Epilogue I
Colt, 3 months later…
A second chance with Lyric was a second chance at life for me. I know I want her forever, and with that meant I would have to face the two people in the world that I always admired, and who I ultimately hurt when I hurt their daughter. Haley Taylor is receptive to my phone call, and when I ask to visit her and Sam. She doesn’t ask me what it's about, but I think deep down she is rooting for me, like she always has.
When I knock on their door later that afternoon, I feel like a teenager all over again, like the first time I picked Lyric up for a date. Haley’s gaze runs over me and I swear I see her eyes glisten.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes, Colt Street,” she says with a sad smile.
Stepping through the door I wrap my arms around her briefly. “It's good to see you, Mrs. Taylor.”
“I think you’re old enough you can just call me Haley,” she jokes and leads me to the living room.
“Speak for yourself,” a surly voice adds. “It's still Mr. Taylor to you.”
Lyric’s dad, Sam, stands from his chair and I make sure I move first, holding my hand out. “Yes, sir, Mr. Taylor.”
Begrudgingly, he takes my hand and gives it a small shake before I’m ushered to the couch by Haley. “So, Colt, what brings you here?”
I clear my throat and make sure to meet their eyes. “Lyric doesn’t know I’m here. I plan to tell her, but I wanted to talk to you both first. I want to apologize for my actions after graduation. I know I hurt Lyric and I deeply regret it.”
Sam’s eyebrow rises. “Hurt her? You damn near destroyed her, son. We begged and pleaded with her to not follow you to Alabama. To make her own plans so you both could breathe. She didn’t listen to us.”
My head drops and I clasp my hands. My body, my heart, my soul all take in his words, absorbing their pain and accepting it. “I know. I can’t take it back or change the past, but I want a future with your daughter.”
“Colt, we were scared for a long time about how Lyric handled the breakup. Please don’t take it the wrong way that we’re nervous about you two starting up again,” Haley adds.
“I understand. I know I have work to do. I’m going to show you both how serious I’m taking this second chance with her. I love Lyric. I’ve always loved her, even when I made stupid, horrible decisions. I was scared. I thought she deserved better than the failure I was.”
Sam glances at me, assessing me. “You’re not a failure, Colt. I wish you had never felt that way about yourself. And even though I hated you for many years for hurting my daughter, I’m also grateful for you and that you saved her life.”
“I would give up my life for her, Mr. Taylor,” I acknowledge. He sits back in his chair and reaches for Haley’s hand while she cries silently, a Kleenex tucked in her hand. “I don’t expect you to forgive me overnight or to forget. I hope you hold me to my word that I’ll never intentionally hurt Lyric again. I love her. I want to spend the rest of my life with her.”
“Are you here for our blessing?” Sam asks, and his voice is thick.
Shaking my head, I bring my gaze to his. “No. But someday I will be. I’m just here to apologize and to tell you both how much she means to me. I hope you will be willing to give me a chance to prove it to you and to her. I can understand if you need time.”
Haley shakes her head and rests her hand on my arm. “We will work to forgive you, as long as you forgive yourself. Love our daughter, Colt. Lover her fiercely, like she loves you.”
Sam looks at his wife like she’s a traitor before shaking his head and leveling another glare at me. “She’s my daughter, Colt. You’ll understand someday when you have your own kids. It takes action, son. My daughter loves you, and I have to trust her.”
I take that as my sign that for now this is as good as it will get. I’m thankful they would even hear me out. I needed to do this for me, for Lyric, and for them. I don’t ever plan to let Lyric go again. I want it all with her, a future where she is my wife. Her family is important to her, and therefore, it’s important to me that they see how much I adore their daughter.
“Thank you,” I tell them, letting sincerity fill my voice. “Thank you for hearing me out. I am sorry. I promise to do better. I will be the man she deserves.”
“Oh, son. You always were. You just need to believe it this time.”