The Introduction That Never Happened
At the end of August, Jason invited us over for a barbecue.
It seemed perfect.
A casual evening.
Food on the grill.
Drinks.
No formal dinner or uncomfortable restaurant conversation.
Just a chance for Richard and Jason to meet naturally.
Yet during the drive, Richard seemed unusually tense.
“What if he hates me?” he asked.
I laughed.
“He won’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
“He’s protective. That’s all.”
Richard smiled, but I could tell he remained nervous.
When we arrived, Jason was already in the backyard.
Smoke from the grill drifted through the warm evening air. Jason stood near the barbecue when we came around the side of the house.
I smiled.
“Jason, this is—”
I never finished.
Richard stopped walking.
It happened so suddenly that at first I thought he had become dizzy.
Then I saw his face.
All the color had disappeared.
He stared at my son.
Jason stared back.
Neither spoke.
The sounds of the barbecue seemed to fade around us.
“Richard?”
He stepped backward.
“I need to go.”
I laughed nervously because I couldn’t understand what was happening.
“What?”
“I shouldn’t be here.”
He turned toward the driveway.
I grabbed his arm.
“You’ve been worried about meeting him for weeks. At least say hello.”
Richard looked at Jason again.
Something in his expression frightened me.
It wasn’t embarrassment.
It wasn’t nervousness.
It was recognition.
“No, Linda.”
His voice fell almost to a whisper.
“I don’t want to see him. I have to go right now.”
“Why?”
He didn’t answer.
He looked at me, then at Jason.
And then he said something that changed the entire evening.
“Ask your son what he did to Emily.”
Before I could ask anything else, Richard pulled away and headed toward his car.
Seconds later, he was gone.
I stood in the backyard staring toward the driveway.
Jason had not moved.
I turned to him.
“Who is Emily?”
Jason looked down.
After several seconds of silence, he finally said:
“She’s my ex-girlfriend.”
My stomach tightened.
“Why does Richard know her?”
Jason swallowed.
“Because she’s his daughter.”
