But as we walk a few paces away from the door, I realize the loud hustle and bustle of a New York Saturday night actually provides more privacy than the ballroom. Here… everyone is walking quickly by, not paying attention to us at all.
My father turns, sticks his hands in his pockets, and looks me directly in the eye. “I’m sorry for my actions, Holly.”
I flinch… because his words actually pack a punch. Before I can even process that this is turning into something I never expected, my father turns to Tim. “And Tim… I’m sorry and so very ashamed of myself.”
“I don’t understand,” I manage to croak out, and Tim’s hand comes supportively around my waist.
“You don’t understand that I’m sorry for my actions all those years ago?” my dad asks with a wry smile. “Why ever not? I mean, I never gave you any indication that I was wrong.”
He’s being sarcastic in a completely self-deprecating way.
I appreciate it immensely, and it causes me to award him with a small smile.
My dad takes in a deep breath and looks upward briefly… maybe asking someone above for strength. Blowing it out, he looks back to me and says, “Parents aren’t supposed to learn from their children. It’s supposed to be the other way around. My greatest shame is in knowing that I was not a good role model to you. My greatest pride is in that you taught me something very important.”
“And what’s that?” I ask hesitantly.
“That love is love,” he says quietly. “I didn’t realize it. Not for a long time. I was just as hurt by you cutting me out as you were by what I did to you and Tim. By the time I realized the fool I had been, it seemed too late to make amends. You weren’t having anything to do with me, and I was confident I had lost any right to ever ask for forgiveness.”
“That’s an awful big turnaround,” I say skeptically.
“Not really,” he says with a shrug of his shoulders. “You know this, Holly… but as doctors, we have to be forward thinking. If we weren’t, we would be stuck in the stone ages of medicine. Hell… I was just given an award in part for my innovation. I’m a progressive thinker.”
I can’t help it… I snort, completely disbelieving of what he just said.
“Scoff all you want, but I am. What you heard? What you saw ten years ago? That was nothing more than how I was raised. I was raised by parents who didn’t believe in people of different races mixing. I had no cause to ever question it. It never touched my life… until the day you brought Tim home for us to meet. And you saw nothing but pure, unfiltered beliefs that were handed down to me by my parents. I didn’t stop to think if they were wrong. I just spouted them out and, in the process, I hurt my daughter who I love beyond measure, and I hurt who I’m suspecting is a fine young man.”
I’m so in tune with Tim that I can literally feel the tension melt away from his body. I can tell… by the subtle loosening of his hand in mind and the soft exhale of breath he had been holding, that he has completely accepted my father’s words as true.
My father looks over at Tim, because he must see what I just felt on Tim’s face. “I’m sorry, Tim. I hope you can forgive a foolish man his bigoted beliefs. I can assure you, I’ve let them go. I had to… because of all that I had lost.”
Tim nods his head. “Thank you, Dr. Reynolds. And I do… forgive you, that is.”
My father turns his gaze toward me. Hopeful. Yearning.
I lower my eyes and murmur, “I don’t know what to say. I wasn’t expecting this.”
“You don’t have to say anything, Holly,” my dad assures me, and I raise my eyes to meet his. “Just know that I am truly sorry for the pain I caused. I know it kept you from the man you love… the man you’re supposed to be with. I hope, in time, you can forgive me.”
“Okay,” I whisper, finally starting to accept that perhaps my father can change. “Thank you for saying that.”
“Sure,” my dad says with a thin smile. I know he expects me to say something more. Perhaps give him the words of forgiveness that Tim just so valiantly gave him.
When I remain silent, still processing this momentous event, my dad clears his throat and says, “Well… I need to get back inside. Guest of honor and all. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
My dad walks past us, and I catch the familiar scent of his cologne. It’s the same scent he’s worn since I was a little girl. I used to love hugging him, pressing my face into his tummy and inhaling the spicy smell.
“Dad,” I say as I turn around toward him. He stops and faces us with hopeful eyes. “Maybe we can get together next week… for lunch or dinner.”
My dad’s lips peel back, and his smile is enough to outshine the New York skyline. “That would be great. Maybe the two of you could come over?”
“Three of us actually,” I correct him. “We’ll have Tim’s son, Sam, with us.”
“Even better,” he says with a smile. “Your mother will be thrilled to have a little one in the house.”
“Alright,” I tell him with a smile. “I’ll call you to arrange it.”
Tim and I watch my dad nod his head toward us in gratitude before heading back inside the hotel. Taking my hips, Tim turns me toward him and pulls me in closer. “Wow,” is all he says.
“Wow is right.” I laugh. “Didn’t see that one coming.”
“He was sincere,” Tim says confidently.
“I think you might be right,” I agree, not minding that Tim knows I saw that in my father, even if I wasn’t able to actually admit it out loud to said father.
“Want to go back in?”
“Nah… let’s go back to your place.”
“Our place,” he corrects me.
“Our place,” I agree. “Until we can find a house.”
“With a fence.”
“And a dog.”
We both start laughing as we step out toward the curb hand in hand so we can hail a cab.
Dear Reader: Before you turn that page, I just want to thank you for reading and if you enjoyed the story of Tim and Holly and intend to share it on social media, do me a favor… use the hashtag #loveislove. Let’s spread the word and get it to trend that skin color is irrelevant because Love Is Love!
If you enjoyed OFF DUTY as much as I enjoyed writing it, it would mean a lot for you to give me a review.
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Books By Sawyer Bennett
The Off Series
Off Sides
Off Limits
Off The Record
Off Course
Off Chance
Off Season
Off Duty
The Last Call Series
On The Rocks
Make It A Double
Sugar On The Edge
With A Twist
Shaken Not Stirred
The Legal Affairs Series
Objection
Stipulation
Violation
Mitigation
Reparation
Affirmation
Confessions of a Litigation God
Clash: A Legal Affairs Story
Grind: A Legal Affairs Story
Yield: A Legal Affairs Story
Friction: A Legal Affairs Novel (Releasing October 27, 2015)
Stand Alone Titles
If I Return
Uncivilized
The Cold Fury Hockey Series (Random House/ Loveswept)
Alex
Garrett
Zack
Ryker (Releasing September 8, 2015)
The Forever Land Chronicles
Forever Young
About the Author
New York Times and USA Today bestselling Author, Sawyer Benn
ett is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.
THE END
Off Duty (Off #7) Page 7
