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I just had to hope.
Tears dripped onto my cheeks as I finally realized what Keith must be feeling. I pushed off the sofa and headed for the door, where I could see Keith standing at the edge of the patio looking out into the garden.
I took one last look over my shoulder, Leo gave me an encouraging nod. I took a deep breath and pushed through the doors, closing them behind me and walking slowing toward where Keith stood with his back to me.
“I’m sorry,” I said, my voice filled with emotion.
He didn’t turn around, so I moved up to stand beside him, my eyes searching the garden before us.
“I never wanted to take away your love for your father. John was a good man,” he said, his hands tucked into his pockets. “Just wanted to do right by him.”
I looked up at him, seeing his eyes glisten.
“He couldn’t be in this life anymore, and I know that leaving you and your mom behind would have broken his heart because that’s exactly how I would’ve felt if it was me,” he admitted, his eyes finally turning to me. “All I ever wanted to do was make sure you were happy, keep you safe, and look after you like he would have wanted.”
I sniffed. “Must have been hard, I gave you so much hell.”
He shook his head. “We do strange things when we’re hurting.”
His words reminded me of Slider, and the way he’d lashed out when he thought I was going to give away his secret. He was hurt and feeling threatened, and his natural reflex was to fight back.
It was exactly what I’d done.
“I thought I was doing the right thing. I felt like he’d want me to fight for his memory,” I told him, my throat tightening. “But he wouldn’t have. He would’ve wanted me to be happy, to accept the love that you were offering.”
“I went to his grave a few days before I asked your mom to marry me.”
I was surprised by the admission. “Why?”
“Just wanted to tell him man-to-man that I’d do whatever was within my power to look after the two of you.” His voice cracked, and he cleared it before he continued, “That was where I felt he might be able to hear me the clearest. I also wanted to thank him.”
Tears streamed like a waterfall, and I sobbed. “For what?”
“For creating something so beautiful, and allowing me the opportunity to be a part of her life.” He wiped away a tear that dropped down onto his cheek.
I didn’t hold back, I was done, and it was time to let go of the resentment I felt for this man. He hadn’t come in and tried to take my dad away. All he wanted to do, was be a part of my life, no matter what that part was.
Throwing myself at him, he caught me in his arms and held me close.
I felt a weight lifting, my heart blooming like a flower, opening up and letting the light inside.
