by Kayce Kyle
My daddy spots me immediately and the entire room quiets. “Hey, Princess. Come and give your pops a hug.”
Justice and the others do their normal fist bump or side hug thing they do.
“How’s my grandbaby?” my daddy asks, then looks over at Justice also grabbing his attention.
Damn, I forgot to tell Justice that I told my father about the baby. I would almost swear I’m losing my memory. All eyes are on Justice now, and he looks directly at my father, then at me.
He approaches me as if he is showing my father his undying loyalty to me, and that he isn’t going anywhere.
“The baby is good, Daddy,” I answer.
“Good. Everyone out, Justice and Jenalyn, you two stay,” my father orders.
As soon as the room is cleared and the door is shut, my father begins. “Have a seat, the both of you.”
We both oblige his request in unison, and Justice grabs my hand displaying his affection in front of my father. He brings my hand with along with his up to his lips and places a firm, albeit gentle kiss on it as he looks at me. He is reassuring me that we are both in this thing, this entire thing now known as our life, together. I feel my racing pulse begin to calm.
“So the news on the streets is that you got my Princess pregnant.” Justice begins to move forward in an attempt to explain himself, but my father places his hand up and waves it around. “Stop right there, Son. Don’t even bother explaining yourself, because as much as I encourage this relationship, there is only one solution. I think we both know what that is now don’t we?”
“Well, Pres I…” Justice begins only for his words to be cut off again by my father.
“Good. As long as we’re on the same page.” My daddy narrows his eyes, and gives Justice the sternest look I’ve ever seen him give. “Now, just humor me and fucking listen without all the melodrama before I begin.” He shifts his focus to me now. “Should anything happen to me…”
I start inching forward in my seat and Justice squeezes my hand and looks over at me firmly.
My father looks at Justice and silently thanks him. This feels like I’m being teamed up on, and I feel my emotions begin to get the best of me again. They should know not to talk about shit like this in front of a pregnant woman. Even I’m beginning to get annoyed at myself and this constant emotional roller coaster I am on.
“Anyway, as I was saying, should anything happen to me, Wilson who is my attorney has everything needed legally. Your momma knows all this too, Princess.” He gestures for me to come closer, so I scoot my chair up to him and he takes my hand. “You know I’m so proud of you. Even when I didn’t understand or agree with your move to California, I know now why you needed to do it. Look at how it all turned out, Princess. You have it all now, well almost. You still owe me a happy, healthy grandbaby, and that Art Gallery you’ve always wanted. It worked out pretty damn good. I couldn’t have hand picked a better man for my Princess.” My daddy kisses my hand as he notices the tears trailing my cheeks. “Now, you stop all that worrying and crying. You know I’m too damn stubborn to leave you, any of you. I’ll be there to walk you down that aisle as you marry this other stubborn fucker right here.”
His last comment has all three of us letting out a small laugh.
“I’ve already spoken with everyone else, everything’s fine. Nothing to worry about, promise. Now give your pops a hug, then send your mom in here before they come and get me.”
I give my daddy a hug, and in this moment, I never want to let go. I know this is a surgery performed often, and I’m just being over hormonal, but I just want him back home, or at the clubhouse bossing us all around. I’ll be glad when this is over and I can breathe a little easier. His firm embrace to me suggests he feels the same, and my daddy is not a very affectionate man. I know deep down he has to be terrified, who wouldn’t be? He will never show it though, but I can sense and feel it.
“You ready, Mr. Strong? It’s about that time,” the feisty nurse from the other day says and it breaks our embrace.
I give him my bravest most strong smile I can, even if it isn’t real. He needs it right now and I won’t deprive my daddy of that in this moment. I begin to head out. “I’ll get Momma.”
“Where you going, Son?” I hear my daddy ask Justice, so I hide just outside the door to listen in.
“Bring it in,” my father says to Justice, and I watch unbeknownst to them as they hug. No side hug, or fist bump this time. “None of this is your fault, and I mean it. I’ve known you since your birth, and when all this settles, and you catch your breath, don’t you dare even think about blaming yourself.” My father pats him on the back. “We’re gonna have a huge celebration after this is all done, then you’re gonna make an honest woman out of my Princess. Now go be with her, pregnant women are moody and she’s probably wanting something right now.”
I narrow my eyes and thin my lips into a straight line as Justice laughs and agrees with that last comment. Fucker.
I quickly make my way to the waiting area and summon my mom. “Daddy wants to see you. They are about to take him back.”
She rubs my arm as she walks past me toward my father, and Justice passes her and I release the door letting it nearly slam on him. “What the hell?” he grumbles.
“Oops, sorry babe. I didn’t see you,” I say sarcastically as I feign a smile toward him.
“What did I do now?” he asks.
I just run my hands through my hair meticulously, playing with my ends. “Oh, nothing. I’m just moody sometimes. You know how pregnant women can get?”
He semi purses his lips and crosses his arms. “Yes, yes I do.”
My mom comes out, and our three to six hour wait commences.
We take turns sharing funny stories of growing up, and all the shit we’ve gotten ourselves into over the years. Eventually an hour turns to the three hour mark, and we go between pacing the floors, to vending machines, and the guys go outside in spurts smoking. Casper seems to be spending the most time outside chain smoking. He and my dad grew up together, and they started this club together as teenagers.
I am getting very antsy, yet very sleepy already. I can feel my grumpy side trying to rear its ugly head. I curl up and lean onto Justice, and it’s then the doctor comes out.
We all stand up together. “I need to speak with you, Mrs. Strong,” the cardiac surgeon says to my mom and right then I feel my heart make a slow torturous fall into the pit of my stomach.
I look at my mom awaiting her response.
“We are the Strong family. We are all family in here.” Her voice begins to crack and I rush to her side and Justice rushes to mine. Everyone comes in closer. “Whatever it is…you can say to all of us,” my mother says as her lips quiver and she trembles.
Every one of us are here, except Clarke. The doctor looks around at all of us before lowering his head. “I am so very sorry. Mr. Strong had a massive heart attack before we could ever really get started. We tried so hard to bring him back, and we did everything we could. You all have my sincerest condolences. Again, I am so very sorry for your loss.”
“No! No!” My momma drops to her knees, and I follow her down.
Just like that, my daddy is gone, taken from us all, forever.
Epilogue
Everyone is here at my parent’s house as we wait for his attorney, Wilson to arrive for my daddy’s will reading. As soon as Justice leaves my side for the restroom, I look over at my mom who’s being comforted by Donna, Victor’s wife.
All I can think of is my daddy’s lifeless body lying on some cold steel table being prepped for burial. I physically shudder at the mere thought, then I make my way to my parent’s room. I trace my fingertip along the wall as I walk down the hallway. I stop and look at each picture as I pass by. My parent’s wedding picture, and how young and handsome, and happy my daddy looked. Next up is my baby picture, followed by my daddy sitting me on his Harley looking so proud as my mom stands next to him. Both of their faces are lit up with
a huge smile. Both sides of this wall are lined with my daddy’s life and his best memories, only they are just that now…memories.
I make my way to their room and it smells like leather, and my father’s cologne still resonates in the air. My mother hasn’t slept in here since. She’s spent the last two nights with all of us at the clubhouse. I close my eyes and breath my daddy’s smell in, and then the waterfall begins as I start to think this will fade over time. I lay down on his side of the bed, burying my face into his pillow. It too, smells of him and I begin to sob uncontrollably, but silently. I know I can, and will, never get another chance to tell him how much I love him. Did I tell him enough? I silently beg in my mind as if he will somehow answer me. Why did I leave for five years? That’s five years more I could’ve spent with him. Did I really make him proud? I firmly grip his pillow as I draw my legs into my body and curse myself. If I hadn’t left, my daddy would still be here. Now, I will never see him again. My son will never know the most amazing grandpa he had and was robbed of.
My sadness begins to fluctuate to anger as I start pounding my fists on his bed. “Come back, daddy! Just come back! You promised!” Now I’m crying and enraged.
“Baby.” Justice comes up behind me and squeezes me from behind putting a stop on my assault to the bed. He holds me as I just cry, and he rests his head into the nape of my neck and whispers, “I’m so, so sorry, baby.”
Everyone in this house is feeling this loss deep in their soul, but that was my daddy. You only get one if you’re lucky, and I was, but thinking of him and everything in past tense is a hurt deep down that I may never get used to.
“Wilson’s here,” Casper’s voice cracks.
“We’ll be right there, Pops,” Justice answers as my face and back are to the both of them.
I hear Casper walk away, and I ask Justice to give me one more minute alone.
“I’ll be right out here, babygirl.” He kisses my tear stained cheek before walking off. I nod.
I get up and go into my parent’s bathroom to clean my face up some. I’ve been trying to stay strong for my mom, we all have.
As I towel dry my face, a familiar voice calls out in the room. “Jenalyn?” The voice is getting closer as I turn around. “There you are. Care for a hug?” Savanna asks.
I practically leap into her arms, and she into mine. We both break down together, and I’m pretty certain we are both crying tears of both sadness, and the comfort we are giving one another.
I pull away to make sure this is real as I cup her beautiful face. She’s so grown up now, and she’s just beautiful. “I’m so sorry…” she stops me.
“Now’s not the time, it’s safe to say we all feel pretty shitty right now. We do have some catching up to do, but apparently we have other pressing matters right now.” She takes my hand and begins to help lead me out. “Hear I’m gonna be an aunt.” She looks at me and smiles. “We’ll get through this Jenalyn.” She squeezes my hand.
The will reading was pretty standard. My mom gets the house we spent our years together as a family, and my father’s portion of any earnings from the businesses. He had two life insurance policies. One for my mom that will cover his burial expenses, and still some left over. He made a note that she better take care of herself, and me and Ty, but since we were grown she better take her dream vacation at the very least.
The other insurance policy listed both Ty and I as the beneficiaries. I got three quarters of the half million and Ty got a quarter, but what he gave Ty next is priceless, his Harley. Normally, he would be buried with it, but he wanted the only son he ever had, and never knew about to have his other baby. Even in death, my daddy is still the greatest man I’ve ever known. He gave Ty and I his proxy votes for the next Pres and VP.
He had hand written all of us notes. Each and every single one of us, and they are sealed and not to be opened until after his funeral per his request.
After Wilson is done handing everyone their letters and documents, he expresses his condolences before leaving.
Next Day
If I could drink right now, I’d be getting hammered. Everyone around me is pretty well inebriated, but my mom and Casper insisted my father would want us to celebrate and now instead of sulk and cry. Although that’s all my mom and I mostly do, as it comes and goes. Brothers from Blazin’ Souls are in, and their families, and we are having a huge barbecue.
I hold my daddy’s cut and hug and inhale it one last time before Casper takes it from me to frame and hang on the main wall. Ty seems to be here and there. I think he’s trying to be strong for me, and my mom too.
I hear a cell phone ring before all hell breaks loose again.
“I’m so sorry, please forgive me. I need you, I need you now. Please, come and get me. I’m so scared…please?”
THE END
The next book is a planned Novella wrapping up the aftermath and power shift now that Don has passed away. It will also wrap up Justice and Jenalyn’s story with their baby. It is not titled yet, but will reveal soon.
Also Blazin’ Souls is a future MC of mine and can’t wait to get to them. All future books TBA
Dedication
This book is dedicated to the best person and soul I ever knew. In fact, I’m pretty certain she was an Angel on loan from up above. Someone I was lucky enough to have not only called a sister-in-law, but my best friend Whitney Sessions. Whitney passed away in 2014, about a month shy of her twenty-eighth birthday.
She was always my biggest fan in life, we could just sit and laugh for hours over absolutely anything. For the duration of our eleven-year friendship, I cannot think of a single moment she wasn’t there for me. Even at some of her lowest points in life and struggles, she made time for me and my family during ours, and I am forever grateful.
When I made the decision to actually become a self-published Author, it was her voice in the back of my head cheering me on. Every time I almost gave up or felt discouraged, I thought of her. Again, I knew she wouldn’t want me to. She would be so proud (and I know she is) that I persisted, and prevailed. I keep her framed picture right next to me always as I write.
Over the last nearly three years I have become a new homeowner, a grandmother, a mother-in-law, and now Author. All very pivotal, and memorable times in my life, and I’ve had to do these things without her by my physical side. However, I know she will always be with me, and has been. Not even death can separate our souls.
After her passing I felt a deep loss that I’ve never felt before, and I went on a spiritual journey. One that I am still on, and learning daily how to just love people unconditionally and cherish every friendship made because you never know what the next day could bring. My MC name is Soul Shifterz for one of those reasons.
As I hit that publish button, she will be right there with me and so proud that I never gave up.
Whit, I love and miss you more than words could ever express. A piece of me went when you did and I will never have that back, but I can do my best to make you proud while I still draw breath.
R.I.P Whitney R. Sessions
February 27, 1986-January 25, 2014
Acknowledgments
Where to even begin? I would like to thank my wonderful husband for putting up with me over these months. Also, encouraging me to continue every time I nearly gave up. I love you more than words. To my wonderful children, I’m sorry for all the microwave oven dinners. Please forgive me. To my grown son, my beautiful daughter-in-law, and my super precious grandson.
To Erin Osborne, what in the world would I have done without all of your help? Thank you for taking a chance on a new author. I have not only found another author that wanted to share this experience with me, but I have found a best friend and an unbreakable bond with you. I cannot express enough how invaluable you are to me. You deserve nothing but pure continued success and happiness. Love you to pieces lady!
Tracy, even though you came on as my PA toward the end, we have more than just a professional relationship. You, t
oo, have become a best friend and a part of my heart. Half a world away is just physical distance, and I am proud to call you a best friend with an unbreakable bond. Love you to pieces as well!
Darlene Tallman, lady I love you to pieces and couldn’t have made this dream a reality without your help. I have also found a dear, close friend in you for life that I deeply treasure. If I need a laugh, you are always there to make it happen.
Liberty Parker Author, when I first started you dropped everything to help get me up and running and make sure I knew what was what. I love you, sissy and you are truly an inspiration to me. Love you so much! There is, and will never be anything as unbreakable as the sisterly bond we share. Thank you for always encouraging me, and trying to protect me. I would tell you “that it’s okay” and to “not worry about me” but I know I would have better luck talking to a brick wall.
Cree Nations Author, you took me under your wing and loved me as your own until you were ready to set me free. The wisdom and encouragement you have shared with me is invaluable. I love you!
Michelle Thomas PA, Kim Richards, Vicky Deviney Chesley PA, I think you three were my first fans. Always encouraging me with your constant interest in my book.
Donna Cox, same for you sweet lady!
Jennifer Michelle, girl I could write a book itself about our adventures and blossoming friendship. You still owe me a lunch date…before May 2017!
Johnna Seibert PA, you were willing to take a chance on me and be my PA throughout the majority of this writing adventure. I also found a friend in you, and am beyond grateful.
To my fabulous cover designer, Shelly Morgan. You did a beautiful job, and I couldn’t be more satisfied and pleased with the outcome. Check out Graphics by Shelly. She does an amazing job!
