"Hello?" Pt. 2

October 5th 2016

"Today would have been my father's birthday."

"..."

"That's what Evelyn was upset about."

"..."

"He would have been sixty."

"..."

"But you already knew this because you spoke to Evie, right?"

"Right."

"I remembered it was his birthday."

"I know."

"I just... Samuel and I never celebrated it because he was never around so it didn't seem like a big deal to us."

"You don't have to explain the situation to me, Daniel. I understand and I'm not going to judge you on it."

"I know you won't, but... Soph, you should have heard Evie cry."

"She was crying?"

"Yep."

"Why?"

"She said that she was upset because she never got to spend Laurence's birthday with her father. Samuel and I, as children I suppose, we might have spent a few birthdays with him. We may even have given him 'Best Dad Ever' birthday cards, but Evie never got the chance."

"Poor Evie."

"Do you know the weird thing, though?"

"What?"

"November 5th- Bonfire Night- is Evie's birthday and Laurence always insisted that we go to Amesbury and spend the night there because the Estate would have this big bonfire with hundreds of fireworks."

"How is that weird?"

"Not weird, as such, but interesting. He always insisted on spending Evie's birthday with her. He practically demanded it and I never gave it much thought until today. Evie would be there- with Alistair and the kids later. She would spend the day with her mother and then drive all the way down to  Wiltshire just so she could spend time with her Dad."

"That's sweet, though."

"I know it is. But we never celebrated his birthday. Ever. He'd make an effort with Samuel and I, even if he did turn up drunk to most of the celebrations. It makes me feel guilty that we never quite bothered with his."

"I thought you said that he would keep you all at arm's length and what not."

"At times he would, but then... I suppose our birthdays were the only days that he would celebrate. He loved us, that much we now know, and he never wanted to treat any of his children differently. That's why we always had the fireworks. Before Evie began to work for the family, there was never a Bonfire Night celebration, but after... God, my father was a complicated man."

"What would he do on your birthday?"

"What?"

"If he would have a bonfire and fireworks for Evie's birthday, what would he do for yours?"

"Um... he'd force Samuel and I to go for dinner with him."

"And?"

"That's it."

"That's it?"

"Yes. We'd go for dinner and he would drink while Samuel and I prayed that time would miraculously go quicker."