Just One Night

Emptiness

Daniel

It is plain and simple. The world's forces have proved time and again simplicity is bliss and path to peace, I, on the other hand, is seeking for a show in this plain and simple Email - for instance to fill in the blank and make me feel worth and not a man who by fate has inherited the privileges-  that might end my life for good to be laced with little love, a fatherly love and just expect me to be a son and not a coaster next in line to carry forward the legacy. But it is something of a parallel universe. As he says: Daniel, you have not got just the name but a legacy and with it the privileges. You are no more a child. Man up and take up the responsibility to serve the name as its serving you.

I scoff at my shallow idea of The Name serving me- The email from my father, probably. I reread it.

It's too clear to deny.

You will not be my son anymore if you do not heed me, Daniel.

I lay back in the bed in desperation. My head is rummaging million of things and then it goes all blank. Empty.

But again...

What kind of father would expect his son to marry a woman who him right before the marriage?

"Well. My father." I affirm voicing it. Just like every time I know I have two choices: stand up or stand down. And again, like always I spiral in these two to sleep.

"Alicia Brooklyn," I say

"Alicia Daniel Coaster," I say crazily.

"I cannot. I cannot with this. This is too much."

I sit up. Remain there for a while before I pick up my jacket and head straight to Parker. If he would be in the right mind he would accompany me to drink my dilemma away.

It doesn't take me more than half an hour to reach to his steps. I knock urgently. I hear the footsteps approaching and then the latch moving and keys turning.

"Danny? What the f**k man? It's 3 in the morning." He banters as I make my way inside. He is as single as I am.

"I didn't see the time. Well, now I know." I smile at him slumping on the sofa and he just groans.

"So has Derek put your ass in another hot burner?" He asks and slumps beside me.

"It's a dad."

"Oh man, I'm not doing this. Your daddy issues a-"

"He has given me the ultimatum to marry Alicia Brooklyn." I cut him.

He looks at me wide-eyed.

"Via Email," I add.

"Dude, didn't she cheat on you?"

Dammit, he is still asleep.

"Humor me!"

"But how can this come up like it? I mean how when your dad knows?" He grumbles yawning.

"Well, he also knows what Brooklyn name is. And also Coater has a lot of business affairs now. Can't jeopardize it for a little thing. I mean couples cheat each other all the time, right? I mean finding it right before the marriage gives you more clarity to what's coming up. Why stain the family names on this little account?!"

I look at the place where Parker was a minute ago. He is also tired of me. Little later he shows up with a bottle of wine.

" Well, that's why I am here. " I say.

" I know. "

We both drink in silence. My head is filled with all the crap. But for the first time, I am wondering what goes on in Parker's head when we do this. I turn to him.

"What are you thinking?"

He looks at me in confusion.

"just stuff."

And it occurs to me he never tells me what's going on with him. It's always I coming over to s**t him with my grief. Somehow I ignore his stuff again and don't bother to ask about him. Getting back to my business of spiraling my world.

"Dan."

"Yes."

" You wanted to be a writer, right?" I shake my head.

"Yes, but what -"

"But you did not pursue it because your father wanted you to get into Harvard and have a business degree, right?" He takes a sip of his wine and leans towards me.

"Yes."

"Because it wasn't a big deal, you thought. You were, I mean, are smart and got into Harvard and even topped the f*****g grades there. Great man. But remember you met Nickky just three months before the last year at Harvard?"

I laugh at him. Here I am concerned about my life going to get haywire and he is reminiscing my f*****g days.

" Really? Nikky? Are we talking about her now? " I shake my head and look away.

" For the first time, I saw you care for someone like that. You stopped your rendezvous for her. You really liked her."

I remember her pale face and a light smile. She was attracted to me for the first she saw me while I was into a little fun before I really started to afire her.

But did I...

" I stopped my rendezvous with other girls because I was busy planning my way into Coaster bank. Father's offer was limited, remember?"

"No, because your father sat you and explained to you the significance of your name and told you your worth. You accepted it. Not with a full heart but you did. And had been until that."

I glare at him now.

"You know you aren't supposed to bring that in it? I simply wanted to calm myself before I" I stop mid, stand up and picking my jacket head towards the door.

"Before you what? Accept the marriage and when something else happens Come over here and cries over your ass?"

I turn towards him.

"Sit here." he suddenly says. I am taken aback but his eyes hold me and I do respect our friendship.

He gives me full attention and I note he has lost his sleepiness now.

"Listen to the man! You have given up enough and deep in your heart to regret it. You adored Nicky but you left her before something original could brew. You took up business with your father. Did things you did not like while at it. Until he broke your conscience that moment. At that time he lost his power over you. "

I gaze him and doubt it all. I guess he got more power over me after that.

" I don't think so. " Like a good pup I make myself comfortable again on his sofa, so much for the way, I was to barge out with attitude. I laugh.

He held my shoulder. I look at him and that's when he clasps my hand as if to gain my full attention.

"It's in your head. You f**k don't need a name. You f**k are lying that you will nothing of you jeopardize your relationship with your family. You have been living like nobody after that. In that sack. In between the confusion. Then you end up with Alicia and get cheated on. You fall more. And still, you don't accept the reality? "

I stare his face that holds a disgust in his face. Either I got capable to see the disappointment in his face right now as my blinds are drawn or he is that this first time.

" Well, your father isn't all wrong. You got to grow up. Serve your name. Man up. And stand up for yourself whatever be the price. While you are at it, serve the name, your name- Daniel Coaster, and not your last name."

I nod at him.

" And this is the last time I am telling you this. Next, you don't get past that doorman. I am done. So you get your s**t together too. " He leaves my hand pat me in the shoulder and lies on the sofa.

" And maybe start looking for the bloody one. The woman you deserve. That is the best remedy for all mankind. " He laughs.

" Well other things aside you discovered what?" I scoff.

He just shrugs.

" The man who sleeps alone and has an ass for a friend who can knock his door at 3 am advises the last part?"

He gets a sudden glint in his eyes.

" You are half right. You are an ass to not know that I have been dating a woman for three months now and I proposed her just this night to get a Grand Yes. And I was sleeping soundly beside her before you knocked on the door."

My world rattle. I am happy about him but I guess we connected because we were both single and now I will need an appointment to meet him. Damn!

" Is that a joke? "

"No."

"And that's why you have been playing 'last tine you are advising me' crap and all that for. You got a golden girl and you don't need this ass. Who the f**k she is? "

"You have no idea. I never needed you, I have there for you. And damn, she is enough, that the f**k she is. All I ever wanted. The best of imagination. "

I reach up to him and hug the bloody happy s**t. This is the highest emotional thing he can say after all I am one who cries all the time. "Good luck to you man."

"Thanks. You will meet her soon. "

I look towards the door leading to his bedroom and realize.

"I am sorry. I should leave. The very wrong timing. It's your day. Or should I say night?"

He shakes his head and chuckles. Picking up my jacket, I feel empty more prominently. Now it is me all alone and with Parker's grand speech I am done with all that family crap. I am taking his f*****g advice.

Just as I cross past the main door, I look back and say grudgingly, "well maybe I also found someone interesting."

"Good for me. I don't get this then." He says and laughs.

"What's her name?"

"I am about to find out." 

***

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