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Walt
Badnewskeepshitting us, but I’m trying not to focus on that. She seems fine with losing her voice, so I’ll try to be, but it’s another thing that pisses me off. I’d support her not wanting to sing again because it’ll just remind her of what happened to her, but I don’t like her not having a choice. Well, she does have a choice, but she doesn’t like the option and I’m not going to tell her what to do with her body. Surgery is a big deal.
I feel several sets of eyes on me, but I continue to stare into space.
“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong, or do I have to beat it out of you?”
My dad is the reason we’re combative. “Calm your nuts, Warren. I’m processing.”
“You’re not too old to get knocked on your ass. Now what is it?”
He’s also the source of my impatience. I sigh and figure it’s now or never. Whit, Mayhem, and Hunter are sitting with us, but my dad is still burning me with a glare.
Whit and I hate secrets, so I don’t think it helps keeping our parents in the dark. “It’s all so much and sorry if I say anything that wasn’t known prior, but I’m just trying to deal with having my memory and coping with everything that happened in the last month. Before I came back, I felt it in my bones that Rowe was mine, so the confirmation wasn’t shocking. Getting my memory back increased my anger towards Anika for putting me on the sidelines for my son’s life. I missed most of it and now he’s an adult. The silver lining,” I say as I look at Whit. “Is that he was in the best hands possible. Whit would have been his godfather anyway, so I’m not mad at all about that. It’s the deceit. Then, she had the nerve to drug me and try to kill me because I didn’t return her delusions. She’s robbed so much of our lives with her bullshit that you shouldn’t be surprised if she stops breathing soon.”
My dad is turning red, and I pause to allow him to respond. “We figured with Rowe, it just made sense, especially a little before she was arrested. And I had my suspicions about your disappearance but the confirmation of all of this.” He stops and takes a deep breath, then looks me in the eye. “Just don’t get caught.”
“He won’t.” Mayhem and Hunter say almost at the same time.
Whit just watches because he wants me to vent, and he doesn’t give a fuck about Anika’s life expectancy.
“What else, son? Continue,” my dad prompts as he takes a long gulp of his alcohol. He’s gonna need it.
“I hate that I’m mad at Everest, but I am. Not because she was kidnapped and not because she miscarried. Those things are beyond her control. I’m mad because I could feel she was keeping something from me but never told me when I asked. Even if she didn’t tell me, she had access to her brother by then, a giant bodyguard, a therapist with two jobs, and a brother-in-law. I know the way her dad died makes her scared to share, but I needed her to trust me. I can’t fix what I don’t know is broken. Now, I find out today that she has some issue with the gate. I’ve been here for a week. Plus, she’s not getting her voice back. At least she told me that upfront. I don’t enjoy being a fucking spectator in my own life. And I’m not going to lecture her about something that hurt her. I just need to find a way to resolve it.”
“Son, tragedies are hard on couples. Some couples never survive it. Both parties hold anger or resentment towards each other for different reasons. I know what you mean. Your death was almost ruled a suicide, and I was heartbroken, but pissed at you. It’s part of grief; there’s anger and you don’t know where to aim it. Your mother and I had to fight every day to stay united and neither one of us had anything to do with your disappearance.”
The new information is shocking. That stupid bitch would have died much sooner if my parents divorced behind that bullshit.
“I’m so happy I survived so I could eventually clear it up.”
“About our dad,” Hunter adds. “The problem is when he went after her, he almost had her, then that fucking clown shot him in the chest. Everest had to watch him die while covered in his blood.” I am sad and angry at the same time because of the information. The anger still radiates off Hunter even though he’s been cool the entire time. “That’s why I took his balls.”
I smile when my dad shifts uncomfortably in his seat, but I keep my attention on Hunter. “He’s about to lose more than his balls.”
“Definitely,” Lars adds. “It’s necessary now. He should have learned from Hunter’s lesson.” he slides his thumbs across his rings and his free-flowing hair covers his face until he looks up with a sigh.
“I feel like there’s more behind your statement, Mayhem.”
He looks at me, then around the patio where we’re all sitting. “Okay, you know I was with her when you two were hashing it out. I understand both sides of the argument. I get that she’s learned from her mistakes and has a lot of healing to do and needs to take her time with it. I know he fucked with her mind and that made you the odd man out, but because there was a lot of mental work to do to unsee the version of reality, he tried to feed her. She had to separate his version of Walt from the real thing. Both of you are grieving and healing from a lot of bullshit.” Mayhem starts the fidget with his hair then puts it up. “I, however, know exactly how you feel. That tidbit of information could have either avoided all of this or at least given enough information to find her faster. Not being able to protect a loved one is painful as fuck.” Whit and my dad grumble in agreement. “Worse, I know how it feels to feel the relief of knowing that she survived and the hope that everything will be alright just for life to smack the shit out of you again. Unlike you, I wasn’t remembered. No, it’s worse. Her dad fucked with her mind after she woke up, so she recognizes me, but not as the man she was in love with.” He takes another deep breath as I frown. I know the look of a man trying to hold it together. “When she sees me, she freaks out because they somehow convinced her I’m the man who attacked her. The love of my life thinks of the villain of hers. It’s a barbed wire punch to the heart when the person you want to comfort thinks you’re part of their pain.”
Now, I’m the one fidgeting because that’s exactly how I feel. “Thank you, that’s it. That’s what it is.”
I also understand his anger more. He cares about Everest. No doubt, but the parallel is too close to home.
He shrugs. “I know. I’ve had more time to analyze the feeling.”
“I’m sorry that some evil asshole took your love from you.”
“Thank you. I’ve been trying to find the real guy. Her dad is some super rich asshole who buried the information deep. It’s taking time to uncover who he hired. I just can’t storm the mansion and punch her dad in the throat.”
“He doesn’t know me. I can,” I offer.
My dad studies me for a moment. I’ve always been impatient and impulsive, but now I’m all that and violent.
“Fuck, son. It’s almost like watching Pet Cemetery.” Everyone laughs.
“I didn’t die and come back evil, old man. I’m just pissed off.”
