Twenty-Two
Tuck
Help me.
Lamont
What’s up?
Chris
Is this a serious call for help, or just you whining?
Tuck
Serious. If my mom spoon-feeds me one more time ... ??
Lamont
Must be rough having your mommy wait on you hand and foot.
Chris
??
Tuck
It’s like I’ve reverted back to childhood.
Chris
Tell her thank you and to go home. Then tag team your dad in for help.
Tuck
Speaking of dads...
Lamont
What’s up?
Tuck pressed the video call button. This was something he didn’t want to text nor let his mom overhear.
“What’s wrong?” Chris asked. He appeared to be outdoors, though Tuck couldn’t say he recognized the landscape. Then again, if Chris wasn’t outdoors he was working at the wildlife nonprofit he ran.
Tuck looked from his place on his living room couch into the kitchen. There was a small, open doorway, but judging from the singing his mom was doing, there was no chance of her hearing.
He faced the camera once more. “The day of my accident, I got a tip that it was my dad who turned in Piper’s folks.”
“Are you for real?” Lamont’s eyes bugged out.
“That’s what I was told.”
“Did you ask your dad if it was true?” Chris ran a hand atop his head and rested it there.
“I was going to, but then I broke my shoulder. Since then, we haven’t had time alone.”
Sympathy filled Chris’s gaze. “Then take my earlier advice. Tell your mom to switch places with him. You need to know if this is true or not.”
“What am I going to tell Piper?” It was one reason Tuck tried to keep their visits short. It wasn’t difficult to get her to agree since he was still in a considerable amount of pain.
“The truth, man.” Lamont sighed. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through, but that’s not a secret you want to keep. Trust me, honesty really is the best policy.”
But what if Piper couldn’t handle the truth?
Ugh.Now he had the Jack Nicholson GIF from A Few Good Men running through his mind.
“You afraid Piper will kiss your ugly mug good-bye?” Chris smirked.
“Something like that.” He wouldn’t tell them how deep that fear ran.
Suffice to say bad dreams with that exact scenario had woken him every night since Aaron Wellington III suggested such a tale.
Lamont shook his head. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about. She looks at no one but you.”
Tuck prayed that was true. He only saw Piper, but he couldn’t guarantee the reverse.
“Get off the phone with us, and call your dad over,” Chris reiterated. “And know we’ll be praying.”
“Amen,” Lamont echoed.
“Thanks, guys.”
Tuck ended the call, then leaned back against his recliner. Talking it out helped, but he still felt like he was in limbo. Probably would stay there until he did like they suggested and talked it out with his dad.
“Are you hurting, hon?”
He opened his eyes to see his mom walking into the room. “No. Just have something on my mind.”
“Are you sure? Because it’s time for another bout of pain reliever. We don’t want you hurting too much. Remember the doctor said the pain could get ahead of you.”
“I remember.” Tuck studied his mom. Lines framed her brown eyes, hinting at her age. But her perfect brown bob didn’t show a strand of gray, courtesy of her standing salon appointments.
Did Mom know what Dad did? Could Tuck ask her and avoid the awkward conversation with his father? No. If his dad had indeed made the anonymous tip, he needed to hear it from him. “Mom, you’ve been working so hard since I came home. Why don’t you go home and send Dad over?”
She bit her lip. “I don’t know ...”
“It’ll be good. You’ll get some rest, and Dad will have something to do.”
A mischievous glint lit her eyes. “You do have a point.”
“He’s probably streaming reruns of The Dukes of Hazzardor The Incredible Hulk.” Tuck knew his mom couldn’t stand how often Dad sat in his recliner just to watch old TV shows. She’d always needed something to do. His dad, not so much.
“You’re right. I’ll call him right now.” She pulled out her phone and walked toward the back of the house. Tuck wasn’t sure why she wanted a private conversation—unless she was giving his dad a list of dos and don’ts.
He grinned. Yeah, that’s exactly what she’s doing.
A half hour later, his mom kissed his forehead and said good-bye. Meanwhile, Dad sank into the sofa cushions, peering around the room. Tuck reached to the left, where the remote sat on the end table, then extended it toward his dad.
“I’m sad to leave my recliner, but that was smart thinking giving your mom a break,” his dad said, still making the admission a little grudgingly.
“She was driving me a little batty. Insisted on spoon-feeding me.”
A bark of laughter fell from Dad’s lips. “Sounds like her. She told me she’d check on us tomorrow. Gave me a list of things to do.” Dad held up his cell. “Texted them to me.”
“Then she’ll definitely check on us.”
“She’ll give us peace tonight, though.”
That gave Tuck enough time to ask what he wanted.
Do it now. Get it over with.
“What do you wanna watch?” Dad asked.
Tuck shrugged, then winced. “I don’t care. I can’t really focus lately.”
Dad’s brow furrowed. “You in pain? Your mom said you haven’t taken your latest dose.”
“Wanted a clear head.” Tuck swallowed. “I have something to ask you.”
“Of course. Anything.” Dad motioned for him to go ahead.
Now that Tuck had the floor, he wanted to backtrack. Did he really want to rip off the bandage now?
“Tucker?”
“I got a strange phone call the day of the accident.” He rubbed his chin.
“What about?”
Tuck met his dad’s concerned gaze. “The person said you tipped off the RMTC about Bolt Brook’s doping practices.”
Dad sat back, and the silence between them stretched. And stretched. And stretched some more.
“Dad?” Tuck prodded. Say it ain’t so. Please.
His father blinked, then cleared his throat. “I did.”
“How did you even suspect?” There was no way his dad was involved, right?
“You remember John, right?”
Of course Tuck remembered Bolt Brook’s veterinarian.
“Well, apparently he arrived at The Bourbon in the early evening and drank whiskey until the bartender cut him off. Anyway, I’m listed as a DD for the bar. I’d rather be inconvenienced than have someone drive home drunk.” His dad sighed. “So the bartender called me to pick up John. As I helped him into my truck, he started talking about how he wanted to stop, but the money was too good to turn down.”
“Did he say how much he was getting?” Tuck’s gut clenched.
Dad shook his head. “Nope, but I admit the comment made me curious. I asked him what he was trying to stop, and it all came spilling out. I was shocked. Had no idea anyone at Bolt Brook would authorize such a thing. I prayed all that night. The next morning, I called the tip line. The rest is history.”
Tuck sat there, trying to process what his dad shared.
“You upset with me, son?”
“No.” Tuck cleared his throat. “Can’t say I would’ve done anything differently.”
“But it puts you in a tight spot with Piper.” It was a statement, not a question.
Knowing Aaron had been right about Tuck’s dad being the one to put the whole media storm in motion was a weight Tuck couldn’t bear. “How am I supposed to tell her, Dad?”
“Son, I was only trying to do what was right. You know how I feel about horses. It’s not right for them to suffer for sport.”
Tuck rubbed his face. “I agree. I just don’t know how this’ll affect our relationship.”
“Y’all’ve been friends since you were knee high to a grasshopper. Ain’t nothing stopping that now.”
Tuck looked at his dad. “Well, I have news. Piper has agreed to be my girlfriend, and eventually, I want her to be my wife. I’m not sure how she’ll take this. I don’t want her to feel like I betrayed her or took advantage of the situation.”
“I’m happy for you, Tucker. Piper’s a wonderful girl, and it’s about time. She won’t feel like that. She knows you as well as she knows herself.”
Tuck could only pray that was true. He didn’t want to break Piper’s heart with this news. Because as Lamont stated, Tuck had to tell the truth. He couldn’t let their relationship go forward knowing what he knew.
But, Lord, I don’t want her to break up with me, either.
He’d seen enough rom-coms to know that reaction often happened. Maybe not every movie portrayed a breakup, but they all experienced some type of bleak moment. Tuck didn’t want that. He wanted the happily ever after Piper loved so much without the heartbreak.
But is it real life if there’s no heartbreak?
He couldn’t escape trials. Jesus Himself said mankind would experience tribulation. Tuck would just rather it come any other way than an issue that could threaten their relationship.
“It’ll be okay, son.”
Tuck’s breathing had turned a little shaky. “I think I’m ready for some pain meds.” His shoulder was burning with a fierceness. Now that his dad had shared his story, Tuck didn’t need to stay awake. He could take a pain reliever and get a nap. Maybe when he woke up, he’d have a plan of action to implement.
Until then, he’d ask God to give him wisdom and keep his and Piper’s relationship intact. Please, God. I can’t bear the thought of this being the end before we even really have a beginning. More than that, I don’t want Piper to hurt, and I don’t want her relationship with my folks to be strained.
After all, he wanted an in-law relationship sooner than later.
“I’ll grab them and some water. Do you want me to help you to your bed?”
“It’s my shoulder that’s broken, not my legs.”
Dad smirked. “Bet you didn’t talk that way to your mother.”
“She’s scary. Plus she would have rolled her eyes and helped me there regardless.”
“Then head on back before I take a page from her book.”
Tuck laughed. “Yes, sir.”