Page 88 of Forgiving Fate

Part of me wants to protect Allie and her mind, but the other part of me sees the pain and hurt that is coming from Logan. Isee both sides so clearly and truthfully, the “right” answer lies so close to the “wrong” one.

Scrubbing my hand down my face, I sit up in my chair. “I was exhausted one night after coming home from a mission. It was late, and I went to check on Allie since it had been a few days. My mind wasn’t clear, and I used the code instead of calling her. She thought I was an intruder and popped out of nowhere and stabbed me in the shoulder.”

Everyone’s eyes go wide as I move my shoulder around to break up the tension in my muscles and continue, “I deserved it. I shouldn’t have gone in without talking to her first. She did exactly what we want everyone here to know how to do. I was more impressed at her strength and ability to take me down than I was hurt by the knife.”

The room falls to a stunned silence and after a few moments, Logan speaks up.

“Well, you should never underestimate her. She has a strength in her that only people wish to have. Back in Alabama, she went to every self defense class with me and we learned how to take down people twice the size of us. Now I have no idea whathedid to her, but I will wait forever to to hear her story. However, I know whathe’scapable of and howheacted whenhedidn’t gethisway. Allie doesn’t take shit from anyone, even if they think they’re better than her. So I love you Landon, but you definitely deserved to be stabbed. You’re lucky that girl didn’t kill you.”

“You’re right. Every single word.” I say, my voice full of sincerity. What I did was stupid and it will never happen again.

Silence fills the room again, and I look at Logan. Tears are not flowing down her face and she isn’t closing herself off into Gray. I expected her to break down and have a bigger reaction, but instead she spoke the hard truth and is now looking at me like she wants to either punch me in the face or give me an earful. Both I probably deserve.

“Can I see your scar? I want to see how big of a badass Al is.” Noah says. Leo smacks his leg and whispers something to him and Noah loudly says, “What? I want to see!” Leo rolls his eyes and sits back against Noah’s legs.

“I assume you didn’t go to the hospital like the rest of your crazy brothers, so I want to see the stitches. Allie is a baby whisperer and must have the hands of an angel when it comes to stitches.” Harper leans forward, giving me an insistent look.

I roll my eyes. How did I end up with people that can handle a bomb being dropped on them and then two seconds later want to see the aftermath?

Leaning forward, I lift my shirt when Wes’s voice echoes through the room. “I lost the bet within the first hour. Great.”

I pause and give him a questioning look as he moves to stand behind Harper. She gives him a pointed look over her shoulder and he scowls at her.

“Bet for today was that Noah would be the first person to take his clothes off.” Grayson says.

“Hey! That’s not fair!”

“Noah, even you bet against yourself.” Lainey says.

“Whatever! Landon. Show us the scar!”

I turn in my chair and lift the back of my shirt. Of course, Logan, Harper, Noah, Leo, and Mom are the ones that crowd around me. This is what happens when you have a bunch of nurses, a soon to be nurse practitioner, and nosey people in your family.

“Damn. She got you good!” Noah exclaims.

Logan laughs and shakes her head.

“Her stitch work is incredible. Told you, angel hands.” Harper says.

“That must have been a serrated knife. Your scar will look weird, but it should heal up nicely.” Leo says matter of factly.

“You definitely deserved it, but don’t let it happen again. I don’t need to have a heart attack before one of you gives me a grandchild.” Mom proclaims, while pulling my shirt down and kissing me on the top of the head.

I turn back around and watch as Gray shakes his head, Wes squeezes Harper’s shoulder, and Lainey, Leo, and Noah all laugh at something one of them said in hushed voices.

I take a good look around the room and watch the laughter, smiles, and love filtering throughout every inch of my parents’ home, and that’s when it hits me. This is what Allie wants. She wants me to be clear minded, so I can be present in the moment. She isn’t just asking me not to drink when it comes to touching her, she wants to show me what it’s like to not be in a constant state of blurry vision.

The fire may be burning inside my veins and everything in me wants to run and grab the first sip of alcohol, but I can’t. Because if I do, not only will I miss out on an opportunity to feel absolute silence and peace, but also how clear small moments like these can truly be.

“Honey, I’m home!” I say, stepping into the doorway of my house.

Allie sits up from her spot on the couch and rolls her eyes. “Nope.”

“Come on! That was a good one!” I say, kicking off my boots and locking the door.

Before sitting on the couch, I set the containers of food Mom insisted I bring home on the counter and make my way to the living room. Allie flashes me a questioning look and I shake my head.

“Had a few Dr. Peppers and enough food to feed a basketball team.”

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