Philips (Sequel to De Santa)

Chapter Eight

I made my way downstairs for a quick breakfast, stopping as soon as I saw Dad sitting at the table, slumped over a hot cup of coffee. "GOOD MORNING, DAD!" I exclaimed, causing Dad to jump.

"Christ!" Dad hollered. He glanced over at me and placed his head back into his hands. "Please don't shout."

"Aww, is somebody milking a hangover today?"

"I'm not milking it, I'm nursing it."

"Riiight," I chuckled and poured myself a cup of coffee. "Need some milk?"

"Do I need some—" Dad turned towards me and gently shook his head as I held up the half gallon of milk. "That's not funny."

"I don't know, I find it a little humorous." I put the milk back in the fridge and sat down across from Dad, taking a banana from the fruit bowl as my quick breakfast.

"You've got a pip in your step, what gives?"

"Don't you remember? Today is the day I get to annoy the shit out of you all day."

"Oh...right...that's today."

"If you wanna reschedule, I get it."

"Would you mind? I haven't been this hungover since I was a teenager. I just don't wanna upset you."

"It's fine, Dad. Besides, I made back up plans just in case you wanted to reschedule."

"Always thinking ahead."

"Eh, I've got a knack for it," I smirked.

"Chels...about last night." Shit...here it comes. "I didn't know Jim was in a band." I mentally sighed with relief. I didn't mind telling him about what happened at the Vanilla Unicorn, but I just wasn't ready to talk about it yet.

"He kept it a secret for a year or so."

"From me?"

"From everyone, apparently. The day you found me in his room with a gun, I woke up to a loud thud. He just got a new guitar and was practicing his moves for the show." The table fell silent. "You should've stayed."

"Why? So I could hear how much of a shit dad I am?"

"You're not a shit dad, Dad. That song is a powerful song that came straight from his heart. It's about how he feels about how you treat him."

"How I treat him?" Dad instantly scoffed.

"Has it ever occurred to you that the shit you say to him sometimes cuts deep? You call him lazy and you call him an idiot sometimes, but, him fronting his own band, earning his own money to buy that guitar, that proves to be the complete opposite and you are not giving him credit where it's due. Being in a band, getting a gig, that takes a lot of hard work and dedication, Dad. He earned last night, he deserved it. And that song, maybe you deserved it."

"I deserved it?"

"To open your eyes, yeah, you did. You see it as Jim sees you as a shit father, but it's just how you treat him is shitty." Dad didn't respond. "You need to talk to him. He feels bad that you took offense to it as it is."

"He does?"

"If you would've stayed instead of getting drunk last night, you would've heard it straight from the horse's mouth." I smiled. "He loves you, Dad. I love you. Jim just needs affirmation that you care."

"Okay," Dad nodded. "Where is he?"

"Probably upstairs sleeping, we were out late last night."

"Is that how I got home?" I gently nodded. "How did my car get here?"