father’s eyes.
Daniel confided
in Kat that he discovered his mother was unfaithful to his father when he was
around seven years of age. His parents had been arguing in the house when it
came out that Daniel wasn’t biologically his. Since that day, everything had
changed.
His parents
never realized Daniel was in the house and overheard them, and he never
admitted to his father what he had heard, but from that day forward, his father
treated him differently from his older brother. It was almost as if overnight,
Daniel became second best to everything his older brother did. It was obvious
to Daniel that his older brother was unaware of his mother’s infidelity.
Daniel watched
his father grow bitter over the years. When he was a teenager, his mother ran
off with another lover, leaving her two sons behind to fend for themselves. At
the same time, his father had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Daniel felt
he owed his life to the man who raised another man’s child.
When his father
was on his deathbed, he finally admitted to what Daniel already knew. He
apologized profusely for treating Daniel as inferior and told him that he truly
loved him, despite that fact that he was a reminder of one of his mother’s
trysts. Daniel had held his father’s hands and told him that none of that
mattered anymore. No matter what had happened, his father continued to raise
him as his own, and he was forever grateful for that.
What he didn’t
tell his father before he died was just how much he hated his mother for
tearing apart his family. When she walked out on them, he had never seen her
again.
That was a heavy
burden for a little boy to carry for all of those years. Even as a grown man,
Daniel seemed to have accepted his family history, but Kat could see that his
past still haunted him. Was there more to the story?
Kat told Daniel
about her parents’ death and that her sister blamed her for it. She didn’t
mention the rape, of course, as she wasn’t ready to tell people. When Daniel
asked her about Tyler’s father, Kat had simply said that Michael was his
father. God, she hated lying to people, especially Daniel, since he had shared
his past with her. But she really didn’t have a choice right now. Besides, it
was no one’s business, anyway.
Daniel looked at
Kat with sad eyes. His face was full of deep regret, which startled her and
touched her at the same time. Kat brushed this off as nothing more than genuine
concern from a new friend.
He told Kat that
his primary reason for becoming a camp counselor during his teenage years was
to help kids realize how special they were, that family breakups were never
their fault. He didn’t want kids to feel rejected the way he did most of his
young life.
When Bible
school ended that week, Kat found herself missing her talks with Daniel.
However, she didn’t feel comfortable calling Daniel on the phone. The truth
was, she didn’t feel comfortable being alone with any man, for that matter. She
truly liked him and found him attractive, but didn’t know if she could ever have
more than friendship with Daniel.
Besides, Daniel
never indicated to Kat that he wanted anything more than friendship with her.
He had briefly mentioned his last relationship ended in disaster when he found
out his fiancé had been unfaithful to him.
The friendship
bond between Daniel and Kat was enough for now. She prayed that she would see
him again very soon.
Chapter 14
Kat was making lemonade in her kitchen
when she heard the doorbell ring.
“I’ll get it!” Tyler shouted from his
bedroom. He ran down the stairs and met his mother at the door. When she saw
who was standing outside, she allowed Tyler to open the door.
“Hi, Sarah!” Kat greeted her friend.
“Come on in.” She and Tyler stood back so that Sarah could enter.
“I’m sorry I’m late.” Sarah apologized
as she stepped into the foyer. “I made a wrong turn and ended up having to go
all the way back
Daniel confided
in Kat that he discovered his mother was unfaithful to his father when he was
around seven years of age. His parents had been arguing in the house when it
came out that Daniel wasn’t biologically his. Since that day, everything had
changed.
His parents
never realized Daniel was in the house and overheard them, and he never
admitted to his father what he had heard, but from that day forward, his father
treated him differently from his older brother. It was almost as if overnight,
Daniel became second best to everything his older brother did. It was obvious
to Daniel that his older brother was unaware of his mother’s infidelity.
Daniel watched
his father grow bitter over the years. When he was a teenager, his mother ran
off with another lover, leaving her two sons behind to fend for themselves. At
the same time, his father had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Daniel felt
he owed his life to the man who raised another man’s child.
When his father
was on his deathbed, he finally admitted to what Daniel already knew. He
apologized profusely for treating Daniel as inferior and told him that he truly
loved him, despite that fact that he was a reminder of one of his mother’s
trysts. Daniel had held his father’s hands and told him that none of that
mattered anymore. No matter what had happened, his father continued to raise
him as his own, and he was forever grateful for that.
What he didn’t
tell his father before he died was just how much he hated his mother for
tearing apart his family. When she walked out on them, he had never seen her
again.
That was a heavy
burden for a little boy to carry for all of those years. Even as a grown man,
Daniel seemed to have accepted his family history, but Kat could see that his
past still haunted him. Was there more to the story?
Kat told Daniel
about her parents’ death and that her sister blamed her for it. She didn’t
mention the rape, of course, as she wasn’t ready to tell people. When Daniel
asked her about Tyler’s father, Kat had simply said that Michael was his
father. God, she hated lying to people, especially Daniel, since he had shared
his past with her. But she really didn’t have a choice right now. Besides, it
was no one’s business, anyway.
Daniel looked at
Kat with sad eyes. His face was full of deep regret, which startled her and
touched her at the same time. Kat brushed this off as nothing more than genuine
concern from a new friend.
He told Kat that
his primary reason for becoming a camp counselor during his teenage years was
to help kids realize how special they were, that family breakups were never
their fault. He didn’t want kids to feel rejected the way he did most of his
young life.
When Bible
school ended that week, Kat found herself missing her talks with Daniel.
However, she didn’t feel comfortable calling Daniel on the phone. The truth
was, she didn’t feel comfortable being alone with any man, for that matter. She
truly liked him and found him attractive, but didn’t know if she could ever have
more than friendship with Daniel.
Besides, Daniel
never indicated to Kat that he wanted anything more than friendship with her.
He had briefly mentioned his last relationship ended in disaster when he found
out his fiancé had been unfaithful to him.
The friendship
bond between Daniel and Kat was enough for now. She prayed that she would see
him again very soon.
Chapter 14
Kat was making lemonade in her kitchen
when she heard the doorbell ring.
“I’ll get it!” Tyler shouted from his
bedroom. He ran down the stairs and met his mother at the door. When she saw
who was standing outside, she allowed Tyler to open the door.
“Hi, Sarah!” Kat greeted her friend.
“Come on in.” She and Tyler stood back so that Sarah could enter.
“I’m sorry I’m late.” Sarah apologized
as she stepped into the foyer. “I made a wrong turn and ended up having to go
all the way back
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