Categories > Cartoons > Delilah and Julius > The Last Night
"'Dad'?" Julius asked, his mouth hanging open.
But Delilah wasn't listening. She had rushed past him, and was standing a few feet from her father. Tears filled her eyes. "Dad ..."
Phineas gingerly got to his feet, towering at least a foot over his daughter. There was a brief moment of absolute stillness before Delilah threw herself into her father's arms. He grunted in surprise before hugging her back awkwardly. Now there was only unsettling silence.
Al nudged Scarlett and the pair quietly slipped out of the room. Julius lingered for a moment, before following them. As he walked out of the room, he tried to ignore the tight feeling in his stomach. Was it really fair that after all this time Delilah got her father back? Why did she get her parents back?
No, no, stop it, he told himself. Stop being jealous.
Jealous? Was he really jealous of her? As her best friend, he should be happy for her! But no. Walking down the hallway, his jaw set firmly, eyebrows furrowed and fists clenched, he knew he was angry. And he had good reason. His parents had been gone, dead, for eleven years, and now Delilah got her father back. How fair was that? Her parents were accused of being double agents, for Christ's sake! At least his folks had gone down honourably, taking the bad guy with them. But Delilah's? Her's had just disappeared, without a trace. Her father was back. He'd give anything to have his dad back.
Stop thinking like that. You know it's impossible. Don't even go there. Save yourself the pain.
---------------------------------------------------------------
[Three hours later]
Julius, who had been dozing, woke up to a soft knock on his door. He sat up in bed, rubbed his eyes, and forced himself to walk to the door. The person on the other side was not who he expected to see.
"Hey, Jules," Delilah said, smiling widely.
He leaned up against the frame of the door. "Aren't you supposed to be spending quality time with Daddy?" he asked, trying to keep the malice out of his voice.
Her grin faded. "Oh. I see. Look, I'm sorry I blew you off earlier, but I haven't seen my dad for over a decade, you know? You would have done the same thing."
As soon as she said that, his eyes narrowed, and she knew she'd messed up. "But I won't ever get the chance to do that, will I?" he asked sarcastically, sneering.
"I see I've come at a bad time," she murmured, and turned to leave.
Oh God, why do I always have to turn into a jerk? Julius reached out and caught her shoulder. "Wait a minute. I'm sorry I said that. It's just ... kind of hard to get my head around, right? Forgive me?"
She hugged him quickly. "Always. Come on, I wanted you to meet my dad."
His stomach twisted into a knot. "I don't know it that's such a good idea ..."
"Nonsense! He wants to get to know you. Now, come on!"
She took his hand and led him down the hallway. Every time she touched him, his heart skipped a beat. This time was no different. Good; it meant he was mad at her father, and not his partner.
On the couch in the lounge sat a heavily bandaged Mr Phineas Devonshire. Julius almost felt pity for him because of his extensive wounds, but reminded himself that, even though his body was damaged, his mind must be leaping for joy - now that he was safe at the Academy with his long-lost daughter. When they entered the room, Phineas stood up.
"You must be Julius!" he greeted, a little too enthusiastically. "Delilah's told me so much about you!"
Doubtful. You don't even know my last name.
Phineas offered him his hand, and Julius reluctantly took it. As they shook hands, Julius couldn't help but notice how Delilah's father's eyes traveled over his body, as if sizing him up. It made him uncomfortable ... and wary. After an awkward silence, Phineas withdrew his hand.
"So tell me, my boy, where are your parents?" he asked.
"Delilah's told me so much about you!" Yeah, right. Julius had to refrain from answering sardonically, so he gave Phineas the straight answer: "Dead." Good delivery. Not mocking, not sad, but flat and to the point, with just a pinch of anger.
Delilah's cheeks reddened as her father blinked a few times. "De - oh, that's a terrible shame. How long?"
"Pardon?" Julius replied, with the same monotonous voice.
Phineas' fingers intertwined, indicating he was nervous. Excellent. "How long have ... your parents ... been ... gone?" he stammered, trying to maintain his composure.
"Eleven years," Julius answered, showing a touch more anger in his voice. "May we please change the subject?" he asked politely, with the irritation and cynicism still apparent.
"Erm, yes, of course," Phineas agreed. "Touchy subject, I understand. So ... are you and my daughter ..."-- Julius knew what was coming, and cringed --"... dating?"
"Dad!" Delilah gasped, her face glowing red. "Dad, really. I told you no already."
Phineas turned to his daughter. "I know, dear, I know. I just wanted to make sure you weren't ... covering anything up. Like if you were pregnant, or -"
"Dad!"
Julius could see this conversation was headed down hill. He needed to get away, and fast, before he said something he'd regret. In fact, he had to literally bite his tongue so he wouldn't blurt out some sarcastic comment that could land him in hot water.
His saving grace came as Scarlett's voice echoed over the PA system. "Julius Chevalier to the Big Man's office, please,"
Breathing a silent sigh of relief, he got to his feet. "Well, perhaps we can continue this charming conversation some other time, hm?"
Phineas nodded slowly, unsure, and still embarrassed. "Yes, of course. See you around, Julius,"
Once his back was to Phineas, Julius' face twisted into a mix of outrage, annoyance and satisfaction. He had gotten the best of Delilah's father this round, but, if Phineas was anything like his daughter, he'd be out for revenge.
Inside Al's office, he found Scarlett and the Academy Head sitting in chairs waiting for him. "Whoa," he murmured. "Is this a casual talk or am I under investigation?"
"It's more like an intervention," Scarlett replied.
Julius raised his eyebrows. "What?" he asked flatly.
Al coughed. "Y'see, kiddo, we couldn't help but, erm, overhear your little get-together with Delilah and her old man."
"Do you have me bugged?" Julius demanded.
Scarlett tried to calm him down. "No, no, no, kitten. Every room in the Academy is bugged, y'dig?"
He sighed, but let them continue. "Go on,"
"Well," Al began, "Scarlett and I think it's best ... based on your first encounter with Dee's daddio ... that you possibly stay away from him ... and her, if they're together ... until you can, like, not bite their heads off,"
Julius couldn't believe this. First, Delilah's father returns, somehow tearing at the friendship bond the partners had. And now, he wasn't to see her if she was near her father. Which she would be. For days and days.
Things just keep getting better and better, he grumbled to himself as he left Al's office.
But Delilah wasn't listening. She had rushed past him, and was standing a few feet from her father. Tears filled her eyes. "Dad ..."
Phineas gingerly got to his feet, towering at least a foot over his daughter. There was a brief moment of absolute stillness before Delilah threw herself into her father's arms. He grunted in surprise before hugging her back awkwardly. Now there was only unsettling silence.
Al nudged Scarlett and the pair quietly slipped out of the room. Julius lingered for a moment, before following them. As he walked out of the room, he tried to ignore the tight feeling in his stomach. Was it really fair that after all this time Delilah got her father back? Why did she get her parents back?
No, no, stop it, he told himself. Stop being jealous.
Jealous? Was he really jealous of her? As her best friend, he should be happy for her! But no. Walking down the hallway, his jaw set firmly, eyebrows furrowed and fists clenched, he knew he was angry. And he had good reason. His parents had been gone, dead, for eleven years, and now Delilah got her father back. How fair was that? Her parents were accused of being double agents, for Christ's sake! At least his folks had gone down honourably, taking the bad guy with them. But Delilah's? Her's had just disappeared, without a trace. Her father was back. He'd give anything to have his dad back.
Stop thinking like that. You know it's impossible. Don't even go there. Save yourself the pain.
---------------------------------------------------------------
[Three hours later]
Julius, who had been dozing, woke up to a soft knock on his door. He sat up in bed, rubbed his eyes, and forced himself to walk to the door. The person on the other side was not who he expected to see.
"Hey, Jules," Delilah said, smiling widely.
He leaned up against the frame of the door. "Aren't you supposed to be spending quality time with Daddy?" he asked, trying to keep the malice out of his voice.
Her grin faded. "Oh. I see. Look, I'm sorry I blew you off earlier, but I haven't seen my dad for over a decade, you know? You would have done the same thing."
As soon as she said that, his eyes narrowed, and she knew she'd messed up. "But I won't ever get the chance to do that, will I?" he asked sarcastically, sneering.
"I see I've come at a bad time," she murmured, and turned to leave.
Oh God, why do I always have to turn into a jerk? Julius reached out and caught her shoulder. "Wait a minute. I'm sorry I said that. It's just ... kind of hard to get my head around, right? Forgive me?"
She hugged him quickly. "Always. Come on, I wanted you to meet my dad."
His stomach twisted into a knot. "I don't know it that's such a good idea ..."
"Nonsense! He wants to get to know you. Now, come on!"
She took his hand and led him down the hallway. Every time she touched him, his heart skipped a beat. This time was no different. Good; it meant he was mad at her father, and not his partner.
On the couch in the lounge sat a heavily bandaged Mr Phineas Devonshire. Julius almost felt pity for him because of his extensive wounds, but reminded himself that, even though his body was damaged, his mind must be leaping for joy - now that he was safe at the Academy with his long-lost daughter. When they entered the room, Phineas stood up.
"You must be Julius!" he greeted, a little too enthusiastically. "Delilah's told me so much about you!"
Doubtful. You don't even know my last name.
Phineas offered him his hand, and Julius reluctantly took it. As they shook hands, Julius couldn't help but notice how Delilah's father's eyes traveled over his body, as if sizing him up. It made him uncomfortable ... and wary. After an awkward silence, Phineas withdrew his hand.
"So tell me, my boy, where are your parents?" he asked.
"Delilah's told me so much about you!" Yeah, right. Julius had to refrain from answering sardonically, so he gave Phineas the straight answer: "Dead." Good delivery. Not mocking, not sad, but flat and to the point, with just a pinch of anger.
Delilah's cheeks reddened as her father blinked a few times. "De - oh, that's a terrible shame. How long?"
"Pardon?" Julius replied, with the same monotonous voice.
Phineas' fingers intertwined, indicating he was nervous. Excellent. "How long have ... your parents ... been ... gone?" he stammered, trying to maintain his composure.
"Eleven years," Julius answered, showing a touch more anger in his voice. "May we please change the subject?" he asked politely, with the irritation and cynicism still apparent.
"Erm, yes, of course," Phineas agreed. "Touchy subject, I understand. So ... are you and my daughter ..."-- Julius knew what was coming, and cringed --"... dating?"
"Dad!" Delilah gasped, her face glowing red. "Dad, really. I told you no already."
Phineas turned to his daughter. "I know, dear, I know. I just wanted to make sure you weren't ... covering anything up. Like if you were pregnant, or -"
"Dad!"
Julius could see this conversation was headed down hill. He needed to get away, and fast, before he said something he'd regret. In fact, he had to literally bite his tongue so he wouldn't blurt out some sarcastic comment that could land him in hot water.
His saving grace came as Scarlett's voice echoed over the PA system. "Julius Chevalier to the Big Man's office, please,"
Breathing a silent sigh of relief, he got to his feet. "Well, perhaps we can continue this charming conversation some other time, hm?"
Phineas nodded slowly, unsure, and still embarrassed. "Yes, of course. See you around, Julius,"
Once his back was to Phineas, Julius' face twisted into a mix of outrage, annoyance and satisfaction. He had gotten the best of Delilah's father this round, but, if Phineas was anything like his daughter, he'd be out for revenge.
Inside Al's office, he found Scarlett and the Academy Head sitting in chairs waiting for him. "Whoa," he murmured. "Is this a casual talk or am I under investigation?"
"It's more like an intervention," Scarlett replied.
Julius raised his eyebrows. "What?" he asked flatly.
Al coughed. "Y'see, kiddo, we couldn't help but, erm, overhear your little get-together with Delilah and her old man."
"Do you have me bugged?" Julius demanded.
Scarlett tried to calm him down. "No, no, no, kitten. Every room in the Academy is bugged, y'dig?"
He sighed, but let them continue. "Go on,"
"Well," Al began, "Scarlett and I think it's best ... based on your first encounter with Dee's daddio ... that you possibly stay away from him ... and her, if they're together ... until you can, like, not bite their heads off,"
Julius couldn't believe this. First, Delilah's father returns, somehow tearing at the friendship bond the partners had. And now, he wasn't to see her if she was near her father. Which she would be. For days and days.
Things just keep getting better and better, he grumbled to himself as he left Al's office.
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