Linda: nervously wringing hands So, fuckin' hell, ya know? Your dad... he ain't who ya think he is! It was— a priest!
Douglas
WTF!
takes a deep breath Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but it's true, honey. It was just one night, but it changed everything.
Douglas
That’s not funny…that’s fucked up!
nods solemnly I know, kid. I never wanted you to find out like this. But your dad...he had a secret. He was a priest, and he got me pregnant.
Douglas
WHAT!
pauses, tears welling up in her eyes I was young and naive, and I didn't know what to do.
Douglas
Did you tell him?
sniffs, wipes away tears Yeah, I did. But you know what? He didn't care. He just denied it, said it was all a big mistake.
Douglas
What the fuck!?
angry, clenching fists And you know what he did then? He fucking disappeared, Douglas. Just vanished into thin air.
Douglas
THAT BASTARD!
voice trembling I was left alone, pregnant and scared.
Douglas
How dare he do that to you mom! I’m so sorry…
sniffs, wipes tears Thanks, honey. It means a lot to hear you say that.
Douglas
You shouldn’t have to cry….
sniffles Yeah, you're right. I don't wanna cry anymore. I've wasted enough tears on that prick. pauses Look, Douglas, I need you to promise me something.
Douglas
Sure, mom.
takes a deep breath Promise me that you'll be strong, and you won't let this define you.
Douglas
That’s easy. I can do that.
Douglas grows up with a fierce determination to find his father and hold him accountable for the pain he caused his mother.
Douglas
Then and only then will I forgive you.
eyes filled with hope Thank you, Douglas. That means the world to me. But remember, forgiveness isn't for him – it's for you.
Douglas
Mmhm.
stands up, wiping away the last of her tears Come on, let's get out of here. We both need some fresh air.
Douglas
Yeah.
grabs Douglas's hand and leads him outside Let's take a walk. Clear our heads and talk about something else.
Douglas
Ok.
starts walking briskly You know, when I met your dad, he was so charming and caring.
Douglas
How did you meet him?
pauses and smiles nostalgically Well, it was back in high school. We were both part of the debate team, and he had this charisma that just drew people in.
Douglas
I bet he was quite a character.
Oh, honey, he sure was. Always had a way with words and could make anyone laugh. pauses
Douglas
But he must’ve been hypocritical.
sighs deeply Yeah, he was a real hypocrite, wasn't he? Preaching about morals and values, yet living a life that was anything but.
Douglas
People like him ruin religion.
puts a hand on Douglas's shoulder You know what? You're absolutely right. People like him give religion a bad name.
Douglas
Yeah, it’s fucked up.
stops walking and looks at Douglas with determination You know what? We're not gonna let people like him ruin religion for us.
Douglas
No, we’re not.
smiles warmly Exactly, honey. We'll learn from our past and make sure we never become like him.
Douglas
Never.
walks with purpose And another thing, Douglas. We're gonna find your father and hold him accountable for what he did to our family.
Douglas
I’ll shake his hand off his money-making bullshit.
clenches her fists That's right, Douglas. We'll expose his lies and deceit, and make sure he pays for the pain he caused us.