Stand Of Redemption(70)

“It’s awful, Nicholas. I like being a paramedic, but I hate it when we lose them.”

“You’re very soft-hearted, which makes it worse for you.” His hands kept soothing her until she began to drift. “Go to sleep, sweetheart.”

Ria went asleep, held in his arms. Yet, when she woke the next morning, he was gone.





Chapter 25



Nicholas walked into the gym, going back to his father’s office. Jeff would be there in about an hour, and Nicholas wanted to warm up before he arrived so they could get straight to work.

He went into his father’s office without knocking to find his father slumped over the desk.

“Dad!” he yelled and rushed to shake him. Nicholas felt the panic rise as memories of his mother flooded through him.

He lifted his father up and his dad opened his eyes slowly. Nicholas could smell the stench of whiskey on his father’s breath. As Nick grunted in disgust and let go, Rex’s head dropped and hit the desk.

“Fuck! What the hell is wrong with you?” Rex slurred to Nick as he moaned in pain.

“Me? What the hell is wrong with you?” He rarely saw his father drink; therefore, seeing him drunk at work was shocking.

Rex didn’t answer. He closed his eyes.

Nick had no sympathy for his condition.

“Dad, what are you doing?” Nick yelled at his father again. They had the gym to themselves today, so Nick didn’t have to worry about anyone hearing them.

He checked the clock. He still had about fifty minutes before Jeff showed up.

“Yesterday was her birthday. Couldn’t stay at the house,” his father mumbled. Nick saw the tears running from his eyes.

Nick sunk down into the chair near the desk. He and Melanie had gone out to dinner last night to remember their mother’s birthday. They hadn’t invited their father because of his behavior toward Melanie. Furthermore, to be honest, Nicholas was still angry at him for holding control of his money over him. He blamed it on himself for leaving his financial affairs in his father’s hands for so long. He just hadn’t cared about the money enough to bother. Like he hadn’t cared about a lot of things until Ria.

He stood up and approached his father. “Let’s go. I’m taking you home.” Nick hauled him out of the chair.

“Why didn’t I save her?” his dad moaned. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have let her work there. I didn’t try hard enough.”

Nick hadn’t seen his father cry since the day of the funeral. He was shocked at just how deep the pain was after all these years. Nick felt the same pain and remorse just as deeply. He understood his sense of guilt.

Nick held his father up from under his arm as he stumbled out the door, almost tripping over a mat as they walked out.

“I’m so sorry, so sorry,” his dad kept repeating as they walked to the car.

Nick helped his father into the car and quickly shut the door. He would take his father home and then come back to the gym to train. It was too late to cancel, even though Nick wanted to stay with his father. He was going to have to call Melanie.

“I should be the one dead, not her,” Rex continued his rambling on the drive home. “Now Melanie’s going to get hurt. Your mother always told me if anything happened to her, to protect you two, and I can’t even do that right.”

Nick looked sharply at his father. He had finally admitted out loud why he didn’t approve of Melanie fighting.

“I’m trying to stop her, Nick. I’ve done what I can, but she won’t listen, just like your mother wouldn’t listen. I’m failing again.” Rex’s head fell back on the headrest. Nick watched him close his eyes as the tears continued to run down his cheeks.

His father and he had a lot in common—accepting the guilt without talking about it with the family. They could have helped each other through the tragedy.

Nick was starting to understand some of his father’s erratic behavior, even though he didn’t agree with it. However, his own behavior was nothing to brag about. If Emiliano hadn’t stopped him, he would have used and tossed Ria aside without thought.

Nick pulled into the driveway of the house he grew up in. It brought back such bittersweet memories. He had no idea how his father managed to live in the large home alone, surrounded by memories.

He got out of the car and shook his father awake. His father was slow, but was finally quiet and walked carefully into the house. Nick followed, unlocking the door as his father stood unsteadily waiting. He took his arm, helping him inside to his bedroom.

“I’m fine. Go back to work,” he mumbled.

Nick nodded his head, leaving the bedroom to go out to the living room to call Melanie.