Chapter 7
It was surprisingly relaxing in Trinidad, fluffy white clouds dominated the skies, masking the earth with much appreciated coolness. Brad strolled along the rich green lawn on the hospital grounds, his hands shoved deep in his pocket a content smile on his face. Casey’s operation had been a success, and it was taking a positive toll on all of them. Anna seemed to be happier than she’d been since the accident, she was more relaxed and open with him, and he’d seen her smile more times than he could count.
Today marked a very important event in Brad’s life, because today his daughter would finally know that he existed and that he cared enough to want her to know. Despite his excitement there was a tight knot in his stomach, and every now and then his heart would speed up with panic at the thought of an unexpected reaction from Casey and he would have to pause to catch his breath. What if she didn’t want it to be him? What if she was too angry at him for leaving to care? He sighed and continued walking, still absorbed in his thoughts. It was then that he noticed a familiar figure sailing toward him, and his heart seemed to skip a beat.
She was beautiful, her hair was loose and blowing about her face, he still had to get used to her with straight hair and not the thick wavy hair he used to stick flowers in. Her long white skirt whipped around her legs as she moved toward him, she looked like a princess.
He stopped and stared at her as she approached him, fidgeting with his fingers in his pockets and smiling ridiculously.
“Hey,” she greeted, with a wide grin, “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
Brad smiled, “and now you’ve found me.”
She stood at his side, looped her elbow through his, and looked up at him with a playful grin. Brad smiled back, all the while thinking how beautiful she was and how he loved being with her like this. It reminded him of when they were young, the ease they regarded each other with, the openness and pure beauty of their relationship.
“I did wait for you,” he said as they started to walk together, “but you seemed to have still been asleep.”
Anna blushed, “I’m sorry, I guess I lost track of time.”
“That’s alright, you were exhausted. You deserve it.”
They walked on in silence for a while, just enjoying each others company.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Anna looked up at him; her eyes squinted against the bright sunlight.
“I am absolutely positive,” he replied.
Anna nodded, “okay then. Meet me in the lounge at one,” she was all business once more.
Brad watched her trot down the path toward the back entrance of the hospital, a faint smile on his lips.
“Thought I’d find you here.”
Brad turned around in time to see Derek sauntering toward him.
“Really?” he asked in disbelief.
Derek shrugged, “okay so I asked for a dark Indian man of medium height and build and a bent nose,” he offered Brad one of his goofy grins.
Brad chuckled and reached for Derek’s hand, pulling him into an embrace.
“It’s so good to see you man,” Derek said when they separated, “you have no idea of the kind of stuff that’s been going on in my mind.”
Brad smiled, “I’m okay.”
“So when do I get to meet this gracious lady and her daughter.”
“Uh... Anna was just here actually,” said Brad, looking about him to try to glimpse Anna, “But I’m sure you’ll have a chance to meet her later.”
Derek nodded, “sure man. How’s the kid?”
Brad grinned broadly, “oh she is great, considering everything. The operation went great she’ll be fine.”
“Oh hell no!” Derek exclaimed, “Did I hear right. You’ve gone and fallen in love with them haven’t you. Jeez Brad you haven’t changed a bit, always too quick to love people…”
“Derek she’s my daughter.”
Derek stopped abruptly, he looked at Brad in shock then a broad smile spread across his face and he doubled over in laughter.
“What is so funny?” Brad asked.
Derek looked at him and shook his head still chuckling, “how in the world would that happen,” he said.
Brad sighed, “Anna and I were together when we were quite young, and it turns out we had a child together.”
Derek narrowed his eyes at him, “why is it that everywhere you go a woman tries to catch you with some ridiculous lie.”
“It is not a lie,” Brad said angrily, his hands balled into fists at his sides.
“How do you know that? So let’s say you’re right about her being your old girlfriend, but how long ago was that, what makes you think you can even trust her.”
“Look Derek, I know Anna alright, she is not that kind of person and in the time I’ve spent with her I know more and more that I am right.”
Derek tucked his thumbs over his belt buckle and looked away with a huff, “I don’t believe this,” he muttered.
“What about the kid, how do you know she’s yours.”
Brad smiled despite his annoyance with his friend, “If you see her you’ll know she’s mine,” he said.
“Well where is she? Let’s get it over with,” and he started to walk back to the hospital.
“Wait not now,” Brad called and went toward him, “she’s not ready for that yet, we haven’t really told her.”
Derek’s eyes widened slowly in understanding, “oh, so there’s still a chance to save you from making the dumbest mistake of your life. But I at least want to meet the lady, you can always use my sharp eye for the ladies.”
“She’s not like that!” Brad spoke through clenched teeth.
Derek lifted his hands above his head and took a step back, a mischievous smirk on his jesting face.
“How about we meet up for lunch one of these days” he said, as he was walking Brad back to the hospital.
Brad looked over at him warningly.
“Just a nice, civil lunch man, I’m not gonna try anything, I promise,” Derek persisted, he looked up at Brad and pouted dramatically, “you can even bring Macy along.”
“Casey, for the millionth time, her name is Casey.”
Derek rolled his eyes, “Sorry then. Casey and Anna and me and you, just a nice little lunch a little meet and greet, whaddaya say?”
Brad grunted, he inhaled sharply through his teeth, looked up at the sky then looked at Derek, who was grinning up at him expectantly.
“Yeah sure, why not,” he said half-heartedly.
“Perfect. Friday sound good?”
Brad nodded.
“See you then, tell ‘em I stopped by.”
Brad watched him hurry down the drive, with quick, sure steps. He wasn’t worried about him, as a matter of fact he was sure Derek could blend into any culture, with his self certainty, charisma, humour and effortless charm. There wasn’t a doubt in Brad’s mind that he wouldn’t keep his word as concerned Anna and Casey, but he just didn’t feel ready to share them yet and that thought made him even more confused.
Anna was sitting in the waiting room with a can of soda, she was leaning forward with a thoughtful frown. Brad paused and looked at her, his hands shoved deep in his pockets a smirk on his face. It was moments like these that made him think about the choice he’d made all those years ago and made him wonder how life would’ve turned out if he’d stayed.
“What’re you dreaming about?” she was looking up at him with an amused frown, her brows lifted questioningly.
Brad smiled, “oh just about us. Me, you, Casey.”
He sauntered toward her and sat down beside her.
“What about us?”
He shrugged, “our past, you know, the decisions we’ve made. If I could have done it any different, what our lives would be like now. You know that kind of stuff.”
“Wow, your mind’s been racing huh?” she nudged him playfully.
Brad smiled half heartedly. He looked down at
his feet on the shiny, white tiles and tapped the tips of his sandals together.
“But seriously Anna, what if I had not left. I could have been there for you and Casey and…”
“And you’d be broke, uneducated, unsatisfied and angry at the world,” Anna interrupted.
She sighed, and reached for his hand, “Raj we were young, and we’d done stupid things. Trust me it would’ve been harder trying to raise a child and each other at the same time. Either way we can’t change what’s been done, I couldn’t change the mistake I’d made then and I wasn’t going to make another mistake by letting you stay. Everything happens for a purpose, God has a plan for both of us, and I think it will always work out. What we do have is now, we’re both here and now you have a chance to be the father you couldn’t have possibly been then. It doesn’t make any sense dwelling on the past, unless it’s to acknowledge the fact that we have a beautiful daughter together.”
Brad smiled, and squeezed her hand, “you’re right.”
“I’m glad you understand,” Anna said as she got to her feet, “now let’s go tell Casey her father is back.
The bright afternoon light streamed through the four paneled window of the narrow room, casting translucent shadows on the white washed walls, and reaching out to the foot of the plain sheeted bed.
Casey was leaning back against the mound of pillows with a PSP lifted so close to her face her eyes appeared crossed. One of her legs was slung up on a metal rack above the bed. The furrows of concentration were etched into her forehead so deep, that Anna and Brad thought she did not hear them come in. But she looked up at Anna suddenly and an instant smile popped onto her face.
“I didn’t know this thing was so interesting, I’d play it all day…” she paused, frowning slightly, “that is, if I were stuck on a hospital bed all day with nothing to do,” she leaned toward Anna conspiratorially, “it’s is really weird in here,” she whispered.
Anna smiled and planted a light kiss on her forehead, “it’s good to see you’re feeling better,” she said.
Casey shrugged, “nothing a bunch of drugs can’t fix.”
Anna gave her a disapproving frown.
Casey looked over Anna’s shoulder and noticed Brad for the first time. He was hovering above them, his hand shoved deep in his pocket, looking about the room awkwardly.
“Mr. Mason!” she exclaimed.
Brad smiled; glad to have finally been acknowledged and for the chance to take his mind of what was coming next.
“I didn’t see you there, and I wanted to thank you… for everything,” she graced him with a wide grin.
“Hey don’t mention it.”
“Well I guess now we’re even,” she said.
Brad grew pensive, “no amount of favors could ever make it up to you,” he said.
Anna glanced at him, then at Casey, who was looking up at Brad with furrowed brows and a scrunched up nose.
“Okay,” she said, “it wasn’t that much you know, I’d do it for anyone,” she had that uncomfortable tension she would get when a conversation was getting too personal.
An awkward silence followed, during which Casey kept staring at Anna then at Brad, turning the PSP around in her sweaty palm.
“Mom what’s going on? You’re looking at each other funny.”
Casey was young but she was far from naïve when it came to certain things, it was one of the things Anna loved about her. When it came to a difficult moment, Casey’s attentiveness and quick thinking always eased the emotional strain of having to spell it all out.
Anna sighed and looked up at Brad, posing a question with her eyes, he gave a small, sharp nod, his lips pressed together, paled with fear and anticipation.
“Case we’ve got something to tell you.”
The suspicion in Casey’s eyes deepened, and she pushed herself up on her elbows.
“You remember all those stories I used to tell you… about your father.”
Casey’s eyes narrowed and her gaze shifted apprehensively to Brad and comprehension and disbelief eased onto her face.
Anna reached behind her and took Brad’s hand, she brought him closer to them but she didn’t look at him. There was no need for looks of encouragement, subtle prodding, impatient stares, they both knew that there was no turning back now.
“Brad Mason used to live in Grenada a long time ago, we were very close, and he left when you were very young, almost invisible to the human eyes,” Anna smiled awkwardly, “you see he didn’t know he fathered a child, he didn’t know… about you.”
Casey looked up at Brad in awe, her eyes wide, something not quite like excitement reflected in them. Anna was as stiff as a sun starched seam, she knew that there was no precise way to go about something like this, but so many wrong ways nonetheless. Whether she’d done it right or not she wouldn’t know until she saw Casey’s reaction.
“You’re my father?”
Brad smiled, “yes” he said.
Anna could feel the clamminess of his hand, where it remained lodged in hers and she could hear his unsteady breathing as he stood next to her, in the now quiet room.
“I hope that’s okay,” he said.