Chapter 31 Keep Showing Up
KEEP SHOWING UP
“I’m back,” Archer yelled when he came in the front door at noon the next day. “Did you miss me, Mom? Jayce. You’re here. Can we shoot hoops?”
“There you go again, another question before the first is answered.”
“Sorry, Mom.”
“Yes, I missed you.”
Farrah looked at Jayce. “Oh, it’s my turn to answer. Sure, we can shoot hoops, but why don’t I say hi to your grandparents first?”
“It’s so good to see you again, Jayce,” Holly Hughes said when she came in the front door after Archer. “My grandson was excited to come home. He hasn’t stopped talking about all the fun you two have. Archer, weren’t you going to show me this Lego thing?”
“Oh, yeah. Let’s go, you too, Grandpa.”
“I’ll be back and we can chat then,” Daniel Hughes said.
He turned when he heard Farrah laughing. “What’s so funny?”
“I think you’re going to get the father talk,” she said. “I’m so glad I’ve got a son.”
“Like you’re not going to do the mother talk?”
“I’m totally going to do it when the time is right. That’s my baby boy.”
He pulled her close and gave her a side hug.
The earlier conversation was done and over with. It’d come out of left field.
He wanted her to open up and ask him anything, but hated that she was so worried that he wasn’t being honest. Or that she had doubts about his intentions.
There wasn’t much he could do about it other than keep showing up and proving her wrong.
The loud voice and laughter of Archer upstairs said more than anything ever could. This wasn’t about him. It wasn’t about Farrah. Not even about him and Farrah together. It was about that boy who needed something in his life and Jayce wanted to be the one to provide it.
“Can we go shoot hoops now?” Archer yelled as his feet pounded down the stairs before his grandparents.
“Why don’t you go out and shoot and your grandfather and I can watch from a distance while we chat? Sound good to everyone?”
There were smiles around the room as he asked that question. There was no reason to avoid a conversation that he’d want to have if Farrah was his kid.
They moved to the side of the property while keeping Archer in view as he dribbled and tossed the ball up for an easy shot.
“My daughter seems very happy lately,” Daniel said.
“She’s always been a happy person from what I can remember.”
“She has. She was for a long time... until she wasn’t. Tucker did her dirty.”
“I’ve heard some of it. Not to be rude and speak out of turn, but her ex sounds like a dick. He sure the hell won’t get any father of the year awards.”
“Never,” Daniel said. “We didn’t care for him too much. Did he treat her well for a year or more? Sure, he did, but there was something inside that I felt was waiting to leak out.”
“I’ll never treat Farrah the way she was. I sure the hell wouldn’t do it to Archer.”
“My grandson talks highly of you. He rarely speaks of his father, but it’s even less now. There is more on the line than my daughter getting hurt.”
“I’m aware,” he said. “I wouldn’t do anything to purposely hurt either of them.”
“I know you won’t try to. No one can make a promise like that. The thing is, she’s got this fear keeping her from opening up completely. Not sure if she’ll admit it or not, but it’s there.”
“What’s that?” he asked. “Or am I not supposed to know and have to figure it out?”
“She doesn’t want to risk someone leaving her again. Not with Archer. Can we guarantee our future? No. We can’t. No one can. We can safeguard it as best as we can, but things happen beyond our control.”
He nodded. “I know. I’ll never disrespect her. I’ll never cheat on her. I’ll never make her feel as if she isn’t the most important person to me.”
Daniel turned his head from where he was watching Archer. “Are you in love with my daughter?”
Guess he let more slip than he’d planned. “It’s not a conversation we’ve had.”
“Got it. I promised Holly I wouldn’t get in the middle of things.”
“But you’ve got concerns. I understand.”
“You’ve been gone for a long time. Sounds like you had a great life and career and then just left suddenly.”
He knew this might come up. You’d think people would understand that he was returning to work with his family, but he’d made such a stink about leaving years ago, it was bound to create doubts in many minds.
“I was burned out,” he said. “Physically, mentally, even emotionally. I set out to do what I always dreamed of and then realized, once I had it, maybe it wasn’t exactly what I thought it’d be. That happens to a lot of people.”
“It does,” Daniel said. “But the question is, are you back until you recover and then get itchy feet again and want that action or not?”
“No one can predict the future, just as you said, but I wouldn’t set my parents up for having me as part of the company and take on everything I am to only walk away in a year or so. That’s not the type of person I am, regardless of the things I might have said when I was younger.”
“So my wife has said. We all say and do stupid shit at that age.”
“We do. And plenty come home at some point. I probably should have come home sooner, but I didn’t.”
“Why didn’t you? What caused it to happen this time?”
“You don’t have to answer that.” He turned to see Holly walking over. “Daniel, what did I tell you?”
“It’s fine. Farrah knows and I just told you. I ended up with an ulcer if you want specifics, caused by headaches that wouldn’t go away no matter how many pills I took.”
“Jayce,” Holly said. “My husband is being intrusive. Your reasons for coming home are yours. All we care about is that Farrah doesn’t set herself up to be left again. If you’re still together and feel the urge to leave, let her know with plenty of time. Don’t blindside her with it.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Jayce said. He was tired of explaining himself but would out of respect.
He needed Farrah’s family on his side, not against him. Not thinking of him the same way they did her ex.
“Alright,” Farrah said, coming over. “You’ve had enough time to embarrass me and maybe upset Jayce.”
“I’m not upset,” he said.
“Which means I might be embarrassed if I knew what was said though I’m positive I could guess some of it.” She turned to her father. “Dad, I appreciate the support and protection. I let you have your moment because you mean well, but I’m old enough to handle things.”
“You said that with Tucker too,” her father argued.
“I should have listened more, but not everything was horrible. It happened, it’s over with, I’ve got a wonderful son out of it, and we are moving on.”
She slipped her arm around his waist and Jayce nudged her a little closer to his side.
“We are,” he said. “I’m not Tucker. I’ll never be him.”
“Nope. Let’s go play with Archer before he loses his patience.” She pulled him away from her parents. “Sorry about that. I think it might have gotten out of hand, right?”
“No. They love you and are concerned.”
“I told them there isn’t anything to be concerned about. We’ve got a good thing going and it’s moving in the right direction. I went fast before; I’m not again.”
Heard loud and clear there. Which made him not want to express his love either.
Maybe she didn’t feel the same way and it was for the best. Everyone was so worried about Farrah getting hurt, but he was wondering if he was the one who would come out with the aches and pains.