Donald sat stunned. The family secrets were out and now barely anyone was talking to anyone else and his 70th birthday party was a silent shambles.
For years he had kept much under wraps and worked hard to stop certain information from reaching certain ears- and from leaving the family unit at all, of course. But during his recent spell in hospital, documents had been uncovered in his desk while his wife had searched for their copy of the will (it had looked very dicey at one point and he had asked her to be prepared, forgetting momentarily what else lay in the drawer) and she had delved a bit too deep in her despair.
The intricately worked pattern of lies that had been built up over the years soon started to unravel as people defended their actions by letting slip those of others. Far more than Donald had ever known came out. As did two grandchildren and one of their fathers.
The party was nearly cancelled several times but Donald had begged for it to go ahead, fearful that this would be his last birthday, and in the vain hope that this would help bring together the family. At the very least it might make it look to the outside world as if they were a united front.
When the first punch was thrown the old man gave up his last vestige of hope that this party could start to heal the rifts caused. He left the party dying.
For years he had kept much under wraps and worked hard to stop certain information from reaching certain ears- and from leaving the family unit at all, of course. But during his recent spell in hospital, documents had been uncovered in his desk while his wife had searched for their copy of the will (it had looked very dicey at one point and he had asked her to be prepared, forgetting momentarily what else lay in the drawer) and she had delved a bit too deep in her despair.
The intricately worked pattern of lies that had been built up over the years soon started to unravel as people defended their actions by letting slip those of others. Far more than Donald had ever known came out. As did two grandchildren and one of their fathers.
The party was nearly cancelled several times but Donald had begged for it to go ahead, fearful that this would be his last birthday, and in the vain hope that this would help bring together the family. At the very least it might make it look to the outside world as if they were a united front.
When the first punch was thrown the old man gave up his last vestige of hope that this party could start to heal the rifts caused. He left the party dying.
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