Chapter 28 #4
Personally, I’m fresh out of tears. I’m so damn sick of crying over these people. All I really want to do is to go home to my husband, crawl into bed with him, and then let him help me forget this day.
My dad looks at me with a face full of emotion.
Glassy green eyes I recognize from every time I look in the mirror.
“I know I wasn’t a great father to you. I know I let my own demons take over and wasn’t around like I should have been.
I’m so sorry for that. You’ll never know just how much I regret the way I acted.
I’ve tried my best to be there for Pierce in all the ways I failed you.
I’ve tried to make it up to you as best as I can.
But I swear to you, Kennedy, I didn’t realize just how horrific it was for you.
Your mother told me you caught her in bed with another man, but that I shouldn’t bring it up to you because it would be like reliving the trauma all over again.
I wanted to kick her out right away, but she said you’d blame yourself for our divorce and that we should stick it out until you left for college.
It made sense, so I agreed to it. I had no idea how bad it was.
” He starts to get choked up. Covering his mouth with his hand, he croaks out, “My poor little girl. You’ve lost so much. Even more than I ever knew.”
I believe him. He’s visibly suffering right now. Even though she’s grappling with her own emotions over what happened, Fallon moves to comfort him.
I sigh, knowing what I need to say. “Frankly, it makes perfect sense. I never understood why you didn’t react like you are right now.
Now I get it. You didn’t know. She lied to me about having told you because I threatened that I would if she didn’t.
I’ll never forgive her for any of it, and I’ll never have a relationship with her, but I don’t feel that way about you, Dad.
I want you in my life. I need you in my life.
I want to move past the painful memories and look toward a more positive future, one I hope you’ll be a part of. ”
I really want to tell him that I want him to be a grandfather to my child, but I made a promise to Daylen, and I intend to see it through. It obviously means a lot to him, and I realized tonight that I need to better respect his wishes. He’s more than earned it.
Dad starts to stand but then thinks better of it while holding the blanket in place. One corner of his mouth turns up slightly. “If I wasn’t naked, I’d hug you.”
I let out a laugh. “Good thinking. Please stay exactly where you are. We can hug another time.”
Fallon, meanwhile, is a sobbing, slobbering mess.
I exhale a long breath. “Dad, your girlfriend is a crybaby. Get her under control.”
His small smile widens a bit as he pulls Fallon into his arms to console her. Their interactions are so familiar and loving. It’s obvious there are real feelings involved.
I suppose she cares about me too or she wouldn’t be this upset over everything.
The devil on one shoulder wants to let her stew in misery for lying to me, but now I’ve got goddamn Sulley and Daylen on the other shoulder telling me to console the woman who has come to mean so much to me this year.
The stupid angels win out in the end. I walk over to Fallon and bend over, offering her a hug. She immediately pulls away from my father and wraps her arms around me so damn hard, like she’s never going to let me go.
We stay in an embrace for a long while. By the time she calms down and we break apart, my father is standing and dressed.
He kisses my cheek and then hers. “I want to continue this conversation, but I have something else I need to do. I’ll be back in a little bit.”
“Where are you going?” Fallon asks before I can do the same.
His lip twitches and his nostrils flair.
“It’s time for me to have a little chat with Ginny.
” He looks at me. “What happened to you is not okay. It will never be okay. I know I can’t go back in time, but I’m going to do my best to make this right.
Your mother won’t get away with this. I love you.
I’ve always loved you, and I always will.
I didn’t protect you then, but I will now. ”
I should tell him the past is the past, but I don’t. It’s time for her to face the music.
Without waiting for a response, he storms off, looking angrier than I’ve ever seen him. I hope he fucking burns her house down, kitchen table included.
Not having any interest in sitting where they just had sex, I slide down and sit on the ground right by Fallon. She wraps the blanket securely around herself and moves down to sit next to me, shoulder to shoulder. Both of us lean back on the lip of the lounge chair with our knees bent.
“Is hanging out in my dad’s backyard completely naked normal for you?” I ask playfully.
She smiles. “Sort of. Sometimes it’s my backyard,” she giggles as she says.
My face turns a bit more serious as I look at her. “I hope he tears her a new one and then removes her from his life. I’m sure he’s still giving her money. He should cut her off.”
Fallon sighs. “That’s not what’s best for Pierce. He’s just a sweet kid who wants his divorced parents to get along.”
“He’s not a kid, Fallon. He’s not nine, like Harper, he’s eighteen,” I remind her. “He needs to learn how to handle a little adversity. It’s time for him to grow a pair. He’s too much of a pushover.”
She gives me a small smile. “You and your father are so much alike.” She reaches toward me and tucks my hair behind my ear. “I’ve wanted to say that to you at least a million times in the past six months.”
“I wouldn’t know how alike we are or aren’t,” I sadly admit.
“He’d love nothing more than for that to change. He’s desperate to repair your relationship. It sounds like you’re starting to feel the same way,” she says hopefully.
“I want him to have a relationship with my child.”
She nods. “I know he’ll want that too when he finds out.”
I rest my head on her shoulder and admit, “I told Daylen I love him.”
“Really?” she practically squeals in obvious delight while kicking her feet in excitement. “What did he say?”
“That he loves me too. That he has for a while but knew I needed to be the one to say it first. He’s right about that. I would have freaked if he said it first.”
She blows out a breath in relief. “Good, can we tell your father now? Please? Keeping this secret from him has been killing me. I’ve had his secret I couldn’t tell you, and then your secret I couldn’t tell him. I’ve been going nuts.”
I lift my head and nod. “When my season is over. I can’t deal with any more drama until then. I’m teetering on the edge as it is.”
She moans in annoyance. “Crap. I’m not sure I can take a few more weeks of this. It’s so hard. Deceitfulness is an obvious trigger for him.”
“I saw the way you two interact. Do you love him?” I ask, even though it’s not really my business.
She turns her head so our eyes meet. “I do. Very much. We still have some hurdles to overcome, but he’s the one for me. The one I feel I’ve waited a lifetime for.”
“What hurdles?”
She pulls herself up into a standing position and offers me a hand to help me do the same. She looks up at me warmly. “Want some hot chocolate with extra marshmallows?” she asks. “We can talk about all the hurdles, and I’ll answer any other questions I imagine you have.”
I nod. “I’d like that.”