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10
THEO
It’s around one in the morning when I pull into my driveway. Four wrecks and two fires makes for a busy shift. My mouth spreads open as a yawn erupts. Good thing there is no homework tonight. Not sure I could stay up long enough to do much of anything. Nathan gave me shit all night about Felicity and at one point I just told him to shut the hell up. Does he like her or something because usually he isn’t like this? Most of the time he is pushing me to talk to a girl, but with her he is trying to talk me out of it. Something’s off with Nathan. I didn’t have much time to talk to him about it other than him ragging on me.
The car door shuts behind me and I check the mailbox before heading inside to sip on a beer to unwind before bed. My key turns the lock, and then I shut and lock it behind me.Home at least. I kick off my shoes by the front door, and head straight for the fridge. A cold Bud Light sounds orgasmic. I throw the stack of mail down on the coffee table and turn the television on.
It doesn’t really matter what I put on because I won’t be up long enough to actually make sense of it. I take a swig of my beer and start going through my mail. The worst thing about being an adult is all the bills. They literally never stop. Electric bill. Account statement. Trash. Trash. Another letter. When is this man going to give up and stop fucking writing me? How has he not got the hint after not getting a single reply? I don’t want anything to do with him. Plain and simple. Get the fucking hint already! I notice the envelope says,do not return to the sender. This makes me break open.
Son,
This will be my last letter. They are officially letting me out on parole tomorrow.
Wait, what? You’ve got to be kidding me. They are letting him out? Honestly, I never planned on him getting out of prison alive. He didn’t seem to be the type of person that has what it takes to survive in a place like that. That’s one thing I’ll give him kudos on.. I don’t understand why the justice system would even let him out? Sure, he didn’t murder anyone, but he stole millions of dollars from people. Wealthy or not, they didn’t deserve that.
I’ve spent my time in this prison thinking about all the things I did wrong, and will spend the rest of my life trying to make up for those indiscretions. I let you down. My own child. Instead of thinking about how it would affect you, I stole money and paid the price for it. My only hope is one day she will give me a chance. A chance to reconnect with you and prove to you I am no longer that guy.
There goes the pity party. Why didn’t he think of all this while he was embezzling? He could have prevented all of this from happening, if he would have stopped and found a way to pay all the money back before he got in too deep, but instead he chose to continue down the rabbit hole and be an idiot. Yes, let me down. Time and time again. Every birthday and every Christmas that I was stuck in a home without my father. After a couple years, that longing for my father turned into hatred. As I got older, I understood the choices he made, and the consequences for his actions. He can act like he didn’t have a choice, but there is always a choice.
Your uncle has kept me up to date on you for the most part, but it’s nothing like hearing from my own son. One day you are going to get married and have kids. I want your wife and your kids to know me. But that can’t happen until you trust me again.
Please give me one lunch - just one - and give me a chance. Hear me out. If you never want to see me again, then I’ll understand.
For a split second, I wonder what it would be like to see my dad after all these years. What bullshit he would spit out of his mouth to get me to let him in my life again.I’m a changed man. I wasn’t thinking straight. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you.The bad thing is I hear him saying these things over and over in my head and yet I can’t believe a word of it. His charm isn’t going to work on me anymore. It might have slipped through the cracks when I was a kid, but I’m a grown ass man now. I have the capability to see through his facade for what he really is. An immoral man who didn’t have any remorse for his clients or the money he stole. He had years to stop or give the money back, and he didn’t. Every day he was reminded of the bad things he was doing, and not once did he question himself. He is not a person that deserves to be a part of my life. EVER!
I’ll be staying with Uncle Keith in Dallas until I get myself back on my feet. If you decide you would like to get together, you can come by or call him anytime.
Just remember son, I love you. No matter what I did in the past, I truly do love you.
Dad
This is exactly why I don’t want anything to do with him. He doesn’t even realize how he screwed me up. How hard I had to work just get a fucking job after that scandal. What he did affected our family name and how people perceive Navaldi’s. Grapevine doesn’t trust us. Well, a little more now that they have gotten to know me as an adult, but that took years. He knows better than to step foot back in this town. He will not be welcomed with open arms. Hell, he might even run out.
My father doesn’t deserve to know anything about me. He gave up that right when committing his crimes and sent me to live with strangers until I was of age. If he would have just been a good person, and a good father, none of this would have ever happened. Yet, he couldn’t. My father was a selfish and greedy man. Prison doesn’t change that. Mark my words, he will do it again. And he has had many years to perfect his technique and plan.
11
FELICITY
Work has not been bad. We never know what kind of calls we are going to get, but this shift has been pretty good. I’m about fifteen minutes away from the end, and of course Jennifer plans on ruining the mood.
“So, why did you say no to that guy? Jen says he’s dreamy. And a firefighter?” Amy puts her hand to my forehead. “Are you feeling okay?”
My face turns red and a sheen of sweat appears on my forehead. “I’m fine. Just have too much going on right now as it is.” Why is this any of their damn business? My pulse begins to speed up and my body tenses.Don’t let them get to you. You don’t have to give them a reason. It’s your fucking life. Not theirs.
“I remember the last time it was workshop day. They were all outside doing drills, and for fuck sakes, they are all so hot. The women of Grapevine are so lucky to have them looking out for us. If you aren’t going to go out with him, do you think I could get his number?” Amy asks.
My voice comes out in a carefully controlled tone, while drawing in slow, steady breaths. “Go sink your fake ass nails into someone else. I might have said no to Theo, but he doesn’t want to date someone like you.”
I slant my body away from her and roll my eyes.You did it. You let her get to you.Now she is going to be a bitch for the next week until she gets over it.
“See you ladies,” I say, grabbing my purse and walking out of the door, not waiting for anyone to follow me.
Jennifer catches up with me before I can open my car door and get the fuck away from this place.
“Girl, just wait,” she tugs on my shoulder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know they were going to ambush you like that. Theo - you have seen him. Any girl would want to be with a guy like him, and yet you are somehow getting defensive of someone else asking for his number?”
I pinch my mouth and the expression goes sour. “I need some time to sort through some things. He knows I’m busy right now, and I said no. That doesn’t mean once things settle down that I won’t be going out with him, so just stop telling everyone my business.” My arms cross in front of my chest, and my jaw sets.
