Page 353 of Boots, Bucket Lists & Bad Ideas
I look at him, my mouth slightly open. “You what?”
“I forgave your father.” There’s pain in his eyes, but also peace. “We’ve made a lot of mistakes over the years, but the biggest one was our lack of forgiveness.”
“You know Hart witnessed it. You know what this did to him. Whathisactions did to him.” I point at my daddy.
Mr. Wilde nods. “I do.” His voice is even. “But I also know what losing a temper can do. And I know he carried that guilt longer than I ever did.”
The men breathe in the exact moment, slow and ragged, like they’re staring at the same ghost. And the stillness says more than words could.
“Don’t blame him for Hart. We share that blame. We share all the blame. And what has blame gotten us?” He looks at each of us for a brief moment. “What our families need now is forgiveness.”
I shake my head. “I can’t.” My voice chokes.
None of it matters right now.
Not the past. Not forgiveness. Not the truth.
Not until we know Hart is going to make it. Because if he doesn’t, I’ll never forgive myself.
“Hart Wilde’s family?” A doctor stands behind us, white coat crisp, tablet tucked against his chest, expression unreadable.
We all turn.
“That’s us.” Mrs. Wilde steps closer, and the rest of his family follows.
The doctor steps forward, offering a calm, reassuring smile.
“Good evening, I’m Dr. Lee. I’m overseeing your son’s care right now.” He pauses before continuing. “He’s stable. He has a linear skull fracture and signs of a significant concussion.”
It’s like we’re standing at the edge of a cliff just waiting for someone to push us over.
“There’s no evidence of bleeding in the brain at this point, which is good. We’ll be admitting him for neuro monitoring for the next few days, just to be safe.”
A sense of something like relief prickles through me. He’s okay.
A quiet exhale escapes me. I allow the tiny flicker of hope at the possibility of him being okay.
“Is he still unconscious?” Mrs. Wilde asks.
“Yes. It’s not uncommon,” Doctor Lee continues. “He may wake soon, or it could take a while. We’re keeping a close eye on him.”
She steps forward. “Can we see him?”
He nods. “One at a time. While he’s still unconscious, he may hear you. It’s okay to talk to him.”
I step back.
“Jade?” Hope reaches for my hand.
I shake my head. “I can’t.”
“You can.” Levi takes my other hand. “He would want you there.”
“I drove him up that ladder.”
Dean shakes his head. “We all did, and we’d do it again. We play hard, Jade. You know that.”
“But I called him a liar.”
