Chapter Text
David Hollander was a sweet, albeit reserved man. He wasn't one to go out of his way to meet new people or make new friends. His wife Yuna, on the other hand, was a force of nature. She was confident, self-assured, and always had a plan for any situation. Truth be told, she had multiple plans for every situation. Well, almost every situation.
Naturally it was Yuna that made the first move in their relationship, and David wouldn't have preferred it any other way. He never liked being the one to make decisions. Analysis Paralysis Yuna so affectionally called it. She never meant it in a mean way, but David knew that it wasn't one of his better qualities. It was another trait in a long list of his personal shortcomings that he hoped his son wouldn't inherit. In fact, if it were up to David, Shane would inherit everything from his mother, and nothing of his, except maybe his height.
From the moment Shane was born, he was the light of his father’s life. He was beautiful, and as David had hoped, Shane looked almost exactly like his mother. Jet black hair, deep brown eyes filled with wonder and curiosity, and even the speckling of freckles across his face, the same ones David had been so insecure about on himself, on Shane only seemed to accentuate his beauty. Gazing into his son's eyes, David saw reflected back all of the hopes and dreams he had for Shane. He saw a whole universe of possibilities amongst the constellations of freckles mapped across his cheeks. Shane had a whole life ahead of him, and David couldn't wait to see how that life would unfold.
Unfortunately, the universe was not so benevolent when it came to David’s possibilities. It was the first time Shane was sick, and the first time David had seen anything resembling fear on his wife’s face. With every high-pitched wail his son let out, David’s heart broke a little more. After calling their family doctor and finding out the only thing he could do for him was to give him Tylenol, David got into the car and drove to the nearest Rexall.
It was raining hard for the first time in months, and the roads were slick. And David was driving so fast, nothing on his mind but his sick infant son, and that look of terror and helplessness on Yuna’s face. His mind was preoccupied with his family, and when the truck in the opposite lane ahead of him slid into his lane, he had only seconds to decide. Do I swerve right and crash into the ravine? Or left into the other lane? If I go left, and the truck corrects, we collide. If I go right into the ravine I -
He was out of time. Analysis Paralysis. The truck slammed into David’s car, completely crushing the tiny Toyota as the larger, lifted truck slid overtop. The driver of the truck would go on to survive with only minor injuries.
David should have been around to watch his son grow up. He should have been there on his first birthday, taking pictures of his delighted crooked smile, covered in cake icing. He should have been there calming his nerves and holding his hand as he walked him into his first day of school. He should have been there to hear about his first crush, to comfort him after his first breakup. To watch him marry the love of his life and have children of his own.
But David would get to do none of those things. Because David died right there on that rain slick road, alone, while his wife and son were at home, waiting for him to come back.