Wishing for Sunshine [the sequel]

Chapter 9

Danny POV

I turn to see the group of people that were looking for me and wanted to see about Emily.

I couldn't believe that they were here! I didn't even realize that they cared.

I walk toward them all while having a friendly smile on my face. I'm curious as to why they are here but I won't be rude or mean because I want to hear their reasons.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Hemmings." Say as I shake Mr. Hemming's hand. I then turn my attention to the others. "Vivian and Mark it's nice of you to come as well." I say as I try to conceal my hatred for Vivian.

I lead them to section of the waiting room that didn't have many people, so we can talk.

"Daniel my boy, I'm sorry to hear about what happened to your wife." Mr. Hemmings said to me.

"Thank you, it was a rough thing to watch and live through at first, but she's up and should make a full recovery."

"That's wonderful!" Mr. Hemmings said with a huge smile on his face. "Daniel, I heard the news about what happened and even though I was upset that you would pass up my darling Vivian for someone below your social status; I do hope they catch whoever did this to her. No one and I mean no one deserves what happened to her." He said and for a moment the bitter rivalry our families had was gone and a mutual understanding with a new found respect took its place.

I often wondered why my dad hated the Hemmings family. I often thought about how silly it was to hate someone simply because they did they same job as you. But once I started following my dad to the office and was getting groomed for the job I was born to have, I realize that it was easy to hate. It was easy to despise the one who could take all that you worked for away. It was easy to find the evil in people based on what I've heard and was brought up to believe instead of putting that aside and seeing people for who they really are and how they treat me personally.

"Mr. Hemmings, I'm thankful for you and your family to coming to the hospital but why?"

I saw him scratch the back his neck and then gave me a nervous chuckle. "It was Mark who convinced me to actually come and check up to see what is all happening. Our families may not get along on a business level, but we never wish harm on any of you Daniel. That restaurant where it all happened is one of Vivian's favorites and it hit close to home. The "what if" flashed through my mind of the thoughts of what if it was Vivian and not Emily that night."

I never stop to think about the "what ifs" of that night except about me standing up to my dad sooner than when I actually did that night. I never stopped to think what if my sisters or even mother left before Em or I walked out. What if Collin was the target and it was just a very impatient shooter and Emily was just in the way. What if we went somewhere else? Would that have prevented all this?

Mr. Hemmings was going on about how he couldn't get any information out of my dad about the shooting, investigation, or even how Emily was holding up. That's when he finally asked me. "Son, is there something going on between you and your parents?"

I don't have to tell him anything. Heck I don't have to explain my family business to anyone who's not involved!

Before I knew it I was spilling the beans of what is going on to them. There was no rules as to who couldn't know that my dad gave me an ultimatum that night. There is just that one rule of not telling anyone that there is no longer an ultimatum.

"My family wants nothing to do with me anymore." I said before taking a deep breath. "He said that it's either her or my life I love so much that night she was shot." I said and as I was starting to feel the guilt all over again for what I caused to happen to Emily. What stopped that emotion before turning to pure hate and anger was the sound of laughter.