Page 74 of Losing a Piece of Me

“You know, I watched you with my daughter.”

I look up at him. “What do you mean?”

The ghost of a smile plays at his lips. “You think she can sneak out of the house almost every night for years and I don’t notice?” He lets out a small laugh. “I saw her going to you every night. I saw you two around town, I saw you protect her from anything and everything.”

“Why’d you let your wife give us shit then?”

He shrugs. “I tried to stop her a time or two. I found out that you and Alexis dealt with her better than I ever could.”

I let out a quiet laugh. “So this whole time, you’ve been on our side?”

“I don’t like to take sides, Striker. But, I’ve always supported you two.”

I raise the piece of paper in my hand. “Can I keep this?”

He nods. “Give her a call. I know she wants to see you.”

I stand and slip the paper into my back pocket as I head toward the door, pausing with my hand on the handle.

“I’ve said a lot of shit about you over the years. I see now that none of it was right.” I turn and look at him. “I’m sorry for that. And thank you, for everything.”

He smiles and nods, then lifts his glass in the air toward me and dips his head in acknowledgment.

Back in the foyer, Lex’s mom calls out to me from the top of the stairs. “She’s in her room. Fifth door on the left.” She turns and walks away.

Suddenly my life has become like the Twilight Zone. I’m in Lex’s house, allowed to go up to her room, and I just told her dad I was sorry and thank you.

I shake my head in disbelief and walk up the stairs.

I walk into her room in shock, looking around the foreign and unfamiliar room. For all the time spent with Lex, it is my first time setting foot in her bedroom. My first course of action is to walk to her window and look down. “So this is what it looks like from up here,” I tease.

She lets out a quiet laugh and comes up behind me. “Everything okay?”

I turn in her arms and bring her into my chest. “Everything is fine.”

She looks up to me. “Did he give you her information?”

I nod and pull the paper out of my pocket to show her. “Yep, I just don’t know if I’m ready to see her yet.”

She nods and lays her ear back against my chest. “When you’re ready, I will be right here for you.”

* * *

We wake in the morning, ready to hit the road. I’m still feeling a little weird. All secrets are out, there’s nothing left to hide. Finally, Lex and I can move on without anything between us.

I grab her bag and her dad takes us back to the bar to get my truck.

When we pull up, I step out and toss her bag in the back. Lex stays behind in the car for a few minutes to say goodbye. When she gets out, I step up to his window and shake his hand – something I never thought I would do.

Everything is in order to leave, except for one final order of business: I have to go see Pops.

We pull up to the small diner and walk inside. Inside, we’re greeted by the sound of Pops yelling and cursing back in the kitchen, followed by the clanging of crashing pots and pans.

“I can see he still has his patience,” Lex jokes.

“Hey, Pops.” I sit down at the counter. He walks out slowly at first, but his speed doubles when his eyes land on Lex, running up to her in a crushing hug.

Lex smiles and laughs. “Hey, Pops. Long time, no see.”

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