AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Of course,” I nod my head back at him.
“You're a good man,” he tells me appreciatively.
“How can you say that? I promised you I’d protect her. I let her down,” I point out, struggling to understand any of this.
“You were here fighting to save this village for her when it happened, you never chose the path that led you to this. It was all out of your hands. I chose the path that kept two people who loved each other apart because of my own fear. Which of us should be seeking forgiveness?” he looks at me sadly. “I say you’re a good man because you’re here by her side today. You’re standing here talking to me because you don’t want me to hate you, and I’m telling you that I’ve given up trying to. If you’re what she wants, road warrior, you have my support.”
“I don’t deserve for her to want me, the way I treated her after was…”
“You acted on your instinct, fighting is in your blood and you fought for justice,” he bluntly interrupts me. “Now fight to make her forget. Fill her life with enough happy memories to fade all the bad ones into black.”
He marches away from me, leaving me standing on his porch speechless. The chief heads straight for his niece, and I watch the nervous expression on her face lift into a relieved smile when he wraps his arms around her and welcomes her home.
“There are bad men in this world.” I turn around and see that his wife Odina is watching the same scene as I am. “That man isn’t one of them.” She looks at her husband adoringly. “Neither are you, come and celebrate with us. The dark days are behind us now.” She passes me to join the center of the village where everyone is gathered around Shaniya. I follow her toward the small crowd. And when I glance over to Tawk’s cabin I see him watching, his shoulder resting against his door.
He’s stares at me with something that looks a lot more like fucking gratitude then hate, and the slight nod of his head he gives me as I pass him suggests he might be able to forgive me too.
TWO WEEKS LATER
I’m shocked when I answer the door of Troj’s cabin and find my auntie standing on the other side of it.
She hasn’t been back to the compound since her and uncle's cabin got rebuilt.
“Come in,” I show her inside, noting the bundle she’s carrying in her arms. I’m feeling guilty for not spending the night before my wedding at the reservation, but being with Troj at night is the only thing that keeps my dreams under control.
“I don’t want to impose,” she smiles.
“Never, it’s good to see you. You're always welcome. Would you like me to make us some coffee?”
“Oh no, thank you,” she shakes her head and pulls a face. I remember her trying some when she was staying at the clubhouse and she was far from impressed by it.
“I just wanted to bring you this.” She places the bundle on the table.
“You’ll be too busy in the morning getting ready for the celebrations. Your mother gave it to me before she passed, she wanted you to have it on your wedding day.”
“This is from my mother?” I feel the tiny hairs on my neck stand up.
“Yes,” she smiles as I step forward and untie the knot on the top.
A few letters lay on top but it’s the photograph that immediately draws my attention. It’s a little faded and old but the image is clear enough. The man in it wears a white T-shirt and a leather cut just like Troj does, and his badge says VICE PRESIDENT just like Jessie’s does.
I’ve never seen him here before, but there’s something oddly familiar about him.
“This is him, isn’t it? This is my father?” I look up to my auntie.
“It is,” she nods her head, and those are letters he wrote to your mother. They used to leave them for each other under a log on the edge of the border. I was the only person who knew about them, until your mother couldn’t keep you a secret anymore,” she blushes at me.
“Did he love her?”
“I believe he did, very much,” she tells me softly.
“Then why didn’t he come for her. For us?”
“That’s always been a mystery, and one that broke her heart. He stopped leaving letters a few weeks after she found out you were on the way. She was so scared, but she forced herself to stay strong. And then you arrived and you fixed her broken heart. She loved you so much, Shaniya.”
“It’s been hard not knowing who the other half of me is,” I admit looking at the man in the photo, maybe the Souls can help me find him now that I have this.
“Why did you never show me this before?” I ask feeling a little cheated.
