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chapter twenty ✧ who's afraid of the big bad wolf? ( between season seven, episodes seven & eight )
❝ why does he hate me? ❞
𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐖𝐄𝐁𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐍 since she was a child. With both of her parents being well-known surgeons, he had worked alongside Josephine Halloway early in the woman's career. They remained in close contact throughout the years and Richard was even present for London's first birthday.
Arthur Halloway was not present, of course, but all those who loved her were.
As such, Richard witnessed the frigid relationship between Arthur and his three children. He knew that Henry had been disowned from the family inheritance; he gave a reference for McKenna's internship acceptance; and he had tried, and was unsuccessful, in trying to get London to come to Seattle Grace when her residency began.
He was aware of how complicated and fractured the dynamic was for the father and daughter. Which was why, when he learned that Arthur Halloway was admitted to his ER, the first person he searched for was London.
"You're not working today."
London turned away from her cubby, holding her white coat in her hands. Her eyes locked with Richard's and she sighed. "Sir—"
"I won't hear any of this 'sir' nonsense," Richard interrupted, walking towards her as she sat down on the bench in front of her. "Your father has been admitted to this hospital. You should be taking some time off, spending—"
"Spending time with him?" she finished, turning her head slightly before chuckling emotionlessly. "If I did that, then he would be asking me why I'm not working. Or if I was working, he'd be criticizing everything I'm doing. Leave me with stupid notes."
Richard nodded to himself. "I understand the relationship between you and your father, London," he said and she held her head in her hands. "But regardless, I will not have you work on any patients. So, I am telling you to take a few days off."
"Tell me, Dr. Webber, am I an easily hatable person?" she asked suddenly making him furrow his brows. "I—I mean, you've known me since I was an infant. So, am I a person who can be hated so easily?"
"Of course not."
"Then why does he?" Richard remained silent and she stood up, running a hand through her hair. "Do you know what I see when I go through our family albums? Pages on pages of family memories. And he's not there. He missed all of our first birthdays, my first day of school, and the twins' high school graduation. He was never there. That's telling me that he hates us."
Richard shook his head. "He doesn't hate you, London. He—"
"He just doesn't want to be a father," she countered, crossing her arms with a huff. "Mom got pregnant and he became distant. He wanted people to carry on his family name, but he didn't want to do the work to make them decent human beings." She scoffed. "I should've just changed my name to 'Hawthorne' for my mom. I thought about it before my residency started. But McKenna and Henry still had 'Halloway' and I didn't want to be the only one..."
