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Tess
Parenting is so damn hard. Whoever said that it is the hardest job a person will ever have, well, they knew what they were talking about. As Barrett and I walk hand in hand into the police station, a place where I never imagined I would be entering, especially to pick up my son from being arrested, I am plagued with the vision that we will forever have burned into our memory. After talking with the front desk, they bring out the arresting officer who explains that Grady was arrested but that the victim wasn’t pressing charges.
Little punk. I know my kids aren’t perfect. Far from it. But I also know that Grady would never assault someone who didn’t provoke him in some way. And messing with Bri was the number one way to get his attention, and a rise out of him. While I’m grateful that he’s not pressing charges against my son, if what Cole told us is true, I will have a hard time not encouraging Bri to do so. I don’t want him thinking all he’s going to get is a beat down for doing that to an innocent girl. But I need to get my facts straight before I let my mind continue to wander.
When we see Grady sitting in a jail cell, head in his hands, elbows on his knees, I can’t hold back the sob that escapes me. When he hears our approach, his head shoots up, and the regret that is plaguing him is evident all over his face. His eyes are red, his left eye looks to be developing a nice reminder of his evening, and his hands are shaking… and bloody. Or what looks like dried blood. He looks broken. In more ways than one. Upon seeing us, he gives up the fight and releases the tears and flood of emotion he, no doubt, has been holding in since the cell door closed behind him.
“Grady.”
“Mom. I’m so sorry, Mom. I’m so sorry.” He continues to repeat how sorry he is until I step closer to the cell and wrap my hands around the bars. He does the same, resting his head against them.
“I know, baby. I know. We’re gonna get you out of here, and when we get home, we’ll talk about it. Just relax. We’re just waiting for them to have the paperwork ready for us to sign. They let us back here to see you first.”
Barrett has been quiet, not breathing a word since we received the call from Cole. I know the questions are rolling through his mind.Why didn’t he call us first? Why Cole? Why didn’t the police call us? Or Grady? What could have caused him to actually hurt someone?One of the questions he did voice and get answered from Cole after he told us that Grady had been arrested was that Bri was safe. Since Brandon was at the party, he called Cole first, figuring that Cole will be able to explain things best to us. He also let us know that he and Mia were on their way home, and that Brandon took Bri to her house, Bri insisting that she didn’t need to see a doctor. She did, however, make sure to let Dawson know that if he so much as gave one thought to pressing charges against Grady, that she will happily return the favor.
After signing all the appropriate paperwork and waiting what felt like forever to be able to hold my son again, he was released and in my arms. No matter how old my children are, I will always want to hold them and fight for them. I will always hold their hand and let them cry on my shoulder when needed. Which is what Grady is silently doing now.
We collect his things, including his phone, which we discovered now has a cracked screen that happened during the fight, and both Grady and I climb into the back seat of Barrett’s pickup, and Grady immediately leans his head on me. The ride home is… well, interesting. Barrett is still quiet. Not angry quiet. Just quiet. The events of the night finally taking over, first the winning game, Bri’s attack and getting arrested — it’s all apparently come to a head for Grady as he lays his head on my shoulder, his own shoulders shaking and holding me around the waist tightly. It’s all enough to bring any teenage boy to his knees, and my Grady is no different. He is powerful, strong and brave, but put him up against the force of someone threatening to hurt the person he loved most in this world and it is all too much.
Barrett pulls into the driveway and parks, and we all somberly walk into the house, not quite ready to share our individual thoughts, one of which being, what will happen when his coach and the recruiters who have been calling find out. But that’s neither here nor there right now. Tonight we need to comfort our son.
“I need to call Bri.” Grady’s timid voice breaks through the silence as we all stand in the kitchen, none of us moving toward our bedrooms quite yet.
“She’s fine, honey. Brandon got her home, and Cole checked on her,” I reply with a soft voice.
“No, Mom. I need to call her. I need to hear her voice, to hear from her that she’s fine. I know I got there in time, that he just—” He chokes on his voice and bites out his next words. “—hit her. But, Mom and Dad, you have no idea…” His voice trails off, and I can just see how much this is affecting him.
“Grady, I’m exhausted. This is by far not what we had planned for tonight, and before we sit down and hash everything out, I need sleep. I’m afraid I won’t be the best listener right now, so I think it’s best for everyone’s sake if you go to your room, call Bri for your peace of mind, but don’t talk long. Get a good night’s sleep, and we’ll talk in the morning.” My husband’s gruff voice sounds scratchy and tired.
And as much as I want more explanation from Grady right now, I have to admit he is right.
Whatever Grady hears in Barrett’s voice makes him realize he better not argue. “I will, but, Dad, I know I said this, but you’ve gotta know… I’m so sorry. I would never hurt someone on purpose. I can’t explain it, but I lost it. It’s just seeing Bri, she’s…”
“I get it, son. Bri. That’s why I get it. You understand? That’s also why I’m not yelling my lungs out right now, but it’s never a good excuse. I want you to go to bed. Think about it. Think long and hard about your actions. We’ll talk first thing in the morning. Don’t make any plans tomorrow.”
“Got it,” Grady replies with a single head nod and hard swallow. The dark bags that have already developed under his eyes and cuts that cover his hands tell a story I’m sure none of us want to relive anytime soon are the physical evidence of his own exhaustion.
“Grady. Shower first, yeah?”
That gets a small smile out of him. “Sure thing, Mom.”
“Love you. Get some sleep.”
“Love you, too.”
Barrett walks over and gives Grady a hug before stepping back, keeping his hands on Grady’s shoulders. “Love you, son. Never forget that,” His voice is now less scratchy and far more firm.
“I won’t, Dad. Love you, too. And again, I’m sorry. I know this isn’t at all what you expected from tonight.” Grady gives us another small smile then heads downstairs to his room and the bathroom he’s claimed as his own.
Barrett’s large frame sinks onto the kitchen chair as soon as Grady is out of sight, and his head goes straight to the table with a loudthunk, causing me to giggle. Probably not the right response right now, but the night has been one I never expected.
“Ahhh, hell, Tess.”
“I know.”
“What a screwed-up damn night. How do I even begin to discipline him for something that I would have done too?”
“What do you mean?”
