Page 135 of Irons

The following day was our last in Oklahoma. We met with the MC, and gave each member their roles and left Charlie as president and appointed the State Highway Patrol Chief asthe VP as a backup in case Clint accepted our offer. That night we had dinner with Wrenly’s parents. Clint had already talked with Heather, but they both had a ton of questions but promised to let us know as soon as they made up their minds. The offer Creed’s Lake made on their house was more than they anticipated. With Creed’s Lake in control of their MC, we would end up relocating a few operatives, so they could rent Tony’s place and Clint and Heather’s house from us. Mine wouldn’t be available anytime soon because I wasn’t into the idea of evicting a family.

The entire thing was a very quick decision, and hopefully one that will keep Clint safe. It was also a move that gave us a hell of a lot more protections and power to serve more areas in our DV division. I had one last thing to do before I left Oklahoma. That was why I was holding Wrenly’s hand as we stood in the front porch of my mother’s home.

The door swung open, and my mother stood in the doorway, looking a bit nervous, maybe out of sorts. I could tell she had been crying and Charlie was suddenly behind her welcoming us to their home. I understood why my mother was out of sorts. She was about to learn the fate of her oldest child. I wasn’t going to tell her the full truth, but she would have what she needed to know.

“Come on in.” Charlie said, and they both backed up to let us inside before Charlie shut the door behind them.

“Would either of you like something to drink? I have beer, tea, or a coke if you’re interested.” My mother offered.

Wrenly and I both requested a beer, and they led us to their kitchen. The home wasn’t anything like the one we had when I was a kid. Ours was a two story home that always felt cold and empty. Their home was a brick ranch style home, it was large and spacious, with an open floorplan, large living room,and kitchen. It seemed alive and warm, the way a home should feel. Charlie pulled out a chair for Wrenly at the kitchen table and I sat next to her.

“Sorry you missed Evie.” Mom placed the beers in front of us. “She’s at Basketball practice and a friend’s mother will have her home in a few hours.”

Well, at least one of us got a normal childhood.

Mom sat next to Charlie, and he reached under the table to hold her hand. “You’re leaving tomorrow.”

I nodded. “Yeah, we have to get back to work.”

“What happened to Josh? Did he already leave?” Mom asked.

“No, he stayed back at the hotel. He had some work that he had to get done.” I answered.

“How is your life back in Indiana, Travis? Are you happy?”

I looked at Wrenly and smiled before looking back at my mom. “I’ve led a very fulfilling life, surrounded by people I care for very deeply. We do good work and I’m proud of my accomplishments. I love an amazing woman, and we have a very bright future.” I squeezed Wrenly’s hand.

“When will you be back?” Mom asked.

“My final trip here will be in about five weeks. I’ll be helping Brock get things packed up for their move.”

Mom swallowed hard. “Your final trip?”

“Yeah, I think we have one last bit of business and other than that, there really isn’t much here for me. We may visit Wrenly’s grandparents, but I have a feeling they’ll be stopping by Indiana during their summer trips.”

Tears built up in moms eyes. “There’s really nothing I can do to get another chance?” She swallowed hard again, and Wrenly squeezed my hand.

“You had thirty years of chances.”

Wrenly squeezed my hand a little tighter and I cleared my throat. “I mean, you have my number if you need anything.” Damn Wrenly was strong.

Mom gave me a nod. “I will definitely be using it.” She looked at Charlie then at me. “What if I happen to find myself in a small town in Indiana, maybe Cold Springs? Would you possibly have dinner with me?”

Fuck, of course she made me feel sorry for her.

She continued without hearing my answer. “There is nothing to argue over. I was not the mother you deserved, that cannot be changed, but I’d like a chance to try again. Maybe just talk on the phone, some short visits since I can’t visit you at Creed’s Lake. Maybe we could meet somewhere outside your community. I’ll take whatever you will give me. All I want is little pieces of your time.”

I sighed. “I don’t know, Mom. Once I tell you what I know, I don’t think you’ll have much of a use for me anymore. I’ll be giving you all you’ve wanted for thirty years.”

Her tears really started flowing. “What if I say you don’t have to tell me anything? I’d sacrifice learning Bobby’s story if you’d just let me have you.” Charlie put an arm around her and kissed her temple and she shut her eyes as she rested her head against him. She cried for just a moment before she opened her eyes and looked at me. “I can be the mother I dreamed of being to you the day you were placed in my arms. I am so proud of you.” She paused when she sighed. “I’m so tired. Tired of searching, tired of regrets, tired of guilt, and this crushingheartbreak I constantly feel in my chest is no longer Bobby’s it’s yours.” She wiped her tears off her cheeks. “Whoever took Bobby didn’t destroy our family without help. I allowed evil to distract me and poison our little family.” She wiped her tears again. “Learning Bobby’s fate won’t fix us, we have to do that ourselves. I can’t give you your childhood back, I can’t give you the version of Robert you deserved to have as a father, but I can offer you the version of the mother you always deserved.” She sniffled. “I’m in the process of forgiving myself. Could you please just hang in here with me?”

Wrenly squeezed my hand really hard, and I looked at her to see she was crying too. I looked at mom, then at Charlie, then to Wrenly, then sighed in defeat. “Shit.” I stood and made my way around the table and pulled my mom up and wrapped her in my arms. She cried so hard I had to hold her up. She felt frail and her cries cut through me like a knife. She was sobbing and her tears and snot were soaking through my shirt. “Wrenly, could you get something?”

She knew what I was asking and left the table.

“I don’t like the woman I was for so many years. I don’t like her, she was so horrible. I don’t want to be her ever again.” Mom spoke in a shaky voice.

Charlie was rubbing her back as I held her. “You haven’t been that woman in a very long time.” He assured her.

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