Page 49 of Burned

“Carys.” He took the chair next to her bed.

She turned her head toward him. There was despair in her big green eyes and a sadness he hadn’t noticed before. She didn’t say anything, but she didn’t stop looking at him either.

Hesitantly, Rhys reached out and took her hand in his. It was a good sign that she didn’t snatch it away. And that’s when he noticed it. Her hands were in padded cuffs connected to the bed rail.

He’d been told last night it was standard procedure for patients on suicide watch, but to see her this way nearly caused him to break down again. Then he had to remind himself to be strong for her sake. “I’m so sorry, Carys. I never meant for things to turn out this way, never meant for you to feel like I didn’t care about you.”

“You’re not mad at me?” she croaked, her throat sounded hoarse.

“Disappointed? Yes. Mad? No. I love you, very much. And I wish I would have told you more so you’d know that you’re the most important person in my life.”

She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. “You really mean that?”

“I do. I love you, Carys. I’m sorry; I turned my back on you these last several days. I handled it all wrong.”

Carys squeezed his hand gently. “I really can’t blame you. What I did was awful and I feel bad. I thought if I were out of the way it would make things right again.” Tears streamed down her cheeks and Rhys’s heart broke all over again.

“Your death would not make anything right. In fact, it would tear my world apart. You’ve got to know this Carys. Have you any idea how I felt to find you as I did.”

“I was hoping it would be too late by the time you found me. I hate myself and I thought you hated me too. I was so awful to Sadie when all she wanted was to be my friend. I-I couldn’t look atmyself in the mirror when she fell off Buttercup. I really didn’t mean for her to get hurt like that. I only wanted to scare her, really I did. But…but the more I thought about it, I realized just how bad things could have been for her. The other women in your life, they weren’t half as nice as Sadie was to me, but I thought I’d push her away first before she could hurt me.”

It was all coming together for him. How could he have been so blind? “Did any of the other women treat you badly?”

“Some of them weren’t the same around me as they were when you were there. And I was scared, Daddy. Scared that you’d have kids of your own. Real children.”

“You are my real child. I was there from the moment you were born. I changed your diapers. I was the one who stayed up with you when you were sick. I was at every school play, every tee ball game, and every parent-teacher conference. If that doesn’t make you my real child and me your real father, nothing will. Sharing a bloodline doesn’t mean a damn thing. There are thousands of children who are neglected and abused by their so-called real parents. What matters is in here.” He placed his hand over his heart. “I love you, Carys. No matter what happens, nothing will change that okay? And as soon as you’re out of here, you and I are going to go to a therapist and work things out, okay?”

She nodded. “But Daddy, what about…..what about Sadie. Will you try to get back together with her?”

Rhys didn’t think now was the time to tell her about the baby. “What I want right now doesn’t matter. My priority is making sure you get better.”

“But Sadie…”

“We’ll talk about it later.”

“I want to tell her I’m sorry.”

“Maybe you’ll get the chance eventually.”

“But I want you to be happy, I—”

“Carys we’ll talk about it later. Okay, sweetheart?”

She looked as if she wanted to say more, but didn’t.

Rhys wanted nothing more than to see Sadie and make things right, but he needed to get things sorted out with his daughter first. He hoped to God when he finally saw Sadie again, it wouldn’t be too late.

* * *

Sadie and Lily pulled up the driveway of her mother’s house and a shiver ran up her spine.

“Lily turned to her sister. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Sadie nodded. “Yes. I need to do this.” She’d been putting this confrontation off for some time and she needed to finally have it out with her mother.

“Looks like she has company. You did tell her we were coming didn’t you?”

“Yes, she knows, but you know our mom, she’ll do what she wants to. I have a key, so it doesn’t matter.”

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