Before DB even had a chance to process the words he’d just had thrown at him, he heard his own voice say, “A…daughter? No…no, I don’t…we don’t…” He lowered his gaze to the table, shaking his head slowly. “We tried, Vyn.”
He looked back up and met Kelvyn’s eyes again, and he knew that the pain in his own showed just how badly he wished it were true.
“Exactly, Darien. We tried, and it worked.”
The older man resumed shaking his head. “The doctors…they told us…said it would be impossible.” He still couldn’t wrap his head around this possibility. “Between your meds and my…”breeding”…they said we couldn’t…” His tone was bitter now, filled with resentment. For the professionals that had dashed their dreams, for himself, for everyone who’d ever gotten what they wanted, for everything.
“They were wrong, Darien.”
“Doctors aren’t wrong…said so y’rself…”
“Then I was wrong. Please, Darien, just consider.”
DB could tell that Kelvyn was getting desperate, so he decided to humor him for a few more minutes before leaving and catching another cab back to his hotel. “Fine. If we’ve got a daughter, then where is she? Why ain’t she here?”
“I…I don’t know where she is…I put her up for adoption after she was born…”
DB’s features flared in something akin to anger. “You gave her away?” He knew all too well what being an orphan felt like when neither of his parents were dead. “All that money from yer parents, and ya couldn’t’a used it t’ take care a’ one little girl?!”
“Darien, please…” the other said meekly, shying away from the outburst.
“Don’t you “Darien, please” me!! Unless you’ve got some plan t’ get ‘er back, I’m goin’ home.” DB stood abruptly and stormed out. Yeah, he’d made a scene, but hopefully he’d made a point, too.
Kelvyn stared at his ex’s back as he stormed out. He felt tears prick his eyes and looked down at the empty table. They’d never even ordered dinner.
Dinner. Kelvyn had suggested that he spill over dinner.
DB sighed and ran his hand through his cropped hair for what was probably the thousandth time that night. Kelvyn had assured him repeatedly that he hadn’t even touched him the night of the breakup, he’d only yelled. Of course, this wasn’t much consolation, because whatever he had said was bad enough to make the love of his life walk out.
He checked his reflection one last time before heading out to the front of the hotel to wait for his taxi.
The cab ride was another experience he would be sure to strike from his memory as soon as possible. He never had enjoyed the company of strangers, and the silence was almost unbearable. The cabbie didn’t even bother to turn on the radio.
Their arrival at the diner was almost a relief until DB remembered why he was there. Once his fare was paid and he had awkwardly muttered a soft, “Thank ya,” he stared up at the building and approached it.
He knew Kelvyn was already inside; he could see him through the windows that acted as walls. The smaller man was switching between anxiously fiddling with his napkin and pulling at his tie. With a deep breath and a sigh, Darien steeled his resolve and walked through the doors and straight to the table where Kelvyn was sitting, brushing past the hostess and waiters silently.
“Hey, Vyn,” he said with a nervous smile, causing his companion to shoot up out of his chair and nearly knock it over. A handshake and an uncomfortable hug later, the two men sat. “Y’know, the princes said they were “pretty psyched” when I told ‘em I was comin’ t’ see you.”
Kelvyn nodded absently as DB continued to try and break the ice. This was it, and he was terrified. This was a huge, life-changing piece of news, and he was just a bit too late delivering it. Even now he couldn’t think of a way to soften the blow. He couldn’t just come out and say, “We have a daughter.”
…
“Kyan had a recital at Terra’s…” DB paused and stared blankly at Kelvyn’s face. “What?”
The shorter man was startled out of his thoughts. “Huh?”
“What’d you just say?”
“I…I said something…?”
“Sounded…sounded like somethin’ ‘bout a daughter?”
“Oh…”
“I didn’t know you had a kid, congrats! What’s ‘er name?”
Kelvyn could tell that Darien was concerned about him–how could he not be after the way their phone call had gone? But he wasn’t ready to drop the bomb on him just yet; not when he looked so relieved to see him.
“Vyn, what’s goin’ on? What do I not know? What happened that night? What’d I do? Did I hurt you at all? Stars, Vyn, I’m sorry; I never wanted any’a this to happen; no wonder you left.” He sighed and ran a hand through his short hair.
As Kelvyn listened, he couldn’t help the guilt that clutched his heart. This situation was just awful. He couldn’t stand the thought of keeping Darien out of the loop for even another second, but telling him something so seriously personal on the side of the road just wouldn’t be fair.
DB was still muttering to himself and pacing when the vice on Kelvyn’s heart loosened enough to allow speech. “Darien…calm down before you tear your hair out…” he said softly, stopping him on his next pass. The tears brimming taller man’s eyes nearly winded him.
“Kelvyn, what did I do that night? What happened?” he asked slowly, gripping Kelvyn’s shoulders and meeting his gaze, his own eyes blazing with fear. “Did I hurt you?”
Kelvyn had never heard his ex-fiancé speak so clearly in all the time he’d known him, and that fact alone hit him like a punch to the gut. Darien wasn’t just scared, he was absolutely terrified.
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