Page 133 of Carson

“I don’t know if I’ve ever thanked you for raising me. There were times I thought you were a hard-ass, but now I see why. Thank you for showing me what it’s like to love a woman and your family well.”

“It’s been a hell of a ride, son, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. You boys are two of the best gifts your mother has ever given me.”

“Well, I appreciate the way you’ve been taking care of Luna for me.”

He stares at the flower garden he and my mom work in almost every day. Yes, the big burly tattoo artist has a soft spot for nature … or maybe just his wife.

“When I found out your mom was losing her hearing, I prayed for the dragonfly to bring me an angel.” He chuckles. “I’d already gotten one, so I figured getting a second was a long shot, but I had to do something. I can’t make her condition better, so I just prayed for an angel to come and somehow walk her through it. I had no fucking idea how to help her. All I could do was stand beside her.”

“I think that’s the most important part.”

He nods. “You’re right, but she needed more. She needed reassurance that I couldn’t give her. So I prayed, and then we came home to a girl parked at your place in an old beat-up van with a damn dragonfly hanging in the window.”

“You noticed that too, huh?”

He nods, rubbing his thumb and finger over his eyes. “Luna can’t give Mom back her hearing, but she sure as hell is making it a lot easier for her. And because of her the entire club is learning sign language just for Mom.”

“Well, I’m not going to argue with you on whether or not she’s an angel, because I agree with you there.”

He laughs. “She told me we were going to help each other, and she wasn’t wrong. So, I’m sorry if she’s overstayed, but goddammit, kid, I can’t ask her to leave.”

“I know. It was Cole’s idea to move back in with you guys until she’s ready.”

He shakes his head. “Yeah, about that.”

“Nope. That’s the deal. She stays; I stay.”

“Mom’s loving it, having you all home. It’s just what she needed.”

“And Luna too.”

“And Luna too. You boys did good.” He turns and looks at me in the dark. “When she goes home, and she will, you’ll continue the habits I’ve started with her. Make sure she has something to drink beside the bed, check the locks, and never, never go to bed without kissing her good night.”

“Do you do this for Mom too?”

“It’s a small thing to do for the woman you love.”

“Okay, Dad, I’ll do it.”

He guffaws. “For once, you listen.” He stands and pats me on the back.

“Well, I figure you’ve kept Mom all these years.”

“How do you know I’m not just lucky?” he asks before walking into the house. His rich chuckle follows him inside.

I sit back and look toward the path. Even though I knew it would haunt me, I watched the footage of that night from the home security cameras.

Luna running toward my dad. The way he pulled his gun and pushed her toward the house. The scared way she looked back at him before disappearing inside.

The calm way my dad shot Tim in the leg, barely avoiding a bullet himself.

Then Dirk and Raffe flying into the driveway, the way they ran inside the house. And then Jesse. Doc.

My dad’s friends kicking and shoving Tim into Raffe’s truck.

It was a series of events I’ll relive over and over in my mind even though I wasn’t there to witness it myself.

I’ve been beating myself up for leaving her alone, but I didn’t. I left her with my family.