The Beautiful You

Thirty-two ~ Father and Daughter

There was a certain sadness in his stare, and I saw it in the way he smiled at the photo of Jackson that rested on the easel outside the auditorium. The canvas was placed a little too much to one side, and I reached out to center it. His gaze softened as I adjusted the picture on the stand.

"Thank you," he said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah," I said. "How–how are you?"

He nodded slowly and shrugged. "I'm doing the best I can," he said, tucking his hands into his pockets. He paused and glanced around the open area filled with students, parents, and kids. "This is a good thing the school and his classmates are doing," he finished.

I wondered if it also hurt him to hear people laughing today like it hurt me. I wondered if he ever felt that pinching feeling in his chest whenever he smiled, or felt happy. Like a feeling of dread and shame that washes over.

I've been feeling that a lot lately.

"He would've liked this," he murmured.

"I hope so," I said.

"Oh, I can guarantee," he said. "He loved live music, but you already knew that. I used to take him down to the Music Hall to listen to local bands; he loved it. His face lit up every time he felt those drums shake the floor. I think that's what drew him to you. Music was always something he wanted to be good at, but it never came naturally."

He turned to me and smiled. "Thank you, Apollo," he said. "Sincerely. You're the kind of friend every kid dreams of having. I'm glad he got that, even if it was for a short time..." He paused. " I'm sorry you have to walk the rest of the way without him."

I glanced down at my shoes and nodded.

Jackson always said he was jealous of me for being able to play duets with my dad, but I was always jealous of the way his dad loved him. It was an unconditional type of love, and anyone who saw them together never doubted this. You would never know that Jackson was his adopted son. They were so alike, but I think that's because Jackson tried so hard to be just like his dad.

Mrs. Asher liked to say they were one and the same.

Jackson often complained about how much his dad coddled him, but he secretly liked this. He told me it made him feel wanted. He was the reason why Jackson asked to be adopted. He wanted to get rid of his old name and become part of his family. I think Mr. Asher was the person Jackson spent most of his life waiting for.

"I thought you should know," he began. "Amy and I have been discussing some things, and we're thinking it's time to move out of here."

"Oh," I said, raising my head.

"We've been wanting to leave for such a long time, but Jackson was always against the idea," he said. "He really liked it here, I couldn't take that away from him...Not after everything he went through."

"Yeah, that makes sense," I agreed.

"Are you performing?" He asked, and his eyes lit up.

I nodded. "A few classmates and I are playing a song."

He smiled, rubbing my back in a comforting way. Jackson was lucky to have him as his dad, even if it was for a short time.

"Apollo!" Shawn shouted from down the hall.

I pointed towards the practice room and said, "I have to—"

"Don't let me hold you up." Mr. Asher smiled.

I nodded and waved at Shawn to let him know I was coming. "I'll see you, Mr. Asher."

"Apollo," he started. "Come by the house sometime. There are some things we'd like you to have before we move out."