Chapter 8 #4
“Yes,” she conceded, “but I thought for sure you would walk away after all the abuse you suffered because of that family.”
“And maybe I have,” he clarified, “but I’ve also talked to Gail.”
Her expression hardened at that, saying, “I know you had a hate on for both of the sisters because of what they did to you. And who could blame you?”
He nodded. “I did, but, if I can find it in my heart to forgive them, I’ll ask you to forgive them as well.” When she immediately shook her head, he shrugged. “That is your choice of course, but I guess that’s for you to sort out.”
“The betrayal was pretty bad,” Gary pointed out.
“It was, but a ton of power and control issues were happening too,” he stated, glancing at his mom.
She glared at him and announced, “You cannot in any way compare me to Gail’s parents. They are the worst of the worst.”
He laughed. “I won’t argue that. They’re definitely difficult, worse for sure, and that makes it very hard for people to understand. Yet, in the end, they are also just people.”
She stared at him and muttered, “I don’t even know what to say.”
“That’s okay,” he told her cheerfully. “I’m not asking you to say anything. I’m not telling you anything. I’m just saying that, at the moment, Gail and I are talking.”
His mother frowned, but the good thing was that she stayed quiet.
Yet she did look over at Gary, and he just raised an eyebrow at her, as if to say, Ease back.
She sighed. “So, Gary convinced me to not cancel our vacation. Will I see you at all during this visit before we leave on our trip? Will you be staying around? Will you be here when we get back? Do you know what you’re doing now? ”
“I don’t know yet,” he acknowledged. “Everything I had from before is in storage. I don’t know where I’m going or what I’m doing at the moment, so I don’t have an answer for you, at least not right now. Yet, and yes, I plan to see you before you and Gary leave.”
She nodded. “Will you try to find out what happened to that young man?” she asked. “That sounds very dangerous, and I would not be happy.”
“That’s my job, and I don’t care if you’re happy or not,” he stated, turning to her.
“Remember that I’m not your little boy anymore.
” He nodded, when she pursed her lips. “I have a shit ton of experience in this kind of work, and, yeah, I do think I’ll figure out what happened to Timmy.
” She blinked. “Just because you want a change doesn’t mean everybody wants that change.
Some people need to rebuild and to find themselves again.
That’s where I’m at. I’ll make that decision when I’m ready. ”
“How is you looking after that dog or going back into those tunnels safe for you?” She grimaced. “You’re injured, for God’s sake.”
He gave her a wry look. “Remember that this is exactly why you could not be in the hospital with me.”
She snapped, “Are you telling me that you’re not injured? Are you telling me that I shouldn’t be worried?”
“Doesn’t matter if I tell you or not,” he pointed out, “because you will be. But what I can tell you is how that behavior won’t get you very far right now, not with me, not anymore. I have to protect myself, and I have to do that in any way I can. Remember that I am fine.”
“Surely you can’t be protecting yourself from me?” she asked in astonishment.
“Listen to what you just said,” he suggested.
“Look at how you just now treated me for doing something you deem dangerous. Don’t you see that, rather than listening to you argue with me every time I go on a mission, I’ll just stop coming here?
Don’t think for a second that I’ll tell you what I’m doing if you’ll just tell me that I can’t do it.
Remember, the whole reason for my doing rehab was to get me back to being strong and independent. ”
She argued, her nostrils flaring, “You’re still injured.”
He laughed. “No, I’m not still injured. I have recovered in rehab,” he argued, still smiling. “Everything that can be surgically fixed has been done. This is the new reality, and I’m okay with that.”
She didn’t know what to say. It was obvious that she still wanted to say more.
Riley rose. “Instead of staying for coffee, I can see that I’ve caused enough kerfuffle for the moment.
I will leave you two in peace and will contact you tomorrow.
” She tried to protest, and he shook his head.
“No, I think this is a good time for me to go.” With that, he smiled at Gary, gave his mom another hug, then not giving her a chance to say anything at all, he walked out. Cain romped happily at his side.
As soon as he sat in the vehicle, he let out a sigh—a gentle, easy sigh, signifying a sense of relief.
Then he headed for his brother’s place. He’d only gotten maybe five minutes from where his brother’s driveway was when he got a phone call.
He quickly pulled off the side of the road, seeing Jeremy’s house up just around the corner, and answered it.
It was the old man from the pub. “You have any luck?” Derek asked, his voice hesitant.
“I did. I have the dog.”