Acceptance, The

by Bernadette Marie

  “So you’re friendly with her?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you’re close to your parents too, so this is why she is a problem.”

  There was a chuckle from him. “You’re good at this.”

  “I’ve had a lot of practice.”

  Tyler shifted in his seat and she could feel hers move as he adjusted. “My mother never told me. I didn’t know I had a sister. I didn’t know she’d been involved before my dad. Nothing.”

  “Your feelings are hurt.”

  “Were. I’m going with were.”

  She was still going with are because he wasn’t over it yet. But she’d give him points for heading back home to try and make amends with it.

  “She found your mother then?”

  “Yeah. She’d hired some guy to find out about her. She’d been told her whole life that her birth mother died.”

  “That would be horrible.”

  “Her birth father was crazy.” The word played on his voice as though he were frightened of him too.

  “So her mother, your mother, gave her away to keep her from him?”

  “Exactly. He’d tried to kill them both. She thought it was better if she lived somewhere else—with someone else. As someone else.”

  His voice had grown distant as though he was hearing this story for the first time and it meant something to him. She’d continue to talk then if he was having an ah-ha moment.

  “Why would he try to kill them? I don’t understand why people just don’t walk away. It happens often enough.”

  “He was some rich—I don’t know what he was,” he said as if he realized there was part of the story missing. “I just know he invested in things. He’d invested in a build my father was building and that was how he found out my mother didn’t die.”

  “I can’t even imagine.”

  “Neither can I.”

  She felt Tyler turn and she knew someone was there.

  “Courtney, can I get you a drink?” Celia asked.

  “A Bloody Mary would be wonderful,” Courtney answered.

  “And for you, sir?” she asked Tyler.

  “I think that sounds good. I’ll have one too.” Tyler turned back to her. “I think I’ve only had one Bloody Mary in my life. It was at a bar on Broadway where my cousin was playing.”

  “In Nashville?”

  “Yeah.” He relaxed back again. “I can’t remember where.”

  “Your cousin is a musician?”

  He laughed. “Yeah she is. She and her husband actually.” He turned and she could feel his arm brush hers. “Have you ever heard of the Wrights?”

  “The singing duo?”

  “Yep.”

  “Clara and Warner Wright?” She turned so their faces were close.

  “That’s them.”

  “You’re kidding me? Clara Wright is your cousin?”

  He moved and she heard him lower her tray table and then his. “Clara’s dad is my mom’s brother.”

  “What a small world.”

  “Her brother is married to my sister.”

  Courtney dropped her shoulders. “The sister you just found out about is married to your cousin?”

  Tyler laughed. “My mom, my aunt, and my uncle are all adopted. So my cousin and sister share no blood relation. And they fell in love before anyone knew who she was.”

  “That’s a very romantic story.”

  She heard the rustle of drinks being set on the tray and Tyler adjusted them. “I suppose it is romantic. I’ve never been one for romance. I guess I never gave it enough time.”

  “How do you give romance time? It just happens, right?”

  He laughed again. “You’re asking the wrong guy about that.”

  Courtney turned so she faced him fully. “Are you telling me you’ve never had a girlfriend? Or a boyfriend?” She didn’t think the latter was his way, but she’d feel it out.

  He’d picked up his drink and she was very certain he’d choked on the sip he’d taken when she asked.

  “Boyfriend?”

  “Just being P.C.”

  He cleared his throat. “I’ve dated a few girls over the years. But nothing ever clicked.”

  She felt a click between them. It was probably the altitude so she was certainly going to keep it in check.

  Courtney reached for the Vodka bottle.

  “It’s on your right. Straw is between the cup and the can of mix.”

  She clenched her teeth, not because he was telling her where she’d find things, but because she wanted to keep her mouth from falling open. He’d actually not jumped over himself to do it for her. He’d given her direction and she wondered if he believed in love at first sight because she was beginning to.

  “With all of these relatives you’re learning about you don’t happen to have a blind one do you?” she asked as she opened the Bloody Mary mix.

  “No, why?” His voice had a hint of humor.

  “You handle me differently than most people who just met me do. You treat me normal.”

  “You are normal,” he replied quickly and that had her heart racing.

  “Thank you.”

  She heard the ice in his cup against his lips as he drank. If she said much more she was sure he’d be trading seats with her traveling companion, but she didn’t want that. Though the solider assigned to fly with her brother was a nice man, she’d rather keep Tyler as company.

  “Tell me about your brother,” Tyler said as she began to pour her drink.

  Courtney could feel her hands shake. She let out a breath. “I will. Will you make this for me? I seem to be a little shaken up.”

  “My pleasure,” he said softly and she was damn near sure it just might be his pleasure.

  When he’d mixed it he set it in her hand. “There’s still half the mix and half the Vodka left.”

  “Thank you.” She took a sip and it was perfect. It was just what she’d needed. “Fitz was wonderful.” She didn’t know how else to say it.

  She sipped her drink again and then let out a relaxed sigh. “He was younger by four years. So there were times when he was a royal pain in my butt, but he still took care of me—especially after I lost my sight.”

  Courtney rested her head back against the seat, closed her eyes, and smiled. “Oh, I can’t tell you how many times he got suspended defending me. But he always stood up for me. He took really good care of me.”

  Tyler placed his hand on hers and gave it a squeeze. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

  “Thank you. He was where he wanted to be. I can’t be sad. But damn I’m going to miss him. Especially since we shared a house. Though he wasn’t ever there. But it was ours.”

  “You know, I’ll be around. If you ever need to talk, you could call me.”

  A warmth filled her body from head to toe. “You mean that?”

  “Of course.”

  A smile played on her lips, but she didn’t want to seem eager, but she couldn’t help it. “I’d really like that.”

  “Do you have your phone? I can put my name into it.”

  Courtney reached into her pocket and took out her phone. She powered it up and handed it to him.

  A few moments later he handed it back to her. “It’s in your contacts.”

  “Did you tag it under cute guy on airplane?”

  He laughed. “I’ll let you do that.”

  And she figured she just might.

  As the flight began its descent, Tyler noticed a change in Courtney. She hadn’t said anything for nearly twenty minutes. Her fingers were entangled on her lap and she kept her head toward the window.

  The closer she got to home the harder it was, he knew what she was feeling.

  As soon as the plane landed the pilot asked everyone to please remain seated until the soldier and his escorts were off the plane.

  Courtney turned her head toward him and placed her hand on his arm. “Thank you for the company.”

  “It was my pleasure.”

  The
soldier who was meant for his seat was standing next to them in the aisle. Both Tyler and the other passenger stood and moved out of the row so that Courtney could pass by. As she did, Tyler reached for her.

  “Don’t forget. Anytime,” he said hoping that she’d actually call him.

  She nodded, took the arm of her traveling companion, and headed for the door. The pilot stood outside the cockpit and gave his condolences to Courtney and then a hug. A moment later she was gone.

  Tyler sat back down in the seat Courtney had occupied. He could see people gathered around the luggage conveyor. Soon she was there with her companion and what he assumed were her parents.

  The casket draped with a flag was taken from under the plane and loaded into the hearse that waited next to the family. Tyler was sure his heart and his breath stopped as he watched. Courtney had to be hurting worse than he could ever imagine.

  Her father put his arm around her shoulders and held her mother’s hand in his as they walked to a black SUV which also waited. Then Courtney stopped, turned back to the airplane, and waved.

  Tyler knew it was meant for him and he waved back, though he caught himself and knew she didn’t see it.

  He sat back in his seat and closed his eyes. Before he even stopped to see his own mother and father he would go by his sister’s house. At that moment, he knew he needed to see her first.

  Chapter Three

  A rental car made Tyler feel a little more at home. At least he wasn’t arriving at his sister’s house in a cab.

  When he pulled up to the house, he let out a long breath. There were cars parked everywhere and the car parked in front of the house was his father’s. Then he realized it was Sunday. That meant a large family meal and time together. Since Ed owned his grandparents’ house and they lived in a retirement community, that meant those dinners were still held where the tradition had started.

  If he drove on, no one would ever know. He had a hotel room lined up. If he walked into his father’s office tomorrow no one would be the wiser.

  He slowed the car, saw a parking space, and decided now was the time. His entire family was in that house. Courtney was somewhere in Nashville mourning.

  Tyler parked his car and climbed out. Sucking in the air filled him with home. This was where he was rooted. This was where he belonged. No matter where he’d traveled in the past three years or what job he’d done or sight he’d seen, nothing compared to Nashville.

  Still considering getting back into the car and driving away, the front door opened and his cousin Clara stepped out onto the front porch with her cell phone to her ear.

  He couldn’t hear the conversation, but there was a smile on her lips. Could that mean her husband wasn’t inside, but on the phone?

  For a moment he watched her absent mindedly play with her hair and laugh easily. He’d followed her career, bought her music, and watched her on TV. She’d done very well for herself. Tyler was proud of her.

  Then, as if maybe she knew he was watching, she lifted her head and looked in his direction.

  “Oh, my, God! Warner, I have to call you back. Tyler’s home!” She pushed a button on her phone and ran toward him.

  His heart swelled in his chest as she ran across the street with her arms already wide.

  “Oh! You’re Home!” She called at him as she jumped into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck.

  He fell back against the car, his cousin in his arms. “I’m back,” he laughed as she gave him a squeeze.

  “No one told me.”

  “No one knows. Well now you do.”

  She looked him over from head to toe and then her eyes settled on his. “You’re home for good. I can see it. You’re back.”

  Tyler nodded. “I’m back.”

  “Your mother is going to be so happy.”

  She took his hand and started for the door, but he gave hers a tug and stopped.

  “I think I should wait—until tomorrow.”

  Clara turned and narrowed her eyes on him. “Wait? Why would you do that?” She studied him a moment longer. “You came here to see Darcy.”

  “You’ve always been good at reading people.”

  “It’s a gift.”

  Tyler tucked his fingers into the pockets of his jeans and rocked back on his heels. “I owe a lot of people apologies. But I need to start with Darcy. She came into our lives and I ran away.”

  “No one blames you for that. How could we?”

  “I blame me. She didn’t deserve that.” He expelled the guilt building in his chest. “My mother didn’t deserve that.”

  Clara moved back to him and rested her hands on his arms. “Both of them are inside. If you’re back you have a lifetime to apologize to them. Come in now and be with us. Part of us. We all love you and miss you.”

  Did he have it in him to walk through that front door? His mind wandered back to Courtney and how she dropped her scarf. The world invisible to her, sight wise, but she trusted the feelings that surrounded her. Tyler knew the feelings he was having. Everyone he held dear was across the street inside that house.

  If Courtney trusted the whole world, couldn’t he trust his gut and walk inside?

  Clara grabbed hold of his hand and gave him a tug. “I think I just need to make the decision for you. Let’s go.”

  He took her hand willingly and held it as they crossed the street.

  “Your new single is awesome,” he said and she smiled at him.

  “My husband is a writing genius.”

  “He’s that. Where is he?”

  She slid a look his way. “Don’t tell anyone, but he has a solo project. He’s working on it very hard.”

  Tyler stopped. “Solo? Why would he do that? You’re a team.”

  “We are. And my first love was Arianna’s theater. I’m going back there to do Annie again.”

  “You’re too old for that.”

  She laughed. “Ms. Hannigan now.”

  “Okay. You’re old enough for that. Maybe too old.”

  She slapped him on the shoulder. “That’s funny.” She sighed and dropped her shoulders. “I want a baby too. And you can’t have that perfect family life I had if you’re on the road.”

  “You’re having a baby?” His voice lowered as he looked at her.

  “No. I’m just planning it. But I think if I’m near home working it’ll happen. Being on the road is stressful.”

  “Then it’ll happen when the time is right.”

  “Just like you coming home.”

  As she opened the front door, he heard all the voices of his loved ones. She was right. This was the right time.

  They stepped through the front door of the home he’d come to when he was little. The smells were the same. The noise was the same. And he knew if he walked in further, his grandfather would be in the same place and his grandmother would be in the kitchen. They might not live there anymore, and it might be Ed and Darcy’s house, but he knew that much wouldn’t have changed.

  Clara turned to him as he stood by the front door. “Aren’t you coming?”

  “I just needed a moment.”

  And only one moment was all he’d gotten.

  “Who are you talking…” His cousin Christian passed by the front hallway. “Well I’ll be damned.”

  He moved to him nearly as quickly as Clara had and pulled him in for a hug.

  “Why didn’t you tell us you were coming?” Christian asked as he pulled back.

  Tyler noticed the wedding band on Christian’s finger and guilt punched him in the stomach. He’d gone to Ed and Darcy’s wedding because he felt he had a vested interest in it, but he’d neglected to come to Christian’s.

  “It was a last minute decision,” he said on a partial lie.

  “C’mon. Get in here.” Christian slapped him on the shoulder and walked back toward the living room. “Look what I found in the hallway.”

  Tyler winced. This was it.

  Before he even made it to the living room, the hallway h
ad been flooded with relatives. Uncle Carlos and Aunt Madeline hugged him as did his cousin Avery and her mother, Aunt Simone. Uncle Curtis somehow managed to pull him through and into the room where his grandfather sat in the chair he always had in that same place.

  He was nearly ninety-five, but there was still a vibrant man looking up at him. “Well, look who came home.” He patted Tyler’s hand.

  “It’s nice to be home, Grandpa.”

  But the sound of a woman sniffling caught his attention and he looked up to see his mother standing in the doorway, his father behind her with his hands on her shoulders.

  She said nothing, only opened her arms to him and he went to her.

  She enveloped him in a hug and held him. His father wrapped his arms around both of them.

  “I’m sorry I was gone for so long,” he said into his mother’s ear, but for both of them to hear.

  “You’re home? Are you really home?”

  He could feel her sob against him and the pain of what he’d done was sharp. “I’m home.”

  The sobs from his mother came harder, but he’d been prepared for that. She’d done the same when he made the very quick trip for Ed and Darcy’s wedding.

  She pulled back. Her dark eyes were red from the tears which had come so quick and strong.

  “You didn’t tell me you were coming,” she said with a soft, wavering voice.

  “I didn’t really know.” He took her hands in his and looked down at her. “I hurt you and I can never say I’m sorry enough. You gave me a wonderful life and I held a decision you made against you. I never should have done that.”

  The tears started again. “You forgive me?”

  “I did that the moment I learned about it. I had to learn to forgive myself for what I felt about it.”

  She pulled him back into her arms. “I’m glad you’re home.”

  He noticed his brother and sister standing in the doorway to the kitchen. Spencer had his arm around Darcy’s shoulders and she sobbed.

  As his mother pulled back he went to them. These were the two people he shared his blood with and he had abandoned them.

  Tyler was immediately pulled into their embrace.

  “I let you guys down. I’m sorry. I want to make it up to you.”

  He could feel Darcy sob, just as their mother had, and even Spencer sniffed back tears.