Sequel: You Are Loved, Baby.

Shattered Secrets

26.

Greg stalked off angrily and my father sent me a confused look. I just shook my head, silently asking him not to question. But knowing my father, he did just the opposite. "What's going on between you and Greg?"

I just shrugged like I was still a teenage girl who had been caught doing something bad and my father made sure to treat me that way. Work obviously wasn't important when it came to me.

"Nissa Georgia Chambers..." My father warned, using my full name. He motioned for me to get up and follow him into his office. Family drama was kept away from the other employees.

That caused me to groan and do what he silently asked of me. I turned around once I entered and looked at him blankly. "Don't you have something important to be doing, Dad? Like saving people from living in prison for the rest of their lives?"

My father gave me a pointed look and I sighed. "I broke up with him," I stated calmly, not meeting his questioning gaze.

"But why?" Dad asked, looking even more confused than I had ever seen.

"Because. We had a fight and he said some shit that I didn't want to hear," I said rudely. Getting my point across that I didn't want to talk about this.

"What did he say, Nissa?"

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it, Dad."

"Nissa."

"Dad."

He groaned. "As your boss, as both of your bosses, I should stay out it. But as your father and his almost father-in-law I deserve to know why it's all been called off."

I closed my eyes. I bit my lip. I thought about what happened that day and then my thoughts traveled to what happened that night. I smiled to myself and then tried to wipe off of my face. I thought about what Greg had told me, had yelled at me. What he had implied and the anger that I had for him because of it.

"I had come back from the Movies with Brian. He took Bronx and I to see that owl movie. Greg was in my house. He didn't like that Brian was with. He told me that he couldn't complete with Syn. He told me that I had chosen Avenged over him and then..." I stopped, not sure if I should continue. I didn't want Greg fired...

"Go on, Niss," my dad coaxed.

I sighed, took a deep breath and continued, "He said that if it came to it... that I'd chose the band over Bronx. That I care more about Avenged's music than anything in the world. Even my son." I looked up to my Dad. He was fuming.

"Was Bronx there?" he asked in a sickly calm voice.

"Dad, I-"

"Answer the question, Nissa."

I bit my lip. "Not in the room," I tried to explain, "but, yeah. He was upstairs."

I jumped from my seat when my Dad charged forward, towards the hallway and Greg. He threw his office door open and rocket out, catching both the ladies by surprise.

"Dad, no!" I shouted, following after him. I grabbed onto his arm and tried to pull him back but he wouldn't have it. He kept walking forward towards Greg's office. The other employes froze when they saw my father coming. He wasn't the type to get mad, but when he did it was drastic. So everyone knew that something was up.

"Dad! Just stop!"

But he ignored me and charged into Greg's office. "How dare you!" my father shouted, pointing an accusative finger at the short-haired man behind the desk.

"Excuse me?" Greg questioned, standing up and looking between my father and I.

"I said how dare you would even say that my daughter would pick some band over her child! Especially when he's in the house!" my dad yelled, taking a step towards Greg threateningly. I reached out and pulled him back by his arm. Dad glowered.

Understanding flooded Greg's eyes and then he rolled his eyes, "Bronx couldn't hear anything," Greg defended, posture rigid, but not combative.

"You don't know that!" my father cried, "How dare you say things about my daughter and my grandson." He wasn't going to let Greg get off of the hook. He was going to make him admit his wrongs. Like he used to with Juliann and I when we were growing up.

I looked behind me, from where I stood in the doorway of Greg's small office I could see everyone, all the lawyers, looking at our little show. I groaned softly. I took a step forward, claiming the mens' attention.

"Dad, I dumped him," I tried to calm him, "That's enough. I already had to stop Brian from doing this same thing, so please, just relax. We don't need to cause a scene here. Brian and I took care of it."

My dad gave me a disbelieving look as Greg grunted once more. "This Brian guy got in his face?" he asked, rigidly turning to me slightly.

I nodded. "Brian stuck up for both of us, Dad. You don't need to worry about it."

A faint smile-like grimace came over my Dad's face. "Well, good for him," he said, the words intended to be aimed directly at Greg.

"Oh, god," I muttered, running my fingers through my hair, "Yeah, Dad, can we get back to work now?"

My dad nodded but then turned to Greg despite what I wanted. "I should fire you," he said, his eyes dark and threatening, "But I won't. But if you ever talk about my daughter like that, Greg, or say anything that could ever heart my grandson, Brian won't be the only one jumping at the chance to hurt you."

I let out a breath and silently followed my father from the room. Greg remained standing there, looking surprised by all of it, but upset that it had come to this. The people in the desks outside the room went back to what they were doing quickly, not wanting to be subjected to my father's wrath.

For the rest of the afternoon Maggie pelted me with questions about Syn. "What was he like."

"Is he rude like some people say he is?"

"Is he nice to Bronx?"

"Is he a kid person?"

and finally, "Is he as sexy in person?"

And to all those I answered honestly, hoping to share with her a piece of the incredible opportunity that was handed to me.

"He's sweet and charming."

"Nope, he's the complete opposite. But sure, he has his arrogant side."

"He's amazing to Bronx."

"I think so."

"He's even more sexy in person, Mags. Trust me, you're computer screen does no justice."

Around 11:30, my Dad came walking out of his office for lunch. The same time we went every day before I had to go pick up Bronx at 12:40. I gathered my things, told the girls that I would see them tomorrow and left. But before I did Maggie encouraged me to bring Syn in with me tomorrow, as if it was show and tell.

I chuckled and nodded like I actually was going to do that. My dad and I each drove our own cars to this little Tai food restaurant that wasn't too far away. The whole way there I was tuned into JRock, hoping that they would replay the interview from earlier. And to my luck they did.

It was basically just the guys talking about how amazing their tour had been and all the fans and people they had met. I grinned at the sincerity in their voices and the excitement of another piece of their legacy behind them. Then they moved onto the topic of Jimmy. I sighed, sadness taking over my emotions as I heard the guy's voice lower and become harder and cracked.

"Synyster, how hard was it getting back up on stage with out the man that you've known since early childhood?" The interviewer asked politely and I could tell that he didn't really want to be the one to ask such intimate questions.

"Well, I did it, you know?" Brian murmured, "But I wasn't without him. He was always there watching down on us. He's always with us, man. We didn't do it without him... we did it for him."

I shut my radio off as I pulled into the restaurant behind my father. I got out of my car and locked it, my mood slightly dampened by the upsetting turn that the interview had taken. I wandered into the building with my Dad. We took our seats and soon enough two bowls of food was being placed in front of either of us. I ate mine greedily. Taking big bites so that my father wouldn't have a chance to ask me about anything else. Anything that had to do with Brian. But no matter what I did, my Dad always seemed to find away around it or more like bulldoze through it.

"I expect to meet this Brian kid," he stated randomly in between bites. Making me choke and look up at him in shock.

"Dad-" I stuttered, struggling to swallow my food, "He's just a friend."

My dad nodded, then added, "That being so, I still want to meet the kid."

I couldn't get my jaw to close, instead I said stupidly, "He's hardly a kid, Dad."

My father rolled with it. "Well, how old is this guy then?"

"28," I answered, watching for his reaction.

My dad nodded and rested his arms on the table. "He's a man then," he said, surprising me with his words, "That's good, Niss, you need one in your life."

I laughed slightly and shook my head at him. "If you say so, Pops."

A permanent smile stayed with me the whole I was with my father and when I turned to go and he pulled me into a hug and kissed my forehead like fathers do, there was a grin etched onto my face as I told him I loved him back.

"Go get that baby boy," My dad sighed, releasing me.

I smiled and pulled away from him. "I'll see you tomorrow."
♠ ♠ ♠
Hey guys.
I've got an infected tooth so I'm not doing anything today.
I don't know how much I'll be up to writing anything today.

I've got a phobia of dentists and that's where I'm going tomorrow. So... :/
And I'm really worried because Novocain doesn't work on me... (It's a rare but it doesn't affect some people.)
So tomorrow I have to fight pain with pain. Crap.

I'll update if I feel up to it, but I think I'm going to try to get some sleep. I was up all night. Give me a few comments?