Chapter 87: CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN —I was a mess

Watching his son walk away from the table broke his heart. Axel stood and called him. “Damian?”

Damian ignored his father. He had thought tonight was about apologizing and forgiveness. Heck, he had been waiting for some reason why he would leave them the way he did. But who was he deceiving? His father doesn’t even seem remorseful. Did he even have any reason? He snickered. Delusional, he chided himself. Yes, he had to be delusional if he thought his father had a solid reason that could be a good excuse. What reason was a tenable excuse for a father abandoning his family? None. This was him trying to rebuild their relationship. Axel didn’t want that. He doesn’t want us. So why was he trying so hard to listen to the man anyway? He made his choices already. Doing this made him look weak, like some kid craving his father’s love. He wasn’t a kid anymore. He shouldn’t be craving a love he could never have. “I’ll take my leave now, Axel.” he grunted.

Axel saw his son fuming, and that made him calm down. He was right. He could have handled things better. But what was he to do? His son refused to take his business, and realized he was dying too. He had been diagnosed with cancer. The news clashed with his son’s refusal to take over from him. He only knew he had to leave immediately. To make things worse, his wife supported their son’s decision. That made him feel like an outcast in his own home. So, he did what he had to do. Looking at his son now, he felt terrible. “Please sit.” he said to his son. “Perhaps you should hear me out.”

“There’s nothing you can say that could excuse what you did.” he blurted out.

“I was a mess.” Axel blurted out. His son stopped walking away. “I couldn’t bear the thought of you not taking the company I worked so hard for. And your mother.” he walked over to where Damian was, staying a few feet away, “She supported you.”

Damian turned around, “So you punished her too, for my crime?”

That came out wrong. “I don’t mean it that way.” Axel said, “What I meant was.” he paused and swallowed hard. “I didn’t… I had no one on my side. And that hurt more.”

Looking at his father suspiciously, Damian wasn’t sure he wanted to listen to his excuse. So, he didn’t get a son to continue the legacy. That wasn’t new. It happened all the time. That didn’t make folks bail on their family. He discarded that excuse with a flip of his hand. Yes, his wife didn’t support him. That wasn’t new too. “That’s still not good enough reason to abandon us.” he pointed out. Hating that he used the word ‘abandon’ like some small child, he corrected him, “That wasn’t enough reason to walk away.”

The only way to get his son to listen was to appease him. “I’m sorry, Dame.” he apologized. “Things got complicated afterward.” he added, “Please sit.” he was going to tell him about his cancer. But he wanted it done when he wasn’t upset with him anymore. “Please.” he pleaded.

Damian walked back to his seat. Sitting, he dragged his food tray closer to himself and started eating. It was his first bite since Luna served the dish. Closing his eyes to enjoy the sweetness of the food, he sighed.

Seeing him enjoy his meal, Axel suggested, “Perhaps we should eat.” wanting to hold off on this issue.

“I’d like to know why you never considered how this affects mom.” Damian insisted. This had nothing to down with his mother. In all fairness, it was more about something his father had said earlier. When he said, he walked away because Damian refused to take over. Now, he couldn’t help but feel guilty. He had blamed his father for her illness, and for walking out on them. Hearing that, though, does it mean he did all these? Rubbing his forehead tiredly, he pressed, “Did you?”

Axel let him eat a while. He would need his strength. Deliberately, he picked his cutlery and resumed eating. “Eat, please.” he pleaded again.

While they ate in silence, Damian ruminated on how his mother’s illness had started shortly after his dad left. He had focused his energy on the fact that his father caused it. He never once thought his father’s leaving had been his fault. And that invariably, he caused his mother’s illness. Or maybe he knew. Maybe that was why he was so upset with his father in the first place. Shaking his head, he started to say something. But Luna walking in with the second meal made him stop.

Luna looked at both men stiffly as he served the next dish. He had been standing by the door waiting for the exact moment to make an entrance. His bosses had been in some war for years. He hoped tonight they get it all sorted out. Whatever it was. “Enjoy.” he said, leaving the food tray. He packed the first mean and plates away. The men nodded gratefully, but nobody said anything. From the kitchen, he watched the men. Though he couldn’t hear what was said, he could read their body language.

“You think they will be able to resolve this?” James asked, walking into the kitchen.

Luna shook his head, “I have no idea. Damian seemed upset….”

“As he should.” said James while retrieving a plate from the rack. “Can I have some of those lovely side dishes?”

“Sure.” Luna said, getting busy instantly with the meal. He loved when everyone wanted a piece of his food. He served the meal, then waited until the PI took his first bite. It was apparent his bosses wouldn’t have time to compliment his meal. For today, he would have to make do with James. “Nice?”

“Exceptional.” James complimented. He continued his meal.

Across the kitchen where the two bosses dined, Axel rubbed his bulging stomach and belched loudly. “Sorry.” he apologized to his son.

Damian laughed at his loud belch. “Luna did have a way of feeding you till you can’t walk.” he said, laughing as his father made a dramatic show of his ample stomach.

This was better. He smiled inwardly. Watching his son smile made him feel better. “I missed this.” he told him. I miss us, he said to himself. His son smiled, and for the first time, it was for him. “I miss you too.” he finally voiced out. “I knew your mother’s dementia started right after I left.” he told him.

“You knew?”

“Yes. It was the reason I could never dream to come back.” he coughed slightly. “I couldn’t stand her pain and confusion. I couldn’t see those eyes go blank when they see me or blink with pain…” tears began to fall freely from his eyes. He wiped them away quickly, hating that they fell.

“It’s okay.” said Damian, rubbing his hand.

Axel rubbed the hand, too, smiling sadly at his son. “I wish I had come sooner.”

“You’re here now.” he said. That was what mattered. The fact that he had made an appearance after everything.

“Only because I’m dying.” he blurted out.

The words hung in the air, with Damian trying to wrap his head around it, while Axel sat stiffly, waiting for his son’s reaction. “You’re dying?”

“Yes.” he replied, tossing his head. “I didn’t leave because of the takeover.” he started to explain. I left because right about then; I was diagnosed with cancer. You were too upset to listen to me. Your mother.” he swallowed hard, remembering how bitter he had been then. “Well, she was angry with me too. I had to go.”

“The heck, dad.” Damian stood to hug his father, “I had no idea.” he winced in pain as he hugged him tightly. He had no idea his father had cancer. The man didn’t look sick. “We can beat this.” he cheered him on. “If it’s not….”

“It is.” Axel said frankly, cutting him off. False hope. That wasn’t something he needed. For a while, he had been on a goose chase himself, thinking perhaps that there was hope. Well, he tried, there wasn’t. “I’ve tried all the options.”

“We will get doctors. Better ones. High profile.” He promised. If they searched long and hard, he was sure they would get his father the help he needed.

Axel laughed as he pulled away from his son. It was good seeing this kind side of him again. He noticed he had softened on him. It’s Ainsley, he mused. “You ain’t the only billionaire here, son.” he teased. He had tried several hospitals. “The doctors in India, Australia, Canada. Every one of them. I’ve got some few years, but that’s all.” Nothing worked.

“I won’t accept that.” Damian insisted, “I’ll have my doctors check you up. We leave now.”

“Now? It’s late. Tomorrow is okay.” he said even though he doubted there was anything they could do for him. The cancerous growth had been removed, but it keeps growing right back.

Before Damian could argue, his phone buzzed. “One sec.” he said, holding his finger up. Checking the phone, he hissed loudly. “What?”

“What’s that?” Axel asked as his son looked rattled by what he saw. Damian passed his phone to his father.

“I went to this club with my friends.” he explained, “The picture is all over the internet.” he scoffed, “Oh God, Ainsley.” he ran his hands through his hair angrily. “I didn’t do anything. I just left. I swear.”

Axel looked up from the phone. The cameraman had captured his son as a lady nurse was licking his lips. “You sure about that?” he asked. His son’s eyes grew wild. He didn’t.

“I didn’t. She was for the man beside me. Clyde. Oh Gawd.” he recalled the light flick he noticed that night. He had been right. If only he had pressed further. He could have handled this before it got out of control. What was he to do now? His picture graced the internet in some scandalous twist. He was going to wring Bonnie and Clyde’s neck off. He sent them the link to the site as he fumed. “Ainsley would never forgive me for this.”

“Well, knowing how much you care about her, I think you’ll have some hell of explaining to do.”

He collected his phone to call her. She didn’t pick his call. “She’s not picking.”

“Go to her.” he said, “Then, you explain.”

Hugging his father, he thanked the man. “Thanks, Dad.” as he reached for his keys, he grabbed them from him. “Let James take you there.” he said, calling his PI inside. When James got inside, he told him to drive his boss to Ainsley’s house.

“Okay.” James nodded, taking the keys.

“Call me if there’s anything I can do.” Axel told his son.

“How can you help?” he asked frankly. “I’m not sure she will want to speak to me.”

“We’re in business together. I could schedule a meeting, strictly business with her. Then you can have your slot.” He could at least do that much for his son after what he had put him through.

He gave that a thought. “That could work.” he said, “Thank you.” He was out of the door that instant.

Bonnie and his partner were through with their pleasure trip for the night at the club. They were headed out when their phones both vibrated. It was a message from Damian. Both men saw the message and laughed. He had forwarded a screenshot of the picture with an angry emoji and a note. LOOK WHAT YOU DID.

“You think he’d be upset?” asked Bonnie.

“Nah, he’s a big boy.” replied Clyde. “He can handle the heat.”

Unconcerned, the men got in their car. “We can stop by his office tomorrow.” said James with a sickening smile. “Our friend is trending again. He should be thankful.”