A Mother's Love : Rewritten

Truths Revealed

A/N: So we finally get Daniel's side of the story. I wanted to humanize him a little. There is a part in his story some of you may question but  I believe he could manipulate the nurses to  believe him.

Even in my exhausted, bruised and battered state I couldn't get myself to sleep fitfully. The entire time I lay in bed I tossed and turned with memories of my... step-mother's punishments interrupting my dreams. Only, instead of her slapping me or yelling at me, it was Liza. Each time I would see her face instead of my step-mom’s I would jerk awake, my heart pounding and aching worse than the rest of my tired body which still shivered under the piles of blankets piled on top of me.

I lay there too tired to do anything else, fading in and out of nightmares until around midnight when Dad returned home and appeared at my door requesting my presence in the kitchen for a “family meeting.” I couldn't help but snort in bitter amusement. We hadn't been a family for a long time, and it seemed I hadn't truly ever been a part of this family.

With a tired sigh, I threw back the blankets and shakily climbed to my feet. A wave of vertigo had me grabbing the post to the footboard of my bed as I tried to gain my balance. Once I was sure that I would not topple to the floor with my first step, I grabbed a blanket from my bed to wrap around my cold shoulders before making my way slowly down the steps to find my dad and Marie waiting for me in the kitchen.

I barely acknowledged either of them as I shuffled over to the cabinet and grabbed a packet of tea I had left over that Kota had given me. The others remained unusually silent as they watched me warm up the water and mix in the tea before I finally sat down at the table. Once seated I finally raised my eyes to meet Dad’s and arched an eyebrow, silently asking what the heck he wanted at midnight. He cleared his throat and sat back in his chair.

“I believe it's time that you girls learned the truth about a few things.” Marie yawned and gave him a small glare.

“This couldn't have waited until in the morning?” she grumbled half heartedly even though I doubt she’d been asleep at all.

“I have to be getting back soon, and I knew you would be waiting on news about your mother.” I fought back another snort and took a sip of my tea instead, relaxing a little at the warmth.

“As you know, she has been battling with cancer for years now. It seems she has once again gotten her medication mixed up. This has caused the cancer to spread and her mental health to deteriorate. She will remain at the hospital as they try to sort her back into her regular medications, and then once they have gotten her stable, they want to try chemotherapy. “

“Can we visit her?” Marie asked softly, wrapping her arms around her waist. It was obvious she was trying to remain aloof but that she was truly concerned for her mother. A small bit of sympathy squeezed its way through my wall of numb detachment .

“Not just yet. Give it about a week for her meds to sort out, and then I will see about taking you for a visit.” He paused as if he was gathering himself before speaking again. “I have to return to my business trip in the morning so I am trusting you girls to look after yourselves. You are old enough now to not need a babysitter, and I will leave some money with you for groceries and such. I've written down my cell and work numbers for emergencies, and I will pop in every couple of days to check in on you.”

“So you're just going to leave us here? Mom is in the hospital, and you're still going off to your—”here Marie raised her hands and held up two fingers of each hand in quotation marks—“business trips?”

“There's nothing we can do and I have work—”

“Oh, cut the bullshit, Dad! We all know the only thing you're working on is getting into the pants of your newest mistress!” I watched with interest as Dad's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to defend himself. But he was once again cut off. “I'm not an idiot. I've known for a while now exactly what your business trips are really about. I've seen your little love notes and your secret gifts, and I've over heard plenty of your little late night phone calls. So cut the shit and tell us the truth.” She had risen from her chair during her rant and slammed her hands down on the table, glaring at him with a familiar sneer that made her look exactly like her mother. Deciding now would be the time to have everything laid out on the table. I leaned forward to give my own demand.