Chapter 8

Andy took a seat at the kitchen table and asked his daughter to sit across from him. The time had come: he was going to tell his precious daughter something she did not want to hear; something she did not deserve to hear.

But how to begin the conversation. It was not a simple conversation passed between father and daughter. Stalling for a moment, he searched for something to break the ice. "So, did you have fun at your friend's house?"

"Yeah," she replied with boredom.

"Did you do anything fun?" he offered, still skating around the intended topic of conversation.

"We just did each others hair and stuff. Dad, what do you want to talk to me about?"

He had been figured out. Delia knew he had something much greater to talk to her about.

"Ok, you got me." He breathed in and began, "Delia, you know what HIV and AIDS are, right?"

"Yeah Dad. Most kids do these days. You'd have to live under a rock not to."

"Yeah, um, and you know that Linda had it." He continued. He remembered the controversy it had caused throughout Everwood when it had leaked out. It had disgusted him how judgmental the people of the little town could be. It was a far contrast to his old home of New York.

"Uh-huh," the young girl responded with some confusion. She seemed to be questioning where the conversation was going.

"Delia, do you know how the disease is spread?"

"What disease? Do you mean AIDS?"

"Yes, do you know how HIV is spread?"

"Um, well in our health class at school we learned that it can be spread through needles or," she paused as any elementary student might, "through sex" she whispered.

Dr. Brown exhaled. This conversation had so far proved to be easer than he had imagined. He had no idea what to think originally, but he began to realize just how intelligent his young daughter was. He suddenly realized that children weren't as ignorant as parents hoped and believed.

But regardless, the next part of the conversation would be the most difficult by far. He had to tell his young, innocent child that he had the horrible disease. And in turn, how he got the disease. Would she be disappointed? Would she be disgusted? Would she understand? Would she blame it on Linda? Hundreds of questions poured from his mind. He began to regret the introduction of this conversation. He had to talk to her, but why did he choose now? Why this particular point in time? He could simply send her to her room and end the conversation before it became too difficult. But no, he had to do this. It was now or never. His beautiful, perfect, innocent daughter deserved to know about her father.

"Delia, you know that Linda and I were dating for awhile? That we had a pretty serious relationship?"

"Yeah," she said half-heartedly. She had always had a hard time accepting the relationship between Linda and her father.

"Well, Delia, um, we were pretty serious, and when grownups become pretty serious, sometimes, they um…they um…they sleep together." He delivered in one breath.

Delia looked at him for further direction. She wasn't quite sure where to take his confession yet.

"Ok?" she replied.

"Delia," he inhaled greatly, preparing himself for the major confession. "Delia, Linda and I slept together. And, and I have HIV now."

"You mean you knew she was sick, and you could get sick too, and you had sex with her anyway?" the young girl blurted out. She was not ignorant. She understood it completely.

"Yes," was all he could say. She had understood it all. He couldn't coat it any for her. She knew the truth and he couldn't taint it in any way.

"Dad, how could you? Are you going to die?"

"NO, not now. People live with this disease everyday. I'll have to take medicine, and one day I will get worse, but that won't be for a long time." he tried to sound convincing.

"But you will get sick one day and die."

"Well, yes, but not for a long, long time, Sweetie. Everyone dies some time."

You're going to die like mom?"

"Delia, no…" but he had nothing else to say. What could he say? Yes, one day he would die.

"I hate you, Dad." She pushed herself away from the kitchen table and ran upstairs to her bedroom and slammed the door.

Sitting at the kitchen table, he contemplated what to do. How as he going to deal with this. Ephram had finally reached out to him, and now his only other child hated him. He needed support from both his children, and now his youngest hated him. But she loved Ephram more than himself, he thought. Maybe when Ephram came home in two weeks, Ephram could talk to her. Help her understand the circumstances. But were the circumstances? He had slept with a woman even when he knew she was sick. Now, he was paying for it. Delia had every right to hate him right now. He would wait until Ephram got home and then work it out. Delia deserved to hate him right now. It was her right.

A/N:

Sorry for my long absence. School kept me way too busy this year, but it is the summer now, and all I'm going to do is write. I'll be updating this fic as well as several others I've got going, as well as a few new ones I have on my mind, so please keep a look out and please read and review. Psalm57 likes reviews like cookie monster likes cookies.