Reading Online Novel

Desperately Seeking Epic(93)



When I spun around and saw him again, he was frowning. “I just . . . I don’t get why he left it to her and not me.” I felt bad for him, I really did. I let out a long sigh. That was what it all boiled down to. He was hurt. In a way, I was like Dennis’ first son. He helped raise me. With my career and skills, I thought he felt he had to leave me half the business. He knew I could run the jumps. But with Clara, it made no sense. She was working in orthodontics. She’d mentioned it once. What did orthodontics have to do with skydiving? It was a puzzle piece that just wouldn’t fit no matter how hard we tried to jam it in place. Plus, Marcus had always taken care of the office.

“Maybe if you try being nicer to her . . . she’ll tell you eventually. Dennis loved you. I’m sure there’s a good reason why he did what he did.” I wanted to know just as badly as Marcus, if not more.

He bobbed his head a few times. “I gotta go.”

“Marcus,” I called after him as he left the office. But he didn’t turn back. I paced in the office for a few minutes, trying to get my wits about me. This night sure went in the shitter fast. Marcus wasn’t pleased with me. But I knew better than to mess with him right now. He needed some time to decompress. Clara was pissed at me, as well, and rightfully so. With a deep breath, I steeled myself. It was time to try and fix this.



She wouldn’t answer her door when I knocked. After knocking for the fourth time, I tried the doorknob. It was unlocked. I marched in, determined. I would fix this. Somehow. I made my way to the kitchen and found her sitting at the table, a cup of coffee beside her and a folded piece of paper in front of her.

“Guess you didn’t hear me knocking,” I jested. She didn’t find it amusing. Pulling out a chair, I took a seat beside her as she sipped her coffee.

“I’m terrible at apologies,” I began.

“I don’t need your apology,” she quipped. “I need nothing from you.”

Ouch. That didn’t feel good. Her armor was on now and I hated it. I’d gotten to see the softness that laid beneath the hard exterior and now she was hiding it from me.

“I’m sorry,” I continued. Maybe she didn’t want my apology, but she’d get it anyway. “I was thrown.”

She huffed with annoyance. “I’m going to tell you why he left me the business. Then I want you to leave.”

My brows furrowed. She wanted me to leave. Shit. This was bad.

She slid the piece of paper in front of her toward me. “Read that. It explains everything.”

I unfolded it, having absolutely no idea what this paper would reveal. It was my uncle’s handwriting. I recognized it immediately.



Dear Clara,

My name is Dennis Falco. I’m sure you’ve heard my name. I’m sure in your mind, I’m a monster; an evil person.

When I was twenty-two, I was living in Florida. I worked as a mechanic, changing oil at some dinky shop. I was wasting time. And life. I was my father’s greatest disappointment.

On a Friday, I’d had a particularly bad day. I can’t even remember why. I went to my favorite bar, found a stool, and drank my bad day away. I closed the bar down that night. They had to kick me out. When I got in my car, I turned up my stereo, rolled my windows down, and lit a cigarette for the drive home.

Ten minutes later, I hit another car head-on going sixty miles an hour. Somehow, unfairly, I survived. I broke my arm, nose, and cracked some ribs. I actually lost a few teeth.

Your mother and father, however, lost much more. They were killed on impact.

The judge took it easy on me. Times were different then. I went to rehab and had community service. I was on probation for five years.

That day changed my life. I never drank another drop. I volunteered with underprivileged kids, trying to provide a good mentor for them, hoping maybe I’d save some kid from making the same mistakes I did. I got a new job and saved up money before moving to Virginia and starting a skydiving business. It’s done well.

You were just a baby when I took your parents from you. And I know, deep down, I didn’t just take two lives that night. I took three. I took yours. I took years of love, and hugs, and memories. I know nothing I will ever do or say will make what I did that night okay. But I hope you know, I have thought about your parents every single day of my life. I have thought of you, too.

So I give you what I have. Half of a skydiving business may not sound very exciting, but I hope you see it one of two ways. In time, either you can sell it to my nephew, whom I plan to leave my business to, or keep the money and spend it on something you desire. Maybe you’ll see this as a chance. A chance to try something different. A chance to start over . . . if that’s what you need.