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“I have no excuse for allowing things to go on like this. It might be hard to believe this now, but I hate seeing you hurt.” His gaze bounced among the three of them. “At the end of the day, all a man has is his word. My vow to her was my word.”
Emmy Lou’s attention wandered back to the box of letters. Brock had never received them… It should have been a relief, not a disappointment. But he’d never known that she’d kept up her end of the bargain. Like Daddy, she honored her word.
It didn’t change the fact that he’d never reached out to her.
And none of this had anything to do with him and Vanessa.
“She did leave a note for me to read to you all.” Daddy pulled out a folded-up piece of paper from his pocket.
“There’s something wrong with your making amends on her behalf.” Krystal stood up. “Why would I listen to her if she can’t be bothered to be here herself? Putting you in the middle of this is wrong,” Krystal said. She stood on her tiptoes, kissed her dad’s cheek, and headed down the hall to her room.
Daddy didn’t try to stop her. “We good?”
Emmy and Travis nodded.
“‘I know that you all have problems with me. I am sorry I’m not the mother you kids wanted or needed. I can tell you that everything I have done was an attempt to keep me from losing you. You all are, without a doubt, the most important things in my life. But by doing what I have done, I have lost you kids and your daddy. I promise, I will try to do better. I think, for now, it’s best for me to return to the rehabilitation center. I didn’t dedicate my whole mind to what they were trying to teach me. That much is clear now. When I’m done, I hope you all will find a place for me in your lives. I love you all so much in my own messed-up way. Momma.”
There was a lengthy silence, each of them taking the time to work through Momma’s note. Travis ate three slices of pizza. Daddy stared into his cup of coffee. And Jace headed down the hall after Krystal.
“So,” Travis said.
Sawyer sat beside Travis then, reaching for a piece of pizza.
“I’ve got a new song I want you to look over, Travis. Maybe tomorrow? After Emmy’s Good Morning USA spot?” Daddy asked, standing to refill his coffee cup.
“You’re not all going, are you?” She wasn’t sure which was worse, facing Brock on her own or having her entire family scowling at him throughout their ten-minute interview.
“Well, you know I’m all in favor of front-row drama.” Travis smiled. “Hell, I’ll make enough popcorn for the whole studio audience.”
Emmy Lou laughed in spite of herself.
“We’re going, baby girl.” Her daddy shook his head. “I’ll try to be on my best behavior, but I’ll be happy to let Brock Watson know that hurting you is not acceptable, if need be.” He stared around the table. “And that goes for all of you.”
“Unless it’s Jace.” Travis shook his head. “I mean, we’d take Jace’s side over Krystal’s, right? I mean, we need to keep him around.”
Emmy shook her head, but she was laughing.
“Then why are you smiling?” Travis was laughing. “Because you know I’m right?”
“I know it’s late,” Daddy said. “And I’m beat.”
“Come on, Watson.” Emmy scooped up the kitten. “We’re turning in. You’ll be comfortable on the couches?”
“Even your couches are more comfortable than the things called mattresses on my bus.” Travis used his pizza crust to point at Daddy. “You know I’m right, too.”
Daddy chuckled. “Might be time to make some updates.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Travis glanced her way. “Night, Emmy.”
Emmy carried Watson to her room, only to find Krystal sitting on the edge of her bed, Clementine in her lap. “Hi,” Emmy said.
“Clementine was missing Watson.” Krystal sat Clementine on the ground. “And I figured you could catch me up on anything important I might have missed?”
“Not really.” She sat beside her sister. “Momma checked herself back into rehab.”
Krystal shot her a look of pure disbelief.
“It could be true, Sis.” She sighed, wrapping her arm around Krystal. “I hope it is.”
