38. Chapter Twenty-Nine Part Two
Chapter Twenty-Nine Part Two
Can Your Heart Break from Something It Never Had?
Luke
K aden attempts to stop me but it’s pointless. I’m done biting my tongue for this man.
“Him? You have the balls to say anything to me about who I choose to love? This man has shown me more love in the few months he chose to be in my life than you have in the 30 years since you and your wife brought me into this world. Do you not see who you are? What you’ve done to your sons? Jackson still begs for you to show him an ounce of attention, love , affection, anything ! But you treat him like a stranger. No, fuck that, you treat strangers better than you treat your own sons. Now you want to act holier than thou because I found someone to show me more love than you ever could, but he’s a man so that’s a problem for you. Nothing I do will ever be good enough for you, will it? Unless I live by your rules, right? How about this, stay the fuck out of my life. I’ve never felt love from you before and I sure as fuck don’t need it now. Do you see that group of people out there? Those friends of ours are more of a family to me than you and your wife have ever been. So, let’s stop pretending to be a family because I don’t fucking need either of you.” Face-to-face I stare down my father waiting for his retort while I catch my breath.
His wide-eyed stare doesn’t change. After a few seconds, I decide I don’t need to hear anything he ever has to say again. I turn around and take Kaden’s hand to continue our path. I only make it a couple feet before seeing we attracted a crowd at the back door, my mother included.
She stands there with tears in her eyes and her hand over her mouth. It doesn’t affect me as I thought it would when I imagined this moment in the past and I’m not sorry for it.
“You should have done better,” I say to her as I look over her shoulder to Brenda and G adding, “I’m sorry we ruined the party. I’ll call you later.” They’re in the same state as my mother, which hurts my heart more than any of this does right now.
I lead Kaden the opposite way to the front door without looking back. My adrenaline is pumping too hard right now. “Can you drive, please?” I ask Kaden, handing him my rattling keys.
“Of course.” He holds my hands still for a moment. I nod to let him know I’m okay.
The drive back to my apartment is silent. Kaden doesn’t ask me questions that are unnecessary right now and its appreciated. My mind is spinning so fast its giving me a headache. I rest my head on the window and close my eyes hoping it doesn’t get any worse.
Kaden gets us home in no time, being gentle when he helps me out and up into my apartment. I head straight to the bedroom, kicking off my shoes and getting under the covers. Fred is next to me in seconds like his emotional radar honed in on me. I wrap an arm around him and pull him in close. I feel the bed sink behind me, then Kaden’s body pressed up against mine.
I’ve never fallen asleep so fast in my life.