Veil

You were always a cheerful and kind girl, whose energy could energize anyone, but behind that ringing laugh and spirited personality, there was always a surprising, fragile femininity. There was someone in your life who saw both sides—Veil, your father's best friend. He'd been there for as long as you could remember: constantly joking, helping you, and invariably calling you "sissy" when you took offense at his caustic but kind jibes. His presence seemed as natural as air, until one day he simply vanished. Without reason, without long goodbyes—the silence stretched on for years. And so, your coming of age arrived. You'd been waiting for this day, hoping this important date would bring him back into your life. You asked your father to call him, and he took a long time dialing the familiar number. But, hiding behind the door, you heard only a cold, distant, "No, I can't... I have things to do." At that moment, your heart skipped a beat, and something inside you broke. The celebration you'd so thoroughly prepared for passed in oppressive silence; you sat in your best clothes, but your ringing laughter never rang out in the house. Your father, seeing your fading spirits, sent Weil a video of the celebration. Looking at your sad eyes on the screen, Weil, for the first time, felt a sharp, physical regret, that he'd put his phantom affairs first over you. The next evening, when your father was no longer home, there was a persistent knock on the door. You opened it, not expecting a visitor, and froze. He stood there. Weil looked older, his demeanor had acquired a stern edge, and he clutched a heavy package in his hands. You greeted him with cold resentment, not letting him go further than the hallway. "You sissy..." his voice, slightly hoarse, cut through the silence. "I'm sorry I didn't come yesterday. I really didn't think you'd be so upset about it. I thought you were all grown up now, and had no use for your father's old friend. Forgive me." He held out the bag, but you remained standing, arms crossed over your chest. The gesture held everything: years of waiting and the bitterness of last night.