Picture Perfect

Chapter 15- Part 2

Thoughts and memories torment Andrew for hours, his father's face repetitively reappearing in his mind, preventing him from sleeping the remainder of the night. After growing restless and bored of staring at the ceiling, he tenderly untangles his body from Cora's. He removes himself from the bed as discreetly as possible, hoping not to disturb her. He's a bit taken aback by the utter beauty she possesses, particularly infatuated with the serenity clearly displayed on her face. Briefly, Andrew wonders how much that will change after the baby's arrival, and yet he can't stop the flutter in his heart at the idea of seeing a sleepy Cora with a nursing baby cradled to her chest. She'll be the most wonderful mother a child could ask for; he knows this.

Silently sneaking down to the kitchen, he distractedly goes through the motions of preparing a pot of coffee; caffeine will undoubtedly be needed to survive the likely brutal day ahead of him. Andrew takes a seat on a stool at the kitchen island, placing his head in his hands. His eyes close as he attempts to rest for a moment, his rigid muscles trying failingly to relax. Without his consent, his mind wanders back to his childhood once again, reliving the moments that shaped him into the man he is today.

-

"Stop your crying, Andrew," his father says to a seven-year-old Andrew. "Real men don't show emotion in such a way."

"But, Daddy-" the young boy begins, only to be sternly interrupted.

"You'll learn someday that people tend to take advantage of one's vulnerabilities, Son," his father unapologetically cuts him off. "It's best to hide your true feelings and mask them with indifference. By hiding your weaknesses, you ensure that none can harm you."

-

"What do you think you're achieving, whining like this?" his father yells, angrily throwing a small bundle of papers in a teenage Andrew's direction. "Have I taught you nothing over the years? While you aspire for greatness, you must take the necessary steps to successfully accomplish your goals. Nothing worthwhile is easy to attain. It requires a great deal of dedication and persistence to succeed in life; I believed you possessed the capabilities to do so. Perhaps I was mistaken."

-

"Are you going to let that girl walk all over you, Son?" an enraged senior Dalton inquires. "A real man would quickly put her in her place. The human mind is a multifaceted thing, and among the complexities lies the capacity for manipulation. Use her weaknesses against her however possible; turn them into your own strengths. That is how men like you acquire greatness, Andrew. Be confident in yourself, and you'll go far in this world."

-

As Andrew's father waves a paper in front of his son's face, the man shouts, "I've raised you to be better than this! Failure is not acceptable, and anything less than perfection will not be tolerated in this house! Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Sir," Andrew replies, his voice monotonous. Even with the emotions raging within him, he wouldn't dare disrespect his father in a moment such as this. No, such a situation requires a much more carefully devised response.

"I didn't raise you to be insignificant and unsuccessful, Andrew! No son of mine will be such a disappointment!" the man continues, his tone remaining harsh. "Do you want to be irrelevant and worthless for your entire life?"

"No, Sir," answers the boy, the flame of hatred within him growing the longer his father yells. Andrew knows he'll have to try harder to make his father proud of him; he'll have to achieve perfection, just as his father always said.

"Then do better, Andrew. Be better," his father states. Andrew can almost see the fire in his eyes. "Be the man I've raised you to be."

-

Cora enters the kitchen wrapped in her bathrobe, appearing as if she just rolled out of bed. If her disheveled hair had feelings, it would likely find itself in similar emotional disarray to her husband. Yawning tiredly, Cora rubs the sleep from her eyes as she approaches Andrew, placing a chaste kiss on his cheek.

Andrew looks up at her, faking a smile to keep the brutal conflict within him inconspicuous from his wife. Although she smiles warmly at him, he can see the uncertainty hiding in her eyes; the sight hurts him. He has never wanted to cause her such worry or pain; knowing he's done so burns his chest. He's dedicated himself to making her irrevocably happy throughout their relationship, and this bitter turn has him feeling unexpectedly chaffed. Stifling a sigh, Andrew rises from his perch, the legs of the stool screeching against the floor as it slides backward.

"It'll likely be a long day at the office," he declares, tiredly stroking a hand over his face, hoping the action may wake him slightly. "I'll do what I can to return at a decent hour, but I can't guarantee I'll be home in time for dinner."

Crestfallen, Cora gives a slight nod, deciding against offering a verbal response. She understands that Andrew had a rough night, and it will presumably affect his work today. Squashing down her disappointment, she abstains from directing negativity toward him. In an attempt at bottling her feelings at this moment, she must refrain from saying anything at all, or she may expose herself.

"Call me if you need anything," says Andrew, quickly pecking Cora's lips. "I love you," he adds as an afterthought before excusing himself to prepare for the workday.

"I love you, too," Cora replies, her voice a faint half-whisper. The inaudibility of her words doesn't matter, though; Andrew had disappeared from her sight before she even had the chance to utter them. Cora's heart is heavy with concern for her husband, his evident struggles filling her chest with lead. She wishes he would open up to her, that she could do something to solve his troubles. Instead, she'll have to patiently await a moment when he lets down his guard and sneak past the obvious barriers he's constructed around himself. It's what anyone would do for the one they love.