“Mom kicked me out of Brandy’s hospital room. Told me I needed to go to church and stop sitting there brooding. I wasn’t fucking brooding. I’m just worried that she’s not healing well and that she’s the only one still stuck in the hospital. Hell, even your brother is out. I mean, he’s currently in county lockup, but he’s out of the hospital.”
Logan, who must have come in from gate duty to help Mayson with the bar, speaks up. “She was the one with the worst of the injuries too. A femur break takes a long time to heal and get over. It takes a long time of immobility for it to heal properly.” Since when is he that concerned about her? Is he feeling somethin’ more for her?
Juan, the nosey fucker, jumps into the conversation.
“Is she having more pain or something? I was there earlier with Jane and she didn’t mention anything.”
Jameson shakes his head. “No, she’s not. I can just tell that this long of a stay in the hospital is gettin’ to her. Mom kicked me out and said I couldn’t come back till tomorrow sometime ’cause she was going to do a girls’ night with Brandy. Said they were gonna video chat with the other gals at some point so that she could be included.”
I can see Juan is about to ask the same question I want the answer to when we’re both interrupted by Jon yelling out, “Church! Get your asses in here, brothers!”
We all pile into the room, taking our usual seats. It looks like an almost full house, except for a couple of brothers who are out of town for a variety of reasons.
We go through the usual business that happens in every church. Jackson updates us all on the harvest festival plans. With only a week away, there’s a lot to do. Luckily, we’ve got a lot of volunteers who help with it every year. I know Kierstie hasn’t decided yet if she wants to bring Grace out for that yet.
Jon brings up that Ma is going to plan Christmas dinner this year with Anna, Millie, Hanna, and Mads help since Kierstie and Jane are a bit busy, but plans to hand it off to them for next year. It looks like church is wrapping up. Wyatt lets everyone know that dinner will be here in about half an hour. Jon bangs the gavel ending church.
“Shane, Grant, Mike, Jackson, Wyatt, and Pa, can you stay back for a minute?” We all stay seated, but why, I don’t have a clue.
Jon starts to speak again, “I know most of you want to know why the fuck I asked you to stay back. Well, Shane, you remember what you and Grant brought up at the last church you were at?”
“You mean about my mom’s stuff and thinking Tripp was probably my dad?”
Mike joins in on the conversation. “Yeah. I know you were in contact with Ben when he went down there and that Tripp was open to coming up for a visit at some point, but also wanted to talk to Grant and Jonah too.” I nod for him to keep going.
“Well, I know these last few weeks have been a whirlwind for you so Ben hadn’t let you know a time or anything. He’s been talking to Tripp about things since then.” I watch him get up and go to the door. He opens it and Ben comes in. He’s followed by a man I don’t know, but I swear looks just like me but older.
Ben speaks up, “Shane, this is Tripp. Tripp, meet Shane. You already know everyone else here.” Tripp comes into the room and takes the empty seat right across from me. He looks at me for a moment before he speaks.
“I’ve read the copies of Gretta’s journal that Ben brought me. I think your assumption is right. I think you are my son.”
Jackson interrupts him, “No shit. He’s like a carbon copy of you. I never thought about it ’cause I didn’t know you and Gretta were together at all. There ain’t no denying those genes.” Tripp nods in agreement with him.
“It also fits in with the lie she told me. I want you to know I didn’t know about you. The last time I talked to Gretta, she told me that she was marrying Tom, and they were going to have a family and the perfect life she had planned. She never said she was pregnant. Fuck, if she had even hinted at it, I would have questioned her about it. She told me that she was marrying him right after the last time we were together. I was in love with her. That’s why I took off like I did. I couldn’t be around, watching her be happy with the asshole who had been a pain in my ass all through high school. There was more to that conversation she and I had, but you can believe that her being pregnant was not part of it. I know she passed away a while ago, but I would have loved to ask her straight up about all of this.” Well, shit.
“Me too, ’cause Tom was not the catch she thought he was. Fucker didn’t croak soon enough for me.”
Grant joins the conversation. “I didn’t know any of this shit till after Gretta died and we found her journals. I know I couldn’t have changed her decision about marrying Tom, but fuck, if I had known there was a chance you were his dad, I would have made her contact you. I know you don’t want to go into it now ’cause bottom line, it doesn’t matter for you gettin’ to know Shane, but we need to have a discussion about why you took off without so much as a word to us.” Tripp nods at Grant.
“Yeah, we can have that talk. I’m gonna be around. I know I can’t make up for time lost, nor can I just jump into your life, but I’d like to get to know you if you’re open to that.”
I can’t help but smile at him.
“Yeah, I’m good with that. You’ll have to come around to meet my little girl.” He smiles at me.
Before he can answer, Mike interrupts, “Fuck me. You two have the same shit-eatin’ grin. There’s no doubting it. Maybe you need to think about stayin’ up here more permanent-like.”
Pa speaks up at this. “You know, back then, you were about to be voted in. If you do decide to come back and stay here, I think we might have a spot available for you. We know what happened with you and the Sangre Devils. We’ve welcomed Mike and Ben into the brotherhood. Invitation is yours if you want it.”
“Well, between Shane being here, the two brothers I was closest to are here, and little Janey too, I’ll seriously consider it.”
Jon stands up and remarks, “I’m sure she would love to see you while you’re here. Nothin’ needs to be decided tonight. What I do know is that dinner has arrived and I’m starving. Let’s go eat.”
All the guys start heading out to the main room, the smell of the delicious lasagna making us all salivate in anticipation. I get to the door to leave but I’m stopped by Tripp. He looks like he’s about to say something, but trying to come up with the words as he rubs his neck with his hand for a second.
“Listen, I’m not trying to come and uproot your world. That’s the last thing I want to do. I know I missed close to thirty years of your life. Ben’s filled me in on your time in the service and the shit you’ve dealt with, with your brother. It’s obvious you don’t need a dad, but—”
I can’t help but interrupt him, “I may not need one, but I’d like to get to know mine. My wife is really smart about this sort of thing. She told me that you’re never too old to need your dad, and a person’s heart always has room to expand and include more people. Why don’t we go have dinner now and maybe, if you would like, you could come over tomorrow sometime for a cup of coffee, meet my woman and our little girl, your granddaughter.” I’m engulfed in a bear hug and something settles inside of me. I know I’m still mad at my mom for this, but part of me realizes I might not be where I am right now if things didn’t happen the way they did. He smacks my back and steps back.
