Chapter Thirty-Seven
Aiden
I’m doing something stupid. I know I shouldn’t but I can’t get the image of my wife sobbing, asking why her family hates her, out of my head.
Every time I close my eyes, I see her tear-stained cheeks, her eyes filled with anguish.
I think about her as a child doing everything to earn her parents’ love, for them to throw it back in her face when she didn’t conform to their desires and beliefs.
I have to do something to wipe that picture from my head.
So I’m driving to her childhood home. I dropped her off at Bloom and Blossom and as far as she knows I’m on my way to the stadium for training.
Actually, I called Coach Mitch and told him I’m going to be late.
He knows what has been happening through Cassie and he was willing to give me a few hours as long as I work my ass off when I get back on the ice.
I didn’t tell anyone on the team about Lyndsey’s brother.
It isn’t my story to tell, but it’s probably a good thing I didn’t.
I know that, if I did, most of them would be in this car with me ready to confront the Stone family.
By the time I make it to Blue Ridge where Lyndsey grew up, I question coming alone.
I don’t know much about her dad. I could use some support but I’m so fuelled by my emotions that I push through.
Parking my car outside of the small family home, it looks incredibly normal.
I don’t know what I expected but I know what has happened behind those doors.
The hatred and anger. To a passer-by nothing would flag this house as out of the ordinary.
The lawn is trimmed and the car in the driveway is clean.
There is not a single thing out of place.
I walk up to the front door of the light blue single-storey house and take a calming breath before I knock on the door. Probably harder than I should. It takes a lot not to pound on it and demand entrance; whoever is inside should be thankful I’m holding on to my emotions.
The door swings open and my eyes drop to the man in front of me.
If it wasn’t for his ginger hair, the same light strawberry shade as my wife’s, I wouldn’t know that this is her father.
His hair is cut close to his scalp, his face is clean-shaven.
His eyes, a much darker hue than his daughter’s, look up at me with surprise.
“Ah. Aiden, come to visit your father-in-law, I see. Would you like to come in?” His voice is prim and proper. He drops the surprise from his face, trying to appear at ease, but I see his eye twitch slightly as I stare him down.
“Are you kidding?” I laugh at the absurdity. He is inviting me in like we are old friends. This is the man who kicked his daughter out for being gay and he expects me to be chummy with him. The level of delusion is diabolical.
“Excuse me?” he asks, incredulous. He even puts a hand to his chest as though he is offended. If that has offended him then he has no idea what is coming.
“How can you stand there and act like this is a normal occurrence for you? You are a disgrace.” I spit down at him, truly disgusted by him.
I see Lyndsey in my mind wishing for this man’s affection.
Just wanting her dad to hold her and guide her through life, and instead she was given scraps of affection from this man who thinks he is so morally superior.
My dad would be sick to see a man treating his children this way and my mom would be devastated to know how Lyndsey’s mom never stood up for her daughter.
“How dare you!” he splutters, but I refuse to let him try and excuse his behaviour.
“No! You are going to listen.” I put one hand on to the side of the door frame beside his head.
His beady eyes flick back and forth between my eyes and where my fingers dig into the wood.
“Your daughter has found people who love her and she doesn’t need you or your shit attitude any more.
I’m here to give you a warning. I hope you have nothing to do with what your son has done to my wife because if I found out you have been involved, hell, if I find out you even knew it was going on, I’m going to rake your reputation through the mud.
What will your church friends think to know your son is a criminal?
I don’t think that would be good for you.
” I mean it too. It would be nothing to add him to the restraining order if it came out that he knew about his son’s harassment.
Having a record when you are such a respected member of the community – well, that would ruin his squeaky-clean facade.
“Are you threatening me?” His skin flushes red now when he starts to shout, his eyes bulging.
“No, sir, I’m telling you. If Lyndsey gets one more text from anyone in this family, I’ll file a harassment suit.
I will throw everything I can at you until you are ruined.
Do I make myself clear?” I have money to spare and I’ll use it to bury this man in litigation.
Even if I know that no charges would ever come from it, I’ll hire the best lawyers to make sure he never financially recovers if I have to.
“It’s not my fault she is sick in the head. She let the devil in. She has always been a problem,” he sneers, spitting as he rants, but then his lips split into a sick grin. “Maybe marrying a good man might fix her sinning ways.”
I’m stunned silent. How can anyone talk about their child that way? He also hasn’t asked what his son did, all but confirming he knows what has been happening. Actually, he wants to stand here and make it out to be her fault. My hand tightens on the door frame, the wood creaking under the pressure.
“You make me sick.” I shake my head at him, I don’t know how a woman as amazing as my darlin’ came from a man like this.
“Lyndsey is a blessing, the best thing that has happened in my life, and I’m going to show her every day what it means to be loved unconditionally the way you should have.
I would walk through hell to make her smile and the fact you are going to miss out on her life is your own fault. You have no one to blame but yourself.”
“You can have her. She has no value to me.” He rolls his eyes. He rolls his fucking eyes. Like we are talking about a fucking casserole dish and not his own daughter. She isn’t a stock in a company, she is his flesh and blood, but somehow that isn’t valuable enough for him.
“I’m going to keep her and cherish her and I want you to know that your life will always be meaningless.
” I want to dig the knife in, cause him even a moment of the pain Lyndsey has suffered since she was kicked out of this very door all those years ago.
“Your legacy is a daughter who has prevailed through your bullshit and a son who’s drowning in debt.
You will be forgotten with nothing but your stupid pride to keep you warm at night. ”
With that I turn and walk away from him, leaving him shouting obscenities after me before I hear the door slam with enough force for the sound to echo.
A neighbour over the road is at his mailbox watching the scene unfold with his jaw hanging open.
I hope he tells every other neighbour what he saw.
The captain of the Seattle Spears putting Mr Stone in his place.
I hope they all whisper when he walks by, glare at him like gum on their shoes. I nod at the man as though giving him permission to gossip. I doubt Lyndsey’s parents will ever feel as shunned as she did but maybe, just maybe, they will feel the same shame they placed on their daughter.
I leave the Stone house without looking back and get into my car.
Coach Mitch doesn’t have to worry about me not being focused on the ice but the punching bags will be taking a beating.
Anyone who is forced to play against me today will be pushed to their limits.
I want to skate and I want to skate hard.
We have to travel for a game this weekend so I have a target to aim my raging emotions into.
By the time I make it home on Sunday I want to put this behind me.
I’m going to move forward with Lyndsey, no longer being tied down by the weight of blackmail or my grief.
Just me and her.
The next step is to make sure it stays that way. We just have to be open to it. I know I’m ready, so she’d better buckle up.