Page 89 of Protected By West
Weston frowned a little.
He'd been curious about the chief's past. He'd wanted to ask him about Tracy a few times, but it never felt like the 'right' time.
"It fell apart more than a decade ago."
"I don't think I've ever heard anything about it."
Chief Fagan nodded. "It wasn't like I made a big announcement that my marriage had fallen apart." He looked back at his desk and then turned away. "I had a wife and a daughter but looking back on it, I barely knew either of them. There were times when I'd think that I could pick up my daughter from school, but when it came down to it, I'd get busy. The day I finally managed to get my shit together and pick her up, she slid into the back of the car and didn't even recognize it was me.
"I tried to excuse it since I'd started getting some scruff on my face and she'd likely been used to me clean shaven, but it burned in my gut. My daughter was sitting behind me, happilychatting away about her school day and the things that she'd learned and when I asked her if she recognized me, she looked up into the rear-view mirror with quite a bit of shock. She told me that she'd gotten so used to officers picking her up she didn't even really look at the driver anymore. If there was a uniformed officer in the driver's seat, she'd just get in."
Weston felt Seamus' words in his gut. He'd been on that same path for years. The rare times that he'd met someone that had interested him, their interest would fade after a few broken dates. Life as a law enforcement officer meant being married to the job, especially when it was something like Special Operations.
It's not like he could blame the job.
No one had forced him to join.
He could have stopped at being a Ranger. That had always been his dream.
Wearing that storied badge was something he'd dreamed about, having grown up in a Ranger family. There were two generations of his family ahead of him who had worn the five-pointed star on their shirts. The cowboy hat was nice, but so many of the law enforcement officers used it while serving the people of Texas, it wasn't all that unique, but the Texas Ranger Star?
He'd always admired his father and his grandfather wearing their badges. Loved what it stood for. Lived his life to be worthy of the badge.
When he pinned it on before every shift, he still felt the same rush of pride that he'd felt the first time he'd seen a Ranger pin it on.
Living life as part of the Texas Rangers, he'd never really thought of what it was like for people who weren't used to the life. His mother had been the wife of a first responder from the get go. His grandmother, too.
He'd never really thought about what it was like for family members stepping into the life.
"You said you... broke up around a decade ago? I was already in law enforcement at the time. And I think I already knew who you were."
The Chief shrugged. A lot of people knew him on sight.
"About that time."
"I don't think I've... ever met your daughter." Weston was sure that his voice sounded... a little strained, but the Chief didn't seem to notice.
The moment he'd said the words the mood in the room soured again.
Weston wished that he could take it back.
Instead of being upset or angry, Seamus seemed to age in front of him.
Even his coloring seemed sallow instead of his usual suntanned complexion.
"I..." He swallowed and the sound seemed to echo off of the walls around them. "I haven't seen her since her mother and I... Since we signed the divorce papers."
Weston took a long sip of his coffee. The first touch of the dark liquid on his tongue burned, but it eased up as he drank more, using the excuse to put his thoughts in order.
“Have you thought about reaching out?”
The chief pulled back, his hand lowering an inch or two. “My ex hated me back then. Some divorces are amicable. Others are acrimonious. Ours?” He shook his head. “The last time I saw her she crossed the street to avoid me.”
Weston nodded and shifted his weight from one booted foot to the other. “What about your daughter? She’s a grown woman now. She might want to see you.”
The look on Chief Fagan’s face said what he thought about that. “Her mother would watch me burn holding a full bucket of water. I doubt my daughter is any different.”
Weston wasn’t sure how to say the thoughts in his head, but his phone pinged with an alert at the same time as the Chief’s did.
