Page 60 of Trust in my Heart (Desires of the Heart 2)

We get out, and I lead them towards my parents’ graves.

“This is my mom and dad. They died seven years ago. They were coming home from a party, and I was away with some friends when I got the call that my parents were hit by a drunk driver. It was one of their friends who decided to drive home from the party,” I say.

Holly wraps her arm around my waist, and I move my arm over her shoulders and hold her to me.

“I miss them everyday. The pain doesn’t go away, I don’t think it ever will. You just learn to live without them. I still find myself wanting to pick up the phone to tell them something exciting happened. They would have loved to meet all of you. My parents were completely supportive of any decision I have made. They made sure I always knew that. They would have been thrilled to learn that they were going to be grandparents. Not knowing who fathered them would not have bothered them in the slightest.”

“I would have loved to meet them too. They seem like great people,” Holly says, breaking the silence.

“I never brought anyone here before,” I tell her so that she understands how personal this is.

“Not even,” she says, gesturing to our men.

I shake my head. “No, not that it never crossed my mind, but it just never seemed like the right time. You can choose to believe this or not, but it always felt like something was missing. We weren’t complete yet.”

Holly swallows hard when she takes in the weight of my words.

“Thank you for sharing this with me. With us,” Holly says seriously, and I nod my head.

They walk to the car after a few more minutes, and I spend the next twenty minutes talking to my parents’ graves.

I don’t know if they are listening or they can hear me, but it gives me great comfort, and sometimes I feel like they are right there.

“Hey mom, dad. That was Holly. She’s the mother of our babies. I don’t know how to fix things with us, but I feel like we are on our way to healing. She’s amazing and we don’t deserve another chance but I really don’t want to let her go. I’m going to do whatever I can to make her see that she is worth it.”

I continue to tell my parents everything else that has been going on before I’m ready to leave.

Everyone is sitting silently in the car while they wait and, this time, Easton is sitting in the driver’s seat.

I’m curious as to what he’s going to show because I don’t have a clue.

Easton

I drive towards my favourite spot.

There is no tragic backstory to me. My parents are alive and healthy. They will probably want to meet Holly at some point, but there isn’t much that I keep to myself.

I drive to a clearing that looks over the whole town. Holly looks over at me in confusion, but climbs out when the rest of us do.

“I don’t have a hidden past or story. There wasn’t much that was sad about my childhood. There are no deep, dark secrets I need to share. This is what I’ve got. This is my most favourite spot in the world. When I met Dylan and Braxton, I thought it was going to be a one night thing. I ended up staying for the weekend and not wanting to leave. It was a few months later when they brought me here, and we had a nice picnic. They asked me to move in with them and to be with them exclusively. This is where I feel like our lives really began together,” I tell her.

I look over at Holly, and tears are falling down her cheeks.

“That’s beautiful. It didn’t need to be something sad or tragic. I just wanted to see you all in a different light,” she says.

“Thank you. This day has really meant a lot to me. I feel like I know you all just a little bit better now,” she states.

“Does that mean you are willing to give us another chance?” I ask nervously.

She blows out a breath before looking out over the clearing.

“Since I met you guys, everything has been an emotional clusterfuck. We can’t start from where we left off because I don’t know how we could even do that. Our relationship wasn’t stable, and I always felt like I was on the outside of the three of you instead of an equal part within. I feel like we are always starting over and I’m giving you guys chances. What if I had nothing else to give? How much more could I take before it becomes too much?” she questions.

“Every relationship has its problems. We may have jumped into this so soon after our last relationship, but that doesn’t make this any less real. We aren’t functioning without you. There is a very real missing piece without you here. I’m sorry if we made you feel like you weren’t an equal part, but this just doesn’t work without you,” Braxton says, cupping her face with his hands.

“And if another man talks to me again, are you going to accuse me of cheating on you?” she asks with a raised eyebrow.

“I knew, deep down, I was wrong. I was just very fucking insecure. Not knowing where you were fucking killed me. I will do whatever it takes to make this right,” Braxton says.

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