Page 82 of Return To You

“See, right there, you just saidfamily…and don’t think I haven’t seen the ring around your neck.” Gina effuses, and I sigh.

“A lot of hurt has gone on between us, Gina. We spent two years of our relationship fighting you, your mom, my dad, and let’s not forget that he left me. Yes, you showed him a completely innocent photo, but he used it as an excuse to leave. I’m trying to move forward and forgive, but it will take time, and jumping in with both feet will just tear us apart….”

She interjects, “How?” I look at her to see the determination in her eyes, the girl I knew before Piper came on the scenecoming through. “You love him, right?” I nod because I do, “And you’re allowing him back in?” I nod again, and she remarks, “Then what is left? Unless you jump in with both feet, trust won’t build again. You need to give it your all, and I promise you I won’t stand in your way again. I was wrong, so very wrong, and because of my actions, my big brother hates me, and I don’t know my nephew. Jump, Rose….”

I open my mouth to ask who this girl is and where the other Gina has gone, but the front door opens, and Noah walks in.

“Alright, Petal, let’s hear it, scream and shout at me, and give it your best shot because you won’t win.”

I roll my eyes at his determination in his voice as Gina raises a brow at me, smirking.

“Gina…? What in the hell are you doing here?” Noah’s tone has changed, and I look at him and instantly swallow my tongue.

I don’t know what it is about him, but when he wears skinny jeans and a wife beater, I’m instantly aching for him.

Gina stands up, reminding me she’s here and that I can’t climb him like a tree. She clears her throat, admitting, “I’m making amends.” Noah raises a skeptical brow, and I stand up as well, walking over to him. His arm instantly lifts, wrapping around my shoulders, bringing me into his body as Gina continues, “Well, really, I came here to threaten Rose to leave town after finding Piper a wreck on her hotel bathroom floor. She says she’s pregnant with your child.” I swear if I roll my eyes any harder, they’ll get stuck in my head. Gina smiles at me, seeing my reaction. “She said she’d been sleeping with Noah since she went on tour with him, and I-I?—”

I cut her off, “You believed her because she ‘saved’ you from being jumped.”

“What the fuck!” Noah shouts.

I nudge him hard while Gina snaps, “Inside voice, Noah, your son is asleep!”

He tenses and looks down at me, giving me an innocent smile, but I just nudge him harder, making him smile wide at me, and kiss my nose.

“I-I’m so sorry, Noah,” Gina sobs, and we look at her. Tears coat her cheeks, her hand covering her mouth as she cries. “I’m so sorry for what I did to you two, for lying about how far along she was. Gina said the baby was Professor Hail’s, and her dad knew she was only four months along. I’m so sorry I’m the reason you never got to see your son born or hear his first word…. Oh God, what have I done?”

Gina falls to the floor in sobs, and on instinct, I move out of Noah’s arms, and run toward her, my hate for Piper escalating to the point I’m concerned I’m going to be put away for murder if I ever see her again.

I wrap Gina in my arms and look at Noah, who seems indecisive. I hold my hand out to him, and he walks our way.

He cups Gina’s cheeks and wipes them, before whispering, “I don’t forgive you, and I’m not sure when I will. But you're still my sister, and I still love you….”

Gina sobs harder, and he grabs her from my arms, pulling her into his. I go to move, but she grabs my hand while gripping Noah’s shirt with her other, and I squeeze it tight.

As Noah said, forgiveness is something hard to give, but just like with my father, with Noah, heck, even with Al, I’m willing to try.

Gina was manipulated, and now she has to live with her actions. I think that is enough punishment.

twenty-nine

Noah – Two Weeks Later

“I mean,fuck, that show was awesome, Noah. You guys having a break was a brilliant idea,” Joel says excitedly, the dude basically bouncing on his toes from the reaction we got tonight. The charity concert was a major hit, with tens of thousands donated for the underprivileged.

You wouldn’t have thought that there were three other bands here, and I have to tell ya, seeing Rose standing stage side with Diego clapping away with ear protectors on was the best fucking feeling in the world.

They are the reason I love what I do and the reason I can even create music, though I do despise the after parties.

I’m just glad the label agreed to limit today’s party to just close friends and family.

I chuckle, taking a swig of my water. My eyes go to where Rose is standing, holding our son in her arms, talking to my mom and, shockingly, my sister, who seems more interested in getting Diego’s attention.

I wasn’t keen on inviting her. All the fucking trouble she’s caused over the years, trouble that stemmed from Piper, is hard to forgive. But after she broke down and told us the real reason why she left school, not being kicked out as she told us, I knew I had to try.

Just like my girl is trying with me, with her dad, brother, Cam, and Barnett.

Some guy had cornered her in a quiet hallway and tried to fucking assault her. Gina called Piper, who was, conveniently, in the area instead of where she should have been; helping the stage crew clear up an hour from where my sister was.

---