MORIANI HOME
"Because I do want to see him," Ryan
says as his gaze dips to the countertop. "I just wish he would put some
actual effort into it."
"Haven't you learned yet that he's
not going to? He's not capable of it." Nick picks up the coffee cup and
moves to the stool beside Ryan. "You have to give up on this fantasy of
him being a good father, Ryan. It's never going to happen."
Ryan doesn't say anything. He picks
up the martini glass and rolls its stem between his fingers.
"He did come find me," he says finally,
insistently. "He wanted to know what had happened to his son."
"Maybe ..."
Ryan shakes his head and looks away,
staring across the kitchen. "He does want to be a good father."
"Wants to, maybe. Capable
of? I highly doubt it." Nick places a firm hand on Ryan's shoulder. "Ryan,
you know what he did to Claire. It's a fact. It's not something you can
forget about."
"Yeah, I know. I've tried."
"For too long. It's only made the
situation worse." Nick inhales deeply. If Ryan were looking at him, he
would see his face becoming inflamed with anger. "If I had known about
what happened with Claire -- or that you kept in touch with him in secret
all of those years -- I don't know what I would have done ..."
"He was drunk when that happened.
He doesn't even remember it."
"That doesn't make him innocent!"
"No, of course not. But ... he has
problems. He can't handle pressure."
"He can't live like a civilized human
being!"
"Dad!" Ryan cuts in, suddenly forceful.
"He tries. I can't just write him off. He's my father."
"So am I -- and I'm here for you."
Nick allows a moment of silence for the words to sink in. "He ruined your
chances with Claire, Ryan. You have given him second chance after second
chance and no good has ever come of it. It's time to let go before this
goes too far."
He takes Ryan's lack of a response
as defiance and adds: "I'm not going to let him hurt you. And I'm not letting
him interfere with our success. I don't want him in the way."
Ryan remains speechless. Nick stands,
finishes the coffee, and deposits the cup in the dishwasher without another
word.
He returns upstairs, leaving Ryan
in the dark kitchen, listening to the house creak around him.
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