I've been staying at my parent's home ever since the day in the dark room, Dad- and also Mum, Sera, Owen and Levi- is up to speed on every little detail of our... discord. He'd been suitably impressed by my description of the importance photography has on me, and why I'm so passionate about it, but he did squirm in his seat when I told him about the last few minutes of mine and Bronwen's talk.