IX
A few moments before the argument
Marc knocked several times on the door to the study to announce his presence to his father. When he heard his father's voice telling him to enter, he opened the door and entered, closing it behind him.
As soon as he entered, he found his father sitting behind his desk as he always did. But this time, he looked different.
The strong man that he had grown up looking up to was now replaced with a thin man, his face so skinny, he could see his cheekbones protruding.
"Father," he breathed as he took a few steps towards him.
"The prodigal son has finally returned home only to find his old man well old," his father said, chuckling.
"What happened to you?" Marc asked as he continued to walk towards his father.
"Have a seat first, son."
He did as he was told, keeping his eyes on his father.
"What happened to you?" he asked once again. And this time as his father replied, he noticed a sheen on his eyes as if he was holding back some tears.
"I've been sick, Marc. Cancer."
As soon as he heard that, Marc was overcome with sadness. But just as quickly as he had felt that sadness, he felt anger.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked his father who chuckled.
"How can you laugh after telling me that you have cancer?"
"Did you forget who decided to break all contact with me? Hmm?" his father asked as he attempted to stand. But when he saw him wobble, Marc jumped up and made his way to stand beside his father and assist him to stand.
And as he helped him up, he felt as if he was only holding on to bones.
"After you left, I realized that it was stupid of me to place such high expectations on you. You were my son and of course I knew you would do well no matter what you did. But just as my father had placed on me the burden to continue the family business, I felt as if I had to do the same; to keep the tradition alive as my father always put it. But the way I went about it was wrong. And for that, I truly apologize Marc."
He helped his father out of the study and into his room just as his father had asked him to and he took a seat beside him after helping him into his bed. He felt a pang in his heart as he watched his father cough weakly.
"You're probably wondering why I pushed your mother to get you to come today," his father said, causing him to nod his head as he pushed back his own tears.
His father reached out to him and held his hand.
"You can probably tell from looking at me but I don't have much time left--"
"Please don't say that father," Marc interjected. A small smile appeared on his father's face.
"As much as you don't want to hear it, it's the truth Marc."
He felt a stray tear finally fall, causing him to quickly wipe it away as he said to his father,
"I'm really sorry for leaving the way that I did, father. I never knew this would happen. I didn't think we wouldn't have much time left together."
His father's smile widened slightly.
"There's no need to apologize, son. I've already forgiven you a thousand times over."
Marc leaned towards his father and wrapped his arms around him, holding him tightly to the point where he was afraid of breaking him. And when they pulled apart, his father said to him,
"I don't know how much time I have left and before I go, I wanted to see my son happy. That's why I used my birthday as an excuse and I pushed for you to find someone. I know you haven't had the best luck when it comes it love but I just felt like you needed a little push to unfreeze that heart of yours," his father poked him in the chest.
"And from the way that you've spoken to me today, I can tell that you've been able to do that. Now I don't know who this woman is that has finally melted that frozen heart of yours but whoever she is, hold her and keep her close; don't let her go because she's a keeper."
A few moments of silence surrounded them until Marc registered the music playing from the banquet hall.
"Will you be joining the party? You are the guest of honor after all," he stated. His father chuckled and nodded.
"I'll be out in a few moments, I just need to catch my breath."
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