Chapter Nine – The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived #2
“He shouldn’t have been with us,” I said. “He was losing his shit. Not focused.”
“Will?” Dad’s surprise was well justified.
Will was a solid wall. Steady and calm. He loved two things on this earth—being a SEAL and his son.
Nothing could distract him from either of those.
Irritation flared because if anyone was to blame for what had happened, it was Althea. Will’s baby mama had cost him his life.
“He’d just gotten news that Althea had overdosed.”
“Shit,” Dad uttered. “Is she okay? Where’s Theo? Why didn’t anyone call us?”
“She died.” Dad’s eyes widened. “Child Services took Theo into foster care because Althea didn’t have any emergency contact listed for him besides Will.
They put him in some damn group home until Will could get back.
HQ was working to get him shipped stateside, but we had this mission they deemed critical first.”
“There’s always one more critical mission.” Dad’s voice was dry and sarcastic.
We let it set between us. Dad had always been open about the mission that had nearly cost him his life along with his teammates.
He and Runner had left the military after it had gone horribly wrong.
His pal Nash hadn’t taken it lightly, calling Dad a quitter when SEALs were known for doing anything but quit.
I’d been a little kid, not more than Theo’s age, but I had vague memories of that time, of Dad’s quiet, simmering anger and grief.
Eventually, Nash had left the teams too, and he and Dad had picked up a friendship that might not have made it otherwise.
The man ran some flower farm in Georgia now.
I scoffed silently. From SEAL to flowers.
Will and I had sworn that would never be us. We were lifers—in until they kicked our creaky, crotchety asses out.
But Will had caved…with a single phone call about his son. He was going to leave .
And he’d wanted one last mission to remember it by.
I rubbed a hand over my face before meeting my dad’s gaze once more.
We were alike in so many ways. We had the same gray eyes and dark hair.
The same square jaw, tall frame, and wide shoulders.
But I’d never wanted to be like him in this way, leaving the life I’d devoted myself to because of one mission gone bad.
“He left me in charge of Theo.”
Dad’s face all but bled compassion. I couldn’t take it. I got up and paced the room.
“What the hell do I know about taking care of a kid? He left me in charge of everything. That goddamn fortune he inherited from his parents is in some sort of trust for Theo, but I’m in charge of it too.
I know as much about managing money as I do raising a kid!
” I shoved my fist into the wall, leaving a hole I’d have to replaster, but it had felt good.
I needed more of that release. I needed hours at a punching bag.
I needed a workout that would run my body to the ground until I couldn’t think.
“I didn’t want this kind of life. Kids. Responsibilities waiting at home for me.
He knew it. So what the fuck was he thinking? ”
“He was thinking you were the most honorable person in his life, and he was right.”
Tears pricked. I shut my eyes, trying to hold them back.
“If Althea was alive and Will was dead, he would’ve needed someone who’d look after his son and the money.
Someone who’d fight her tooth and nail to make sure she didn’t get her hands on it and dish it out like candy to her drug-dealing family.
He needed a person who knew how to protect and serve.
And that’s you, Park. Hate it. Rail against it. But he knew exactly what he was doing.”
My chest was so tight I thought it might explode.
Dad stood up. “So, let’s go.”
“What?” I managed to grunt out.
“Let’s go get my grandson. You want him spending even one more night in some shelter?
Some place where he’s one of a hundred? Or do you want to make sure he’s getting the love and attention he deserves?
That he hears from you, someone who cares about him, that his daddy isn’t coming home any more than his mama. ”
The tears broke, streaming down my cheeks. I waved my hands. A helpless gesture. “I don’t know what to do, Dad. I don’t know what to say to him. How can I make any of this right?”
“You can’t make it right. You can’t fix it. But you can help him get by each day. And I think he’ll help you do the same.”
I shook my head. I’d failed at so little in my life. I thought failure wasn’t an option. I worked until every stop on my journey was a success. I’d only ever failed one person. But this…raising someone else’s kid…
Dad grabbed my shoulder and shoved me toward the door. “Let’s go, Squid. Get your shit together. Buck up. Pick up the damn boat, get your feet under you, and walk to shore.”
The scathing taunt we tossed at newbies did exactly what Dad had intended—it grounded me. It brought me back to my new mission. So, I grabbed my keys and the letter from Will with his attorney’s contact information, shoved my phone into my pocket, and followed my dad outside.
This was my new assignment. An assignment that had a start and an end date.
Dad was right. I’d figure it out, just as I had all the other challenges tossed my way.
I was the problem solver on the team. I was the one who saw all the angles, all the potential traps and triggers, and led us around them.
I’d do the same here. I’d take a step back, remove myself from the emotions threatening to drown me, and put a plan in place to keep both Theo and me afloat.