Page 45 of Betting Brett

My father is standing there. The moonlight is slanting across his features, illuminating the lines of a face marked by years and years of stress.

“Brett,” Jim says my name as if he’s dropping a bomb.

“Dad,” I respond.

This was going to be interesting.

25

Andy

I’msomehowmanagingtokeep the surprise from filtering onto my face. As I look at Jim, I see a broken man, his eyes red and swollen, his face etched with regret. He seems sad but happy at the same time, a weird mixture that makes me slightly worried. Something is obviously going on, but what?

The moonlight illuminates him, casting an eerie glow that accentuates the haggard lines of his face and the disheveled state of his clothes. His shirt is wrinkled untucked, and his eyes... they’re heavy, the sadness inside of them battling with the weak smile that tries to flicker onto his face.

“Brett,” Jim’s voice is a hoarse whisper, heavy with a mix of emotions that dance in the space between us.

“Dad,” Brett responds. He’s clearly just as surprised as I am but there’s also a caution to him. Has his father come to tell us some bad news? Maybe Darlene influenced him to say something about the forged signature. If this entire wound is reopened so soon… I wasn’t sure what I’d do.

But Jim is a good man, manipulated by someone who isn’t. He’d been a good man since we were kids when he’d fix me and Brett up some lunch or dinner. When he’d watch us run plays on the football field and give some helpful advice from his days as a football player. Brett got his heart of gold from his father, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind about that. Still, I stand beside Brett, my body tense, ready to spring into defense.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” Brett says.

“I wanted to come,” Jim replies. The ranch seems to hold its breath, waiting for the next bomb to drop.

“I’ve filed for divorce,” Jim finally tells us, his voice cracking. There it is. That’s what Jim’s upset and relieved about.

Brett is the first to speak again. “Divorce?” His voice is a mix of disbelief and something else - relief. There’s a visible shift in his stance, he seems less on his guard now. His hands go to his pockets, and the furrows between his brows smooth out.

Jim nods, his gaze never leaving Brett. “Yes,” he confirms, his voice cracking. “I can’t... I won’t be a part of what your mother tried to do. It’s unforgivable. Completely and totally unforgivable. And if it had worked, I don’t know what I would have done. I absolutely can’t live with someone that I can’t trust.”

“You never deserved what she put you through.” The pain of Brett’s past leaks into his words. He had a front-row seat to the years of Darlene’s emotional abuse and manipulation.

“I know,” Jim says, his own pain audible. “And I’ll regret staying with her every day for the rest of my life. I should have stood up to her sooner, maybe then none of this would have happened.”

“It’s okay, Dad. It’s not your fault. None of this was ever your fault,” Brett’s voice is steady, and I can see the effect it’s having on his dad. His eyes seem a little brighter, and his smile a little wider. I can almost see the relief in him.

“I was afraid of her, of the consequences of standing against her and leaving her. I also wanted to keep the family together for you. I thought that was best.” It’s a confession that lays bare the dynamics that have defined their marriage, the toxic dance that led us to this exact day.

“But you’re here now,” I find my voice. “And that’s what’s important. You’re on the right side of history, you have your son and your granddaughter. You’re going to be ok, Jim. I promise.”

“I will,” Jim confirms, his gaze lifting to meet ours. “And I’m ready to face whatever comes next. I want you both to know that and know that I love you.”

“I…” Brett begins, his voice trembling with the intensity of the moment. “I need you to know how much it hurt, Dad. Seeing you deal with that. It was never right.”

Jim’s guilt is obvious. “I know, son. And I’ll carry that with me every day.”

“But I also need you to know…” Brett’s words break, the next words profoundly tender. “I love you, Dad. I love you with everything I’ve got.”

Jim’s eyes fill with more tears, the walls built over years of silent complicity crumbling under the weight of Brett’s words.

“You’re my father. And even through it all, you were the best dad I could have asked for. Really. You taught me how to be a man, and that’s all I can even ask from you. If you need anything, Dad, I’m here for you,” Brett says as he opens his arms. “We’ll get through this, and life will be better because of it.”

I watch him wrap his dad up in a tight bear hug, the two of them so similar and so different at the same time. I rub at a stream of tears that slips down my cheek, the back of my hand coming back wet.

“Thank you, son,” Jim whispers, the words a mix of gratitude and awe. He glances at his wristwatch. There’s something else in his eyes now. Something that resembles hope. It’s the same look Brett had in his eyes after the judge gave his verdict, tossing out the case and keeping Izzy with him.

“Alright, I’m going to head home and get some sleep. It’s been a long day.”

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