Chapter 2 Coming Home To Tragedy

Six times he had called the man and each time there was no answer. At this point, his concern for his father's whereabouts slowly turned into resentment towards his absence in general. Initially, the death of his mother summoned naivety concerning his father's desertion. Steadily, however, he finally came to his senses on the matter, and it only took two days after his father's initial disregard of his grieving children and newborn daughter.

He was tired of going through the motions of contacting Hassun Black just to reassure his other siblings-mainly his sisters that everything was alright-that he'd return. His younger brother, King, seemed to be the only one that wasn't holding on to childish hope. King was the only one that seemed to realize that their father wasn't coming back, claiming that Hassun Black's eyes had lost hope the day that the doctors came back with their mother's doomed prognosis. Now, it was time for him to stop hoping as well.

"Don't worry old man," Linkoln said into the phone after he heard the voicemail ending to give him space to speak his mind. "This is the last time you'll hear from me. Still, I'd be remiss in my duties as your eldest son and your kids' oldest brother if I didn't tell you...Dallas, your daughter, is coming home. She's coming home to a dead mother-one that she only just found out was sick after she died." He emphasized. His voice was suddenly shaky as he attempted to get through the voice message that he needed his father to hear without breaking down. "And as if she needed things to be any worse, you had to top it all off by not even being around when she needs you most. She's coming home to a father-no scratch that, because by ways and actions you're no father to any of us! So, she's coming home to a dad that has deserted his children because of his own selfishness!" He hissed. As his mind lingered on the situation, he became angrier and angrier at Hassun Black. "You told her...you told her that our mother was dead through a telephone call!" He further exclaimed. "Tio y tia barely through the garage door before you dropped this bomb on her. And now...now you have the gall to leave?! Not even be there for her?!"

He sat there in silence as he thought about the fact that he was speaking to a machine and not the man that needed to hear what he had to say. Resigned, Linkoln realized that there was no getting through to this man-not over voicemail; maybe not even in person if the chance ever even presented itself. He slumped into the chair that he was sitting in, sulking in his father's study, then he took a deep breath.

"I haven't told her that part yet-you know, the part about you abandoning us," He scoffed. "Though, you deserted us well before you even made that phone call to her that day," He said, his gaze distancing out as he thought about his little sister. "I-I don't even know if I have it in me to tell her the truth about your cowardice," He added, shaking his head. "And..." He began to feel the warmth of tears in his eyes. "I hate you...I hate you for putting me in this position," He sniffled, not allowing himself to completely break down over the phone. He cleared his throat and wiped his tears. "You deserted us-you deserted your children. I hope that sits and festers on your conscience." He expelled harshly. "Don't come back. We don't need this kind of pain in our lives...we can't handle it-not right now...not after this."

Finally, he ended the call, dropping the phone against the table before taking a shot of scotch. He leaned forward and out of the chair, his head in his hands as he wondered how he was going to go about returning to college.

At this point, he was well aware of the very few choices that he had. With his father leaving, it would not be fair of him to return to school and leave King to look after everything.

King was more than capable, of course, but he, himself, was the older brother. Linkoln could never place such a burden on his younger brother to handle on his own. Doing so, as far as he was concerned, would make him no better than Hassun.

Taking all of this into consideration, Linkoln knew that he ultimately did not have even the few picks of choices that he thought he had. Either he could take a leave from college or transfer to a community college there at home and at this point, he feared that he wouldn't even have the time for school what with a new baby to take care of. Of course, in the back of his mind, he thought that maybe it would be a possibility if his sister actually decided to stay.

Linkoln poured himself some more scotch, filling the glass past the half mark before taking it down in one shot, his body starting to fill with a buzzed warmth as his light brown eyes began to tighten in his tipsy state.

Filling the glass once more, Linkoln brought it to his lips when it was swiped from his grasp. "I think you've had enough, irmão," Brother, he called him.

Linkoln looked at King and sighed, turning away from his little brother. "You sure know how to kill a buzz," Linkoln let his head fall back onto the faux leather chair.

"You're drinking Chivas, Ko," King returned. "And judging by how heavy-handed that pour was, I'm sure the buzz is still very much alive,"

Linkoln glanced his younger brother and half-heartedly chuckled before rising from his seat. Yes, he was still buzzed, but it was nothing that would restrain his motor skills.

"So," Linkoln exhaled, cracking his neck as he placed the bottle of scotch back behind the bar counter. "What's up?" He turned around. "Everything alright?" He asked. King didn't answer right away but judging by the look on his face, Linkoln could tell that whatever was on his mind was something of importance. "King? What is it?"

"Just wondering...if you're sober enough to welcome your little sister home," He said.

It took a few moments for Linkoln to register what his brother had said but after he did, his eyes widened. "Wh-she's home?" He asked. Of course, he heard his brother the first time-he knew that he had. Only, a part of him was afraid to confront the idea of what he had just expressed to his father a five-minute voicemail ago.

"Yeah," King replied.

Linkoln reluctantly walked over to where his brother stood at the door of the office. "How is-how is she?" He asked, afraid of how distraught she might be. He didn't think that he could take seeing his sister like that. Especially, after so long not seeing her or even speaking to her at all.

The last he or any of his siblings had even seen Dallas was two years prior when they decided to take a trip to Rio. With Mariella's job, it was hard to find time off, so she, Gael, and Dallas couldn't make the visit to Washington D.C as much as they would've liked. And it wasn't easy getting the whole Black family together because of Linkoln being out of state in college, King's jobs keeping him busy, and their father's business usually keeping him away. So one day, instead of planning, Marina Black, had decided, while everyone was home to take an impromptu trip to Rio before anyone could be taken away by business, or school.

Linkoln recalled how ecstatic Dallas was to be reunited with all of her family again. He hated that this reunion would leave two missing, one addition, and one extremely sad occasion.

"She's grieving, Ko," King finally answered his brother, bringing Linkoln out of his thoughts. "Just like all of us...but she's okay. Far better than I thought she'd be."

Linkoln closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Of course," He mumbled under his breath, taking consideration of the fact that she was just like his mother-always trying to keep herself together, and stay strong for everyone else.

He walked out of the room, followed by King. They both entered the hall, passing a few rooms before turning into the foyer where their younger sister still was.

There she stood, her back facing them while her hands lightly ran themselves across an old picture taken of the family when the kids were young and everyone was together.

Linkoln didn't know what to say as he watched her. She had indeed changed since the last he saw her. This brought back to mind how long it had been and for some reason, this made it harder for him to find the words to greet her with.

It was fortunate and unfortunate, that she broke the silence for him. "He's gone isn't he?" She asked. That was the unfortunate part. Dallas had already known that their father left them to fend for themselves.

Her voice had changed as well, more throaty and still feminine, but Linkoln knew that all of it wasn't maturity. She hadn't too long ago been crying.

"For now," He finally replied, unable to flat out say no; even in her possibly knowing that their father wouldn't return any time soon. He initially had every intention of being brutally honest with her and just ripping the bandaid off quickly. However, when she turned around and he saw her broken countenance, those puffy, slightly red eyes...the withheld pain behind her amber-colored gaze, he couldn't bring himself to. Remembering all of the secrets that had already been kept from her up until the death of their mother-he just didn't have the mental or emotional resolve to reveal yet another. At least not now.

Dallas looked at the picture one more time before returning her attention to Linkoln, a small frown and a saddened yet teasing smirk on her face. She simpered dryly. "It's alright, irmáo," She finally said, glancing between her two older brothers. "I kind of heard...that he hasn't been home for a while," She added, her voice breaking and her eyes starting to water.

Hurt filled Linkoln as he absorbed the pain in his sister's demeanor. Her eyes were an exact replica of their mother's-not necessarily in color as much as they were in kindness, understanding, and compassion. It was as if she had already known what responsibility her older brother was forced to take on at that moment. Seeing this relieved him for a moment, a moment being all that he really needed for the time being.

"It is...good to see you again jellybean," He said, calling her by the childhood name given to her by their father.

"Jellybean," This brought a smile to her face as she recollected what her father would say to her. "Because I love jellybeans, and I-"

"Love you," King and Linkoln finished. Linkoln hated that this kind of memory belonged to someone who abandoned them.

It seemed that she tried hard to compose herself but just did not have the strength to. She rushed to Linkoln and jumped into his arms. "I missed you guys," She exclaimed, balling her eyes out. "So much,"

"We missed you too," Linkoln replied as he wrapped his arms around his sister, embracing her.

King rubbed Dallas's back comfortingly as both he and Linkoln waited for her to stop crying.

After ten full minutes of allowing Dallas to grieve, she finally pulled away from her older brothers and took a deep breath. "I have to be better than this!" She said under her breath. "Have to be stronger than this...for Bea, and..."

"Reina," King said. "Her name is Reina,"

"My middle name," Dallas smiled.

"And Beatricia...after Bea," Linkoln added.

"That's sweet," She smiled. "Cannot wait to meet her,"

"How about you meet her now?" King asked.

"I-I'd love to!" She said.

"Where are your bags?" Linkoln asked. He looked curiously at his younger sister. "Are they already upstairs?"

"She didn't bring any bags," King told, his brow raised as he looked at Dallas pointedly.

"What? Why?" Linkoln incredulously asked.

"Apparently, tia Mariella and tio Gael booked some fancy hotel on the opposite side of town or something."

"Not on the other side of town," Dallas rolled her eyes, bemused with her brother's overdramatization. "It's only a few minutes away."

"Why? Why did they do that? It's more than enough room here?" You of all people should know that, jellybean."

"Tia Mariella-I do not think that she is ready to stay here just yet...and well, to be honest, tio Gael is still upset with daddy. I guess he is afraid to run the risk of him coming back,"

"Tio has never been afraid of dad before, so I don't understand-"

"Not more afraid of daddy as much as he is afraid of what he will do to him if he sees him," Dallas clarified.

"Right. That makes...a lot more sense," King returned.

"Besides, you know tio Gael likes his space," Dallas pointed out. "Maybe he'll come around before it's time to leave,"

"I'm sure," Linkoln countered. He was quite sure that they wouldn't be seeing his father anytime soon. Of course, he wouldn't say this to Dallas, though. He was sure that while it may have been good news for Gael, didn't mean that it would be for her. "Until then," He said, changing the subject, his brow furrowed. "What's your excuse?"

Dallas chuckled. "I just called them. They're coming over in half an hour...and they'll be bringing my luggage,"

"Great!" King said. "Now go get settled in. The guys'll be here soon and I'm sure they're going to want to come and see you." He wrapped his arm around Dalla's neck and started with her up the stairs. "Come on. Dad jacked your room a little, but there are a few spares until we get it straight."

Linkoln watched his brother and sister as they headed up the stairs, a small smile upon his face as he noticed how happy King was to have Dallas home as well. He then went outside to grab the mail. Per the norm, there was not much there-more junk mail than anything.

He sifted through the envelopes until he noticed one in particular. It was manilla and larger than the rest; on it, he and King's names were written across the top.

The emotions that Linkoln felt at that moment were mixed-none of the above being positive. Especially, upon recognizing the handwriting; it was their father's. The knots that had temporarily subsided when he reunited with his little sister suddenly returned with a vengeance and with it, more questions.

Did he get his message? Did he even listen to it? If he did, was this his response to it? What in the world could he have possibly had to say that could not even be bothered with a face-to-face conversation. Not even a phone call. His last self-asked question was the most important one to be answered in his mind. As this question stay unanswered, Linkoln couldn't help but wonder; what is this man playing at?

Whatever the case, Linkoln decided then that he would not bother his siblings-King included, with this inconvenient turn of events. All things considered, the day had not completely gone to crap with seeing Dallas home again, and he would not dare further irritate anyone's mood by this news. He folded the envelope and shoved it into his back pocket right before a car pulled up.