Sonata [SEBASTIAN STAN]

SIXTY SEVEN

incoming call from unknown

accept or decline?

"hello?"

"hi, june."

"jim?"

"what, you can't even call me dad?"

"hah. you're not my dad. you gave me my last name and a lifetime supply of abandonment issues. that's it."

"don't you think that's a little harsh?"

"no."

"fine. i just called because i heard about you in the news and i wanted to tell you that i'm proud."

"you're proud?"

"yeah. i wasn't sure how things were going to turn out for you as a cello player, but you're getting famous and i'm proud of you for it."

"i-i... sorry, no. you don't get to be proud of me. you weren't there to be proud of me when i learned how to ride a bike, or when i graduated high school, or when i had my first cello recital..."

"i'm telling you i'm proud now. doesn't that count for something?"

"have you even ever heard me play?"

"well, no. but you must be good if people are paying attention."

"oh my god. i'm not doing this with you, not now, not after twenty years of radio silence."

"listen, june, i'm sorry. but i just wasn't ready to have a kid. you would've taken so many years of my life away. i was only twenty one, for crying out loud, you have to understand that."

"mom was nineteen, and she stayed. she had to, because you disappeared. you're so selfish, you know that?"

"listen, i said i'm sorry june. come on, i know it's been a while, but i miss you."

"so what, you just suddenly want me to be your daughter again?"

"well, not exactly. i already got a kid with carrie-"

"are you fucking kidding me? your secretary?"

"jeez, june. what do you want me to say? sorry that i'm happy?"

"no! i want you to say you're sorry for all those years you made mom and me anything but happy."

"don't be dramatic."

"i'm not being dramatic! god, i wish i could replay this phone call anytime i need to explain why i can't have healthy relationships. i honestly can't believe i even found someone i love after all this."

"sebastian, right? nice guy."

"...what? when did you speak to my boyfriend?"

"he's the one who gave me this number. said you wanted to reach out to me, patch things up. obviously, you guys weren't on the same page."

"..."

"obviously not. i have to go. goodbye, jim."

"june, come on-"

"don't call this number again."

call ended 5:23 pm

outgoing call to seb

"hey, j! ha, that rhymed-"

"what the hell, sebastian."

"wait, what?"

"how could you give my father my number? why would you ever assume i wanted to speak him?"

"oh, i-i just thought it would be nice if you guys could-"

"could what? talk about how he left us? chat about how my mom cried every night for six months because he disappeared? maybe have a laugh about how he ruined our family?"

"june, please, i didn't mean to hurt you o-or make you mad."

"yeah, but you did anyway, didn't you? do you know how long i've spent erasing this, erasing him? all you did was open up old wounds."

"i was just trying to help, i swear."

"well, stop! i told you about my dad because i love you and i trust you. it wasn't an invitation to go behind my back and try to change things!"

"i love you, june, that's the only reason i got involved. i wanted you to be happy."

"just because you love me doesn't mean i'm yours to fix, sebastian. i was perfectly fine without him. i don't rely on other people to be happy."

"maybe, but everyone needs a family, june."

"i have my mom. i have mel. and i thought i had you."

"j..."

"you know, i was perfectly fine without you too, sebastian."

call ended 6:12 pm

AUTHOR'S NOTE: yes, houston, reporting from california headquarters to confirm that the shit has officially made contact with its target, the fan.