Adrian knew in order to find her quickly he had to start at the top. The top meaning him paying Cory’s father a visit. He had sensed Jonathan Phillips disapproval of him but he was the least of his worries right now. Cory was his only priority. She was all that mattered at the moment.
Somehow, he had to suck it up and face the man again. And he had to take what he knew was coming to him like the man he knew he was. Adrian cringed as he remembered that night when he stood up to this man, in his own house. Adrian figured if he could face the wrath of drill instructors barking commands in his face and a grueling 365 days in Afghanistan, he could face Jonathan Phillips. Nevertheless, he prepared himself mentally for the battle ahead.
Knowing Cory, Adrian doubted she would be there. Though she loved her father to death and missed him terribly, he knew just because of what he did, Cory would never be able to face him again. That was the other reason why he had to do this. He had to at least try to get this family back together because he was the major reason it fell apart in the first place.
Collin was dead because of him. Cory and her father’s now-strained relationship was because of him.
When he pulled up to the house that morning, he met Christian in the yard, busy washing down his father’s car in the driveway.
“Adrian,” Christian called out to him.
He had a big smile on his face. At least somebody was happy to see him, Adrian thought. “What’s up, man?” Adrian asked. He walked up to Christian and bounced fists with him.
“I’m all right,” Christian replied. “So what’re you doing here? And where’s Cory?”
Adrian’s suspicions were right after all. Cory wasn’t here and they didn’t know where she was. He didn’t know what to say to Christian about the whereabouts of his sister. He was supposed to be her husband. The one protecting her, yet he himself didn’t have a clue as to where his wife was.
At that exact moment, Jonathan Phillips chose to come out of the house, taking both Adrian and Christian by surprise. His hands were shoved in the pockets of the black shorts he was wearing, his bulging belly noticeably stretching his T-shirt to its limit.
“Adrian,” Jonathan greeted him politely.
“Sir,” Adrian responded.
“Could I speak to you for a minute?” Both men asked the exact question at precisely the same time. Then they stopped and just stared at each other, both wondering what the other wanted to say.
“Come inside,” Jonathan announced. Adrian followed him, leaving Christian alone.
“Have a seat,” Jonathan offered him. Adrian grabbed the one closest to him in the living room.
“Would you like a scotch on the rocks?” Jonathan again offered.
“Ah, no thank you, sir,” Adrian declined.
Jonathan poured one for himself anyway.
Adrian cleared his throat and began immediately. “Um, I have some things I need to say to you, sir. First of all, I humbly apologize for disrespecting you in your home the last time I was here.”
Jonathan raised his hand and immediately stopped him. “Wait! Before you say anything else, Adrian there is something I need to say to you first.”
Here goes, Adrian mentally prepared himself for the coming onslaught.
“That wasn’t disrespect. That was what I would call standing up to someone,” Jonathan began. “Which was well warranted. So you have nothing to apologize for. I know that decisions for war and military orders don’t come from the soldiers themselves. And believe me, if I were to ever go to Iraq or Afghanistan, I’d probably shit myself.”
Adrian smiled at Jonathan’s bold admission.
“Look, Adrian … I guess what I’m trying to say is that you’re a brave young man. To do what you do or what you did on a daily basis. I don’t think I could ever grow enough balls to do any of that.”
This was another shocker for Adrian. He had come here prepared to do battle if he had to but Jonathan Phillips was taking a completely different approach to everything now. He was flipping the script just like that.
“This means a lot to me, sir. To hear this coming from you. Especially with all you and your family have been through,” Adrian was being as sincere as he could be. “But there’s something I came here meaning to tell you and if you can still say these words after, then I’ll be eternally grateful.”
He told Jonathan everything. From the fateful day he and Cory met, what really happened two years ago with the shootings, how he found out and connected the dots and how Cory eventually found out before he had told her anything, all up until the present with her disappearance.
Jonathan remained seated throughout the entire thing. He sipped slowly on his scotch intermittently but never interrupted Adrian. The two sat there with Adrian doing all the talking now but what Adrian noticed, surprised him the most. Jonathan Phillips didn’t seem surprised at all by all this or fazed even, to say the least.
“Sir, you do understand the magnitude of all these events I just told you, right?” Adrian enquired.
“Yes,” Jonathan answered simply. “Look, Adrian. I have to be honest with you here, too. Cory’s grandmother called me yesterday. She told me everything. But from what Cory had told her, of course. I honestly believe that there are always two sides to a story. And now that I have heard your side, I have come to the conclusion that my son’s death two years ago was an accident. As hard as it was and still is to take in, I have to accept it for what it is. And I appreciate you telling me all this, Adrian. Everything finally makes some sense now. I know it took a lot of guts for you to come clean and tell me this and I’m indeed thankful for it.”
“Miss Millie told you this?” Adrian asked dumbfounded.
“Yes. Cory is with her now.”
“Cory is in Tobago?” He was glad he now knew where she was. And that she was safe.
“Yes. She told me how Cory came to her. Let me warn you, she’s really in a state. She really took this hard, her grandmother said.”
“I know,” Adrian answered quietly. “I have to go, sir. I have to talk to Cory. This is something I should’ve known better to do from the beginning.” He immediately got up off the chair.
“Adrian, before you go. Just so you know my daughter is a very stubborn person. She took after her father,” Jonathan added and smiled.
This was absolutely the very first time Adrian saw the man soften and smile. But he had no time to stay and chit chat anymore. He had to go after the most important thing in his life at the moment. He was heading straight to the airport. He had no ticket or clothes or a hotel reservation but none of that mattered right now. As long as he reached Miss Millie’s house and speak to Cory, to get to see her, he didn’t need anything else.
“Sir, thanks for your understanding in all this. I really hope there could be a fresh start for all of us,” Adrian said to Jonathan as he turned to walk out the door.
“I was only trying to protect my daughter, you know,” Jonathan announced. “But in the end I also only caused her pain. Hence, I’m a lonely man today. I lost my wife, my son and now my daughter because of my stubbornness and stupidity.”
“You haven’t lost your daughter. I’ll personally make sure of that, sir. You also have Christian. And if all goes well, you’ll have gained another son,” Adrian offered.
“Well, good luck, Adrian,” Jonathan said as he shook hands with him. “I hope things work out between the two of you. I really do. My daughter needs a man like you to love her unconditionally.”
“Thank you, sir.” And before Jonathan could say another word, Adrian was out the door.