by K. C. Lynn
She nods, unable to speak past her emotion.
“Our family is strong,” Faith says, breaking in, “and as long as we have each other, we can get through anything.”
Cade takes Mia from her and pulls her in close. We all take a moment to soak in the reality and be grateful for the moment.
Mia is the one to eventually break the silence. “Let’s cewebrate and go out for ice cream,” she cheers, pumping a fist in the air.
“That’s a great idea. How about after my lesson?” Faith asks, looking at me.
I nod. “Sure but before we do anything can you do me a favor?”
“Of course,” she says without hesitation.
“Can I have my class back?”
Surprise flares in her eyes.
“I know there’s only a week left before the fair but I want to finish what I started. I owe it to them and myself to see this through.”
“Are you sure you’re up for it?”
I nod. “I wouldn’t ask otherwise.”
A soft smile transforms her face. “All right. Come on then, let’s go.”
We make plans to meet Cade and the girls for dinner after then climb in my truck. Alissa’s scent still lingers, invading my heart and mind, reminding me of everything I’m fighting for.
By the time we walk into the school, I’m hit with the same nerves I had a few weeks ago. Back then I thought I was entering my impending doom. Little did I know, these children would play a big part in my salvation.
Faith heads into the classroom first while I hang back and wait for her to get them settled. The parents are surprised to see me when they walk out. Most of them shake my hand and welcome me back but I don’t miss the questions in their eyes. Faith never told them why I left. All she said was that I had to go out of town for a few weeks. Something I appreciate. Not necessarily because I’m ashamed but I like to keep my personal life private. However, I will give the children the explanation they deserve.
“All right, boys and girls, come join me on the carpet.” Faith’s voice drifts into the hall, knocking me from my thoughts. “There’s a special visitor here to see you.”
By her enthusiasm, they’re probably expecting the fucking Easter Bunny. They are about to get a serious letdown.
“Who is it?” they ask excitedly.
Releasing a heavy breath, I push from the wall and take that as my cue to step inside. “Me.”
All of them twist toward the door, their eyes wide with shock and also uncertainty. I can’t blame them. Not after the way I acted the last time we were together.
“Hey, guys,” I greet them quietly.
They stare at me, looking less than impressed.
Latisha is the first one to speak. She steps in front of everyone else, her hands planting on her hips. “Well, well, well. Look who’s back. Here to yell at us some more, Mr. Grouch?”
Faith is about to come to my defense, but I don’t give her the chance. “Can you give us a few minutes?”
She hesitates for only a second before granting me the privacy I ask for. “I’ll be down the hall if you need me.”
Once she’s gone, I pull up a chair and sit in front of them, bringing myself eye level. “I owe you guys an explanation.”
Silence blankets the room, most of them waiting patiently to hear me out, except Latisha. She looks at one of her nails, feigning disinterest.
Unsure of where to start, I reach inside my shirt and pull out the metal dog tags I’ve been wearing for the last week. “Do you guys know what these are?”
“Yeah, sure,” Tommy answers. “GI Joe has them. They’re for soldiers.”
“That’s right. Lots of military men and women wear them. These were my best friend’s. His name was Billy. We were Navy SEALs together.”
“You were a soldier?” Tommy asks, eyes wide with curiosity.
I nod rather than explain to him the difference between the two.
“How come you have his necklace?” Katy asks.
“Because he left them for me after he died.”
Their small mouths part on a gasp, the sharp sound carrying the same kind of pain that will always linger with me.
“He died fighting for this country and our freedom,” I continue, my throat raw as I talk about it. It’s going to take time. I’m so used to burying it. “Have you guys ever lost someone that you love?”
“I lost my grandma,” Maddy says sadly.
“My grandpa died when I was four,” Katy adds.
“My dad.”
My eyes move to Rafe at the quiet sound of his voice, proud of him for speaking up because I know better than anyone it’s not easy to do.
“I’m sorry, Rafe,” Trinny says, placing her hand on his shoulder.
“Thanks.”
Clearing my throat, I push on. “It was really hard on me when I lost Billy. It made me sad and angry. It still does, but I’ve been learning how to deal with it. That’s where I’ve been the last few weeks. I wanted to get better so I would stop getting upset at the people I care about.”
“Like us?” Trinny asks.
I nod but also think about my family and one girl in particular. “I’m sorry for how I acted the last time I was here. I wasn’t myself. I want you to know I’ve always been proud of you guys, and I really enjoy teaching you. I’m hoping you can give me another chance.”
They all look at each other, a silent exchange happening amongst them.
Rafe makes the first move and comes to stand beside me. “I forgive you.”
I hold out my fist to him and get a knuckle bump.
Trinny walks over next and stands on the other side of me. Her bottom lip trembles as she wraps her arms around my neck. “I’m real sorry about your friend, Mr. Christopher.”
I pat her back, that ache in my chest spreading like fire. “Thanks, Trinny.”
“I forgive you, too,” Arnie says, taking the spot by Rafe.
“And me.” Katy follows.
Eventually, they all surround me, granting me the forgiveness I hoped for. The only one missing is Latisha. She remains on the carpet, her eyes are a little softer but her pride too big.
“What do you say, Diva? You gonna forgive me, too?”
“Oh all right,” she relents, stepping forward. “But no more Mr. Grouch.”
“No more. I promise.” I hold out my fist for a bump but she surprises me by wrapping her arms around my neck.
“Sorry you were sad,” she whispers, hugging me tight.
“Thanks.”
“So does this mean we’re going to perform with you at the fair and not Miss Faith?” Trinny asks.
“Yeah, and about that…” I hesitate; knowing what I’m about to say is going to stress them out. “We’re going to change the song.”
As I expected, their horrified gasps explode through the room.
“Are you crazy?” Latisha snaps. “We only have a week.”
“I know. Trust me, I wouldn’t make this change if it weren’t important but it is, and I really need your help.”
“With what?” Rafe asks.
“Remember Alissa?”
“I sure do,” Arnie pipes up, and I swear the little shit has hearts in his eyes.
“I want to do something really special for her. Something she’s going to remember for the rest of her life. It’s going to take a lot of work. We’re even going to need extra practice times, but if we all work together, I know we can pull it off.” Pausing, I look at each one of them before putting my hand out in the middle of the circle. “What do you say? Will you help me?”
“I’m in,” Rafe says, putting his hand over mine.
“Me, too,” Arnie adds, placing his on next. “Anything for Miss Alissa.”
The rest of them join in, Latisha being the last one again.
“Let’s do this,” she says, slapping her hand down on top.
“All right. Here’s the plan.”
CHAPTER 30
Christopher
The days are so
fucking long without her. Every second that passes I miss her even more. I want nothing more than to say fuck it and go to her now, but I can’t. Not yet. It needs to be perfect.
She deserves the world.
The kids have been working hard. Three days of practices and we’ve accomplished more than I thought. Mia is joining us tomorrow and will be perfect for the finale. It looks like we’ll pull this off after all.
Just as I push in the last chair, there’s a knock on the door. My head snaps up, expecting it to be one of the kids coming back for something, but instead I find Helen Hunter standing in the doorway. Surprise renders me immobile and my good mood fades quickly.
“I’m sorry to bother you, but Faith told me I could find you here,” she says, remaining by the door. “I was hoping I could have a minute of your time.”
She’s the last person I want to deal with right now, but since I love her daughter, I wave for her to enter and brace myself for whatever shitstorm she’s about to bring my way.
She walks into the room, her expensive heels clicking on the tile as she takes in the classroom. “This is quite the place you have here.”
I’m trying to decipher if it’s a compliment or not. I’m going with the latter since she has never given me a compliment a day in her life. “It’s not mine. It’s Faith’s.” I try to keep the bite out of my tone but don’t succeed.
She nods. “Right. Well, it’s a nice place she has here.”
I remain silent, trying to figure out what the hell she’s up to.
She begins fidgeting with her necklace and I don’t miss the way her fingers tremble. “Faith informed me of the performance you have planned for my daughter this weekend.”
It now becomes clear why she’s here. “Look, if you came to tell me all the reasons why I don’t deserve Alissa you can save your breath. I already know that but it doesn’t change a damn thing, especially when it comes to how I feel about her.”
Her chin lifts, something that looks a lot like hurt flashing in her eyes. “That’s not why I’m here.”
“Then why are you here?” I ask, refusing to play whatever head game she’s trying to pull.
“To give you the apology that you deserved long before now.”
“An apology?” I ask in disbelief.
“That’s right. I’ve been terribly unfair to you, and I’m very sorry. I’ve made a lot of mistakes over the years and this past month I’ve been forced to see those mistakes.”
I’m shocked by the tears that begin to well in her eyes and suspicion rears inside of me. This is the first time I’ve ever seen her as anything other than cold and heartless.
“Believe it or not, Mr. Walker, I love my daughter very much, and all I’ve ever wanted for her was the best. It wasn’t until recently that I realized she had it.”
Silence fills the air as I stare back at her, dumbfounded.
“I don’t blame you for being hesitant about my apology, and I can even understand if you are not willing to forgive me. But I’m hoping you will at least give me a chance. My daughter loves you very much, and I want to be a part of her life.”
I remember all the grief she’s given me in the past but also think about the relationship Alissa has always wanted with her, and it’s the last thought that has me saying what I’m about to.
“I might know a thing or two about making mistakes,” I admit, relaxing against the desk behind me. “As long as Alissa is happy and you don’t interfere with that, then I will accept your apology.”
Her tense shoulders relax and a shaky smile takes over her face. “Thank you. I promise from now on, all you will get from me is support.” She seals her promise by extending her hand to me.
Reaching out, I accept it, for no one else’s sake but Alissa’s. “I guess this means I’ll see you at the fair this Saturday.”
She nods. “You will. I’d wish you luck but when it comes to my daughter you don’t need it.”
Those are the last words she speaks before walking out and leaving me with a little more hope for the future.
CHAPTER 31
Alissa
Sunset Bay’s historic park is filled with games, rides, and food vendors for our annual town fair. The sun is warm and bright—energy palpable as children’s laughter and excitement float through the air.
I’m pretty sure the entire town is here. There’s not an empty spot in the park. It’s exactly what my lonely heart needed, and I’m glad Faith asked me to come. I’m even more grateful that my mother came with me, something I’m still surprised about. This is definitely not her scene…or so I thought.
There’s a genuine smile on her face as she walks next to me, holding a bag of cotton candy, the pink fluff disappearing into her mouth. When she makes eye contact, her smile slips. “Why do you keep staring at me like that?”
I shrug. “Just surprised you came is all.”
“Is it really that shocking?”
“Yes, it is. Let’s face it, Mom, this isn’t your kind of place.”
“Why not? I’ll have you know I used to love going to the fair. Your father took me to one for our first date.” The light in her eyes dims, regret surfacing at the mention of my father.
“Speaking of Dad, is he coming?”
She nods. “He had some stuff to finish at the hospital first, then said he would meet up with us.”
I never thought the day would come where we could all be together again in the same place without fighting and hostility. But for the past month it has been like that, and I’m thankful for it. My parents will never get back together; we all know this. My mother broke my father’s trust long ago and some things can’t be undone. But they have found common ground again. You could almost say they’re friends.
My mother has learned a lot about herself since Richard’s arrest and she’s opened up to me about it. One thing she confessed was realizing somewhere along the way she lost certain parts of herself. Parts that kept her anger and bitterness from surfacing. A lot of that stemmed from her strict upbringing. According to her, my grandparents weren’t very loving. I never had a chance to meet them because they died soon after I was born, but based upon what my parents have said they weren’t very kind people.
I’m proud of my mother for recognizing her faults and going to counseling. She still has a lot of wrongs to right, but in time, I think she will accomplish that.
“Well, it’s almost one,” she says, glancing at her watch. “Should we head over for the show?”
Nodding, we walk over to where the stage has been set up for Faith’s class to perform. I’m excited to see how far the children have come, yet I hate that Christopher won’t be here with them, like he should have been.
This past month has been the longest of my life. Every day I wake up and read his letter to instill some hope in my heart, praying he means what he wrote and one day we will be together again. Patience has never been easy for me, especially when it comes to Christopher, but I will wait. I’d wait for him until the end of time. Whatever he’s doing at the center, I pray it’s helping him overcome what he needs to, bringing him the peace he deserves. Right now, that’s what is most important.
I’ve been trying to keep busy with getting my own life in order. By building a relationship with my mother and enrolling into medical school here at Charleston University. I’m excited to start there in the fall, and I plan to work hard to achieve my dream of becoming a pediatrician. Who knows, maybe even one day I’ll have my own practice set up right here in Sunset Bay. The thought has a smile dancing across my lips.
The area surrounding the stage is packed. My mother and I stand in the back, behind the rows of white chairs that are filled with eager family and friends. I spot Jaxson, Julia, and the neighbor crew seated with their children. Every one of them greets me with a wave and kind smile.
“Oh, there’s your father.” My mother points across the way and waves to get his attention.
He spots us quickly and looks a little frazzled as he walks
over. “Sorry I’m late. I got stuck in traffic,” he explains, kissing my cheek.
“You’re fine. We just made it over here ourselves.”
“Good.” He turns to my mother, giving her a kiss on the cheek as well. “Helen, good to see you.”
“You, too.”
A gentle hand lands on my shoulder and I turn around, shocked to find Faith. “Hey,” I greet her with a hug; surprised she’s not getting the children ready considering the performance starts any minute.
She returns my embrace then shakes both my mother’s and father’s hands. “I’m glad you could come.”
“Thank you for inviting us. This is something we definitely wouldn’t want to miss.” My mother’s response is odd and the knowing smile on her face makes me feel like I’m missing something.
Frowning, I shake myself of the bizarre feeling. “How are the kids? Are they excited?” I ask.
“Very. They have been practicing really hard for this performance.”
“I can’t wait to see what they’ve accomplished since I last saw them.”
Her response is a smile, one like my mother just had, and again that niggling feeling hits me. Before I can think more about it, the introductions begin.
“Thank you, everyone, for coming.”
Every muscle in my body stills at the deep voice that cuts through the air. It’s a voice I’d know anywhere, one I dream of every night.
With my heart thundering, I slowly turn to find Christopher on the stage. My breath catches, heart seizing at the sight of him.
“We have a very special performance for you today.” His mesmerizing eyes hold mine captive, as if every word he speaks is just for me. “But before we can begin we need one person to help us.” He lifts a hand, pointing me out. “Alissa, can you come up here please?”
All eyes swing to me while I remain where I am, shock rooting me to my place.
“Go on,” Faith coaxes gently, touching my shoulder.
It knocks me out of my trance and gives me the push I need to get my feet moving. My mind continues to reel, each step bringing me closer to the man I love with my whole heart.
