Page 79 of Fighting for the Truth

“Angel, if you need to blame someone, then put it on me. I’m in love with Brittney and nothing will ever change that. I need you to understand. So, blame me. It’ll be her I love until my last breath because she’s my forever,” I tell her not caring anymore if I piss her off even as she shakily points the gun at me with tears streaming down her face. As long as she doesn’t hurt Brittney, nothing else matters.

But Hart has reached her now. He points his gun at her back. “Drop the weapon and lie facedown with your hands out to your sides…now,” he says with deadly calm.

She jerks in surprise but complies. Once she’s on the pavement, he secures her weapon and handcuffs her before more police cars and an ambulance arrives.

Now that I know she’s in custody, my attention is back on my father. Brittney moves to my side. “Dad, stay awake. Do you hear me?”

He’s white as a ghost and barely able to keep his eyes open. “I’m…sorry, son. So…sorry.”

“For what? You just saved our lives. I’m sorry I didn’t answer when you called,” I admit. It was him who called twice while I was determined to talk to Brittney. He must’ve been calling to warn me. The realization makes guilt churn through my gut.

His lips lift slightly for the briefest second. “I…wouldn’t have…wouldn’t have answered me either.”

The paramedics run our way with bags and a backboard. “Move back, sir. We need to work now,” one of them says firmly.

“Dad. You’re going to be okay. I’ll be at the hospital when you get there,” I say as they make me back away.

“Love…you…son. So…proud.” It’s the last thing he says as he crashes.

The next forty-eight hours passed in a blur. Dad coded twice. Once in the ambulance and once in surgery. The bullet grazed his lung and lodged in his shoulder blade. They were able to retrieve it and make repairs while stopping the blood loss, and after a blood transfusion, he’s still got a chest tube in to treat his collapsed lung. But we’re out of the critical window and the doctors are hopeful he’ll make a full recovery.

Mamma and Wren rushed to the hospital and, believe it or not, even my grandparents and Vincent have been here. I’m not sure what it means exactly, but Mamma hasn’t left his side. She’s held his hand from the moment she was allowed in his room. He’s been in and out of it.

Wren has watched in silence. Even Hart has been here checking in on us and to let us know Angel is being held without bail. Tate and Sterling too. But my girl…mydolcezza,she’s been my rock. Without even saying a word, she’s known what to do and what I needed. I’m even less sure than before I deserve her love, but I do know I’m going to do everything in my power to be worthy of her.

Mamma talks to Dad, and I see him shift his gaze to us. Mamma’s follows and she stands and walks to the door. “Your dad wants to see you and Wren.”

Brittney squeezes my hand and smiles encouragingly. I kiss her knuckles before glancing at Wren’s wide eyes and I nod. We both stand and walk to his room. Mamma leaves and sits beside Brittney. As curious as I am about what my dad wants, I’m just as curious about what Mamma will say to Brittney. She doubted her intentions back in Nashville too. I hope now she sees what a mistake that was. It’s not only important to me, but I know it is to Brittney too.

“Will you shut the door, please?” Dad asks in a raspy voice.

I do as he asks and close the door. “I need you both to know how much I love you and how much I love your mother. I didn’t ever stop. I’ve carried you with me each day we’ve been apart. I know I have no right, but I’m asking you both to forgive me.”

“For what?” Wren asks.

He blinks a few times as his eyes shimmer, and even with some of the unresolved feelings I have about all his mistakes, I can’t lie and say seeing my dad tear up doesn’t do something to me…because it does. It takes a lot of strength to fight for what’s right, but sometimes it takes even more to admit when you’re wrong.

“For…not fighting for my family. For falling into the trap that took me from you. For killing your uncle even though it morphed into a self-defense fight. And for breaking your mother’s heart,” he says with regret in his voice even as it’s raspy from all he’s been through the last two days.

Wren stares at him as big teardrops roll down her flushed cheeks. “A man…a husband and father does everything he can to love and protect his family. I may have done what I thought I should to protect you, but I made you doubt I loved you. I can only hope you can forgive me. I plan on changing that. I’m done being separated from my wife and my children. I know I’ve missed too much, but I’ll do everything in my power to be present now. And I don’t care what your grandfather says. Not even he can stop me,” he says as he watches us.

“It was too hard to walk away from your mother once and from the both of you. I won’t ever do it again,” he admits.

Wren walks over to him and presses a kiss to his head. “I’d love nothing more than to start over with you, Daddy. I’m not a liar, so I can’t say the slate is wiped clean, but I believe you’re sincere. So, I do forgive you. I’m only warning you, it may take a while to accept this change. I can be stubborn, so be patient with me,” she says honestly.

Dad smiles and takes her hand in his. “You can’t scare me away, baby girl. You got the stubborn gene honest. So long as you let me try to earn your trust, it’s all I ask.”

She nods and glances over her shoulder at me. Dad turns his focus on me as well. “Hawk. You took on the role of man of the house way too early in life. I’m sorry I put that on you but I’m so proud of you. You’ve grown into a better man than I ever could’ve hoped. I couldn’t ask for a better son. I hope you can try to forgive me one day too.”

Wren backs away and slips out the door to give us privacy. “I want to, Dad. I get why you did what you did. But I still can’t fathom you doing it,” I say.

He nods and hangs his head. “But I also see you’re here now. And I almost lost you forever. You took a bullet for her, for me. You proved your love. I suppose it’s all I can ask after the years that have passed between us,” I say and then turn to see Mamma hugging Brittney. “Both of those women have proved people deserve second chances, and love is infinite. So yes, I forgive you. I want you in our lives.”

I walk closer and lean over to hug him. “I love you, son. Thank you.”

“I love you too, Dad.”

I stand back up, feeling lighter than I can ever remember feeling. It’s like all the missing pieces have started fitting together again. Dad clears his throat. “You’ve got a good woman out there, son. Don’t give up on her.”

---