Dylan’s Redemption(71)
“Dylan, you can’t be serious. I worked so hard to make sure you never turned out like your cousins. We gave you every advantage and privilege.”
“And offered Brody and Owen nothing but your back when you turned it on them. Owen, Brody, and Jessie all have one thing in common, amazing inner strength and determination to overcome the circumstances and consequences of where they came from. But you don’t see or care about their achievement in becoming a successful lawyer, a businessman, a construction company owner. You only see where they came from, not where they are now, or who they are.”
“You’re better than them. Brody drank and caroused with women. He got two women pregnant and left without a word.”
“He didn’t know about his girls. Like I didn’t know about mine. Except I would have known if you’d told me. I’m no different than him.
“You made decisions for me, and I’ll never forgive or forget the consequences of those decisions. You can’t make this right with an I’m sorry. You can’t make this right by trying to make me believe you had my best interests at heart. If you did, you’d have told me about the baby before it was too late.”
“How could I have known the baby would die?” his mother asked, as if it changed anything.
“If you’d told me Jessie was pregnant, I’d have been there to see Hope and I wouldn’t hate you now. I wouldn’t hate myself for putting Jessie through this.”
“Son, there has to be a way to get past this. Your anger hurts your mother, and I understand you’re upset, but we can work this out. Cutting us out of your life is extreme. This is spinning out of control.”
Dylan sympathized with his father. “Dad, I’m sorry her decisions affect you too. She lied to all of us. I’ve lost my daughter and eight years with Jessie. I don’t plan to live without her for another day.”
“Will you come live with us like the other mommies live with the daddies?” Will asked.
His little face and eyes held so much hope Jessie would agree. She hesitated, her mouth open to say something before she closed it, then said, “I have my own house, sweetheart.”
That wasn’t going to stop Will from having her as a mother. “That’s okay. We’ll live in your house then. I’ll bring my toys and Daddy can bring the TV.”
Dylan’s heart fluttered a bit when Jessie laughed. “You’re always thinking, little man.”
As much as Jessie wanted to hold him at arm’s length, she couldn’t resist Will as easily. She didn’t want to open her heart to them, afraid Dylan would hurt her again, but he swore he heard it squeak open just a bit. That’s all he needed, a foot in the door. Before long, he’d have her back.
“You and I will talk, Jess.”
She closed up on him again. Already thinking and planning how to win her heart back, he’d take things one step at a time.
She used to be the one chasing him when they were young. Older and wiser, he’d chase her until she was his. No more running from her, only to her.
“Jessie needs her rest. You two can leave. I’ll take Will home.” He addressed his mother directly. “Do us both a favor, don’t make things worse. Stay away.”
His mother pursed her lips. “You’ve never spoken to me this way. I don’t know how to overcome your temper right now, but I’ll be here for you when you realize Jessie isn’t the girl you think she is. You’ll see, I’m right.”
His father didn’t let him respond to that outrageous statement. “Son, I don’t want to leave things like this. I guess nothing will be settled this way. Perhaps you’ll come by the house later so we can talk privately.”
“I’ve made my feelings clear. I won’t change my mind,” Dylan said by way of answering without actually committing himself to another round of fruitless discussion.
“Jessie, may I see the photo of Hope? I’d like to see her,” his father asked in earnest.
Surprised by the request, Jessie might have complied until Martha’s eyes flashed with anger and narrowed on her. “No. You can’t. I won’t have you look at her the way you both look at me. I won’t let you judge her.”
“I wouldn’t,” he said, taken aback.
“Wouldn’t you? You judged me because of who my father is and the things he did that had nothing to do with me, but somehow made me not good enough. It didn’t matter I was a straight-A student, that I worked hard and was good at construction. All you saw was a girl who lived next to poor and had nothing to offer your son. Thank God we don’t grow up to be our parents. Dylan is nothing like you,” she said to his mother. “I am nothing like my father. But that doesn’t matter to you because you don’t see me, or know me.