Who were her parents? What was her life like? And then my mind raced, remembering the other day...
"Hi, Dad!"
My fist swung back up to crack Steve in the face when all of a sudden I just stopped. The fist opened and fell to my side, resigned.
"Jesus, oh Jesus. This isn't happening to me," I mumbled.
Steve had plenty of opportunity to laugh but he didn't.
I slumped down onto the floor across from him, gazing at his face, and for the first time I could see the flattering blend of DeeAnn's features and mine.
I remembered wanting to kiss him at one time, to make love to him. I pushed THAT mental picture out of my mind quickly-- too horrifying to realize-- and wondered if I were in some Sophocles tragedy? Next I'd be gouging out my eyes or something.
"I never knew..."
And then I remembered being a teenager and DeeAnn's mother telling me,
'My daughter doesn't want tosee you, anymore.'
"You don't have to lie to me," Steve said.
'She doesn't live here.'
"You were young, scared Hugo. You cut out on your family. It happens all the time. No big."
I shook my head "no" and put my face in my hands-- realizing they were trembling.
His face and voice immediately got louder and angrier. "Just don't pretend you didn't leave! I deserve better than that!"
"I didn't know DeeAnn was...Her mother told me-"
"I know. My grandmother told me everything once my mom died."
I lost it and started to cry.
"Mom said you were dead. I guess she was trying to protect me. She showed me pictures so I kind of knew what you looked like. Grandma told me the truth after Mom and I got in the accident," he said, pulling back his hair, showing me the myriad lines of white scar tissue. "After she died."
And then I remembered the rest...
'DeeAnn has a future ahead of her.That future doesn't include you.'
