John sighed. “Long.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “The plumber pretty much took over my office all morning, so I couldn't focus. And Ward was even more distracted than he's been lately, which wasn't helping. It felt like I didn't get a damned thing done all day.”
Adam grimaced in sympathy. “I'm sorry.”
John offered him a tired smile. “But you've obviously gotten stuff done.” He paused. “Did you call a surgeon?”
Adam's chest tightened. “I did.” He swallowed hard. “I have a consultation next week.”
John grinned, then started to lean towards him, only to stop short and glance at the corners of the room. “That's great. I'm so proud of you.” He paused. “Something wrong?”
Adam fussed with the flaps of the box. “I don't know. I guess I feel like…I need his permission or something. His blessing, maybe. I still don't really feel like I deserve it.”
“Hey,” John murmured. “Your dad would want you to be happy. You know that, right?”
Adam hesitated before he managed a nod.
“I know he would,” John insisted, then quickly scanned the room again. “Why don't you call it a night, okay? I'm gonna go use the bathroom real quick, and then maybe we can figure out something for dinner. Sound good?”
Adam started to nod again. “I just want to do one more box,” he said, tapping on the one with which he was still fidgeting.
“Okay. I'll be right back.” John paused, looking like he was about to lean down to kiss him, then turned away and strode off to the bathroom instead.
Adam let out a sigh, then looked down at the box. It was weird that there was nothing written on it. All the other boxes were labeled. Adam shrugged and folded back the flaps.
Holy shit. He reached into the box and pulled out an old VHS tape. The sight made him laugh. It felt like stepping back into ancient history. Who used VHS anymore? Then again, Dad was always walking around with that camcorder, documenting Adam's life. Rather, Evelyn's life. Sure enough, each of the tapes were labeled from a different part of his childhood.
Adam: age nine.
Adam: age four.
Adam: graduation.
Adam: first steps.
Adam: first day of school.
Adam felt his heart racing before the nagging sense of something beingoffcould really penetrate his brain. He looked at the tapes again. Read the labels again.
Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god.
“John!” he screamed.
John came flying back into the room. “Adam? What? What's wrong?”
Adam held up one of the tapes, feeling a grin take over his face even as tears raced down his cheeks. All his fear and guilt fled, and somehow, he knew he'd never sink to the escapist depths of craving a drink ever again.
Because he'd just found what he was looking for.
Chapter 21
_________
JOHN
JOHN LOOKED from the VHS tape to Adam's tearful face and back, trying to figure out what the boy was silently telling him.
“Look!” Adam choked out, his eyes bright with joyful tears. He pointed at the tape as he thrust it into John's hands. “He rewrote every one.”
John took the tape and turned it so he could read the label. He didn't see anything out of the ordinary at first, but when he looked closer, he could just make out the sheen of white-out and the faint marks of old ink beneath it. He grabbed another tape, then another. On one of them, the white-out wasn't as thick, so he could easily read what was written beneath.
