30. Anthony And Daphne Fight

"I'm sorry, Mr. and Miss Bridgerton. Your father's not going to make it."

Things weren't better when I woke up the next morning, which slightly alarmed me. I'd gone to bed with chest pains tons of times before…. but this is the first time I remember waking up with them still there. Simon was at my bedside while Eloise kept bringing me water consistently. We'd just got word that Anthony's taxi had arrived; Benedict went down to the lobby to meet him. You'd think I was on life-support by the way he burst through the door.

"Baby sis!" Without acknowledging Simon or Eloise, Anthony rushed over to my side. He took one of my hands in both of his. Trying to act cheery, I put on a small grin for him. "Hi, big bro." It was then that he sighed and looked over to Simon. "Thank you for taking care of my sister." The duke perked up, his hands clasped anxiously behind his back. "O-Oh, no trouble. I just want her to feel better." "So do I," our brother's eyes returned back to me. Anthony set my hand down back onto the bed and stood up in that usual dominant position of his.

"Right. You are going to a doctor- now." I sat up a little in bed, not taking my eyes off him. "I don't need a doctor." "Clearly you do! Now get up and get dressed. I've found a doctor roughly ten minutes away who can see you this morn-….." I cut him off with a stern glare. "I said I don't need a doctor. This will pass; it always does. I don't want to make a big deal out of this. There's nothing the doctor can do anyway right now; you know that." "Then we'll go to the hospital," he rebuffed. "That's not necessary. I'll be fine; just give me a couple of hours. I'll be back to normal soon."

No one said anything, though all eyes were nervously fixed on Anthony. His, meanwhile, were locked solid onto me. His back was stiff as a board, his mouth the thinnest line it could possibly be, and his hands clenched into fists. We hadn't seen him this mad since that night Nigel accosted me- well, maybe not "that mad" but still really angry. It took a minute, but soon enough his pursed lips parted a centimetre.

"You sound like Dad."

My forefinger twitched heatedly. I frowned. "No, I don't." "Yes, you do. You sound just like him." "Don't bring Daddy into this!" I yelled, growing ever more livid. "You begged him for years to visit a doctor! What? You think we're deaf? You don't think we heard all those times you pleaded with him to see his doctor or follow her advice?! You and I argued with him more than anyone else on this! I saw you! I saw you, Daphne! I was there! You were just as worried as me up until the end, and look at you now! You learned nothing from watching him stuggle! Not a single, goddamn thing!" Anthony roared. I think the only one in the room now who wasn't terrified of him was me. Anthony could yell, but I was never afraid of him. On the contrary, I saw up fully in bed so to counter his verbal attack properly. We glared at each other.

"That's not true! I've been going to my regular appointments back in Brussels and I follow the doctor's advice. I'm doing what I begged Daddy to do all those years ago!" "Are you on medication? Is that "advice" you're following from the doctor?" My eldest brother harshly countered. I paused, still frowning, while Simon blinked to Eloise perplexed. "Medication? There's medication you can take for your condition?" Oh no… I winced. Why? Just why did he have to bring "that" up, of all things?

"Of course there's medication! See?! You are just like Dad! He refused up until the end to be on any meds, and look where that got him!" Anthony's voice raised more, if that were possible. I'm sure the other hotel guests could hear us by now. My hands curled into fists as well, enraged. "I don't need medication. I can take care of my condition myself. Daddy drank and smoked a lot of cigars! I don't do any of that stuff! We're not in the same situation!"

"You're right; yours is worse! Daddy didn't show any signs until he was over forty. You're not even thirty and it's already this bad! Yes, you don't do all the aggravating stuff Dad did, but objectively your condition is the worse of the two. You're not going to get better, Daphne; it's only downhill from here. Your heart will never be as strong as it once was," Anthony stated with undeniability. I watched him for another second, then lowered my eyes down a bit. "I know that… But I don't want to live with this constantly dominating over my life either. If I go see a doctor every time I have chest pains or starry vision…. I don't want to live like that, Anthony! I don't want to have to take even more pills than I already am for the rest of my life! It's enough!" Benedict and Eloise blinked in surprise. "More pills? You're already taking other medication?" Benedict asked. I don't blame him for being confused. Only Anthony and I knew that I was on medication to stop my period permanently. While this puzzled them, it only went to fan my brother's rage even more. Anthony's arms stiffened at his sides in a visible show of frustration.

"Selfish… I can't believe how selfish you are," he hissed at me. Benny took a step his way, raising his hand up a little. "Bro," our second oldest brother pleaded for me. But Anthony was having none of it. He just kept on glaring in my direction, breathing heavily. "You know what happened with Dad! He could have lived twenty years longer if he had just taken better care of himself. Now he's gone! He won't be there to see any of us get married or have children. Dad's gonna miss it all, when he could have been there! It's not just about you, Daphne! What about our siblings?! You gonna make them stand by and watch another family member die before their time? Your chances of living to old age are already low. Why make the situation worse than it already is?! See, this is why Dad was so keen on getting you married while you're still in your twenties!" "Anthony!" I cried, but he continued. "He didn't want you to become like him. He could see this coming from a mile away!" "No, he couldn't!" "Yes, he could! That's why you need someone around, baby sister; that's why you need someone there to look after you. Dad was lucky enough to have us, but you're not in his position!

You clearly can't take care of yourself!"

Another very tense silence permeated the hotel room. No one dared make a peep or even a move. I did notice the expression on Simon's face change, however. It was from genuine concern to confliction, like he was at war with himself over something- and I had no idea what that might be about. I would have asked if he was alright but there were bigger concerns needing my attention at the moment.

I looked up at Anthony for I don't know how long, feeling this surge of mixed, powerful emotions bubble inside me. I was so irate in that instance- I'd never felt such pure, unfiltered anger towards my brother. And my father, as well. These men… These controlling men who see and treat me as nothing but a little girl. A child to be carried and carted along throughout life, never to worry or act for myself. It was then that I realized they'd never see me as an equal. Well, no wait; scratch that. I realized that when Daddy put that damn marriage clause in his will.

I would never be on the same level as our father in my brother's eyes. That's the way Daddy raised him. A part of me wished Anthony would change, but another part knew he never would. This is how the men in my family show love to their loved ones, ironic as that may sound. Daddy put that clause in for me to get married, but he left me ninety percent of the monetary inheritance. Anthony talks to me like this, but everyone knows I'm his favourite sibling- just like how I was Daddy's favourite child. They only act this way because they love me; they love me more than anything else on this planet. And yet, the problem is that I'm a woman, and neither of them know how to deal with that in a healthy manner. They've equated "female" with glass doll my whole life…. regardless of the contradictory evidence I've shown them. I shouldn't like them, I should downright hate them; I had very good reason too. Any rational, self-respecting woman would, and rightly so. But….. But….. "You have to remember… just always remember how much I love you. No matter what happens going forward… know I love you; I loved you first. That'll never change, pumpkin." I can't help it: I love them. Daddy was my favourite man in the world until the day he died, and Anthony….. I know it's probably wrong and twisted and bad for me, but I just can't help myself.

I love these men of mine.

After a very long pause, I relaxed my bunched-up shoulders and let out a worn-out sigh. My eyes shut with some dramatics. Why keep on waging war, when he's fighting it for me?

"I'll go see the doctor."