Dad takes in my uneasy expression and immediately questions, "Monkey? What"s wrong?"
Without answering, I look at my little brother. He"s snuggled in the crook of Dad"s arm as he always is. With his thumb halfway in his mouth, he rests his small head against Dad"s chest. He"s asleep. As I stand above them, I take in the sight with appreciation and hold fast to my courage to tell him.
"I got in," I burst out first. "I got the letter just now. Mom has it inside."
The concerned expression that was just seen has fallen. Dad"s face is enveloped with uncertainty.
"You got in," he repeats to himself in a slight whisper. He turns his gaze from me and looks in the direction of the busy street in front of our house.
When his eyes don"t come back to mine, I keep going. "I don"t have to leave until fall, so we"ll have the summer together," I start, then stop. I"m trying to give him time to let this all sink in. "I"ll be home on weekends and every holiday. I promise to keep my phone on me so you can call any time."
Running out of words to convince him, I give up. The silence radiating from the greatest man I"ve ever known is suffocating.
"Dad?" I prod when I can"t take quiet tension between us any longer.
Finally, his head turns in my direction. He doesn"t say anything but closes his eyes and kisses Caleb"s head. I watch as a single tear falls free.
When his gaze finally comes to mine, he points to a small lawn chair at his side. "Can you sit for a minute?"
We"ve had talks before. Many times throughout our years together, he"s been the pillar of strength and advice and who I"ve turned to when my self-doubt catches up to me. This time is different. This time, it"s him who looks in need of rea.s.surance.
After I"ve reached for the chair behind me, pull it up next to the hammock, and make myself comfortable, he reaches for my hand and squeezes it gently.
Clearing his throat, he asks, "Is this what you want?"
Straightening my pose, I nod with confidence. "It is. I want to be an artist."
"You"re already that," he tells me with a smile. After a moment, he sighs with reflection and observes, "My monkey"s growing up and it"s time for her to go."
"I won"t if you don"t think it"s a good idea."
Running his thumb over the top of my hand and staring at our connection, he tells me what I don"t think I ever truly believed until today. "The day I met you, my life changed. Everything came into focus. And the day you became my daughter was one of the proudest days in all my life." He stops, thinks for a second, and continues, "You worked so hard to catch up in school so you could be with all the other kids your age. I don"t know that I"ve ever met someone with that kind of determination. I"ve always admired it."
My eyes burn and my nose starts to sting. "Dad..."
"Casey." He stops me from talking by using my real name. It"s rare he ever calls me by that. "After Caleb was born, you held him for the first time while we were sitting in the hospital room. Do you remember?"
I nod then, as a tear falls, I answer with a broken voice, "Yes, I remember."
His hand releases mine and he uses the side of his finger to wipe the sadness away. "While you were holding him, I asked G.o.d for two things." He grabs my hand again and smiles. "I asked that He watch over your brother and keep him safe when I wasn"t with him. But I also asked for more. I asked that He bless him with your courage and strength."
More tears fall from my eyes. It"s impossible to stop them.
"I can"t keep you forever," he tells me. "I know this, but it doesn"t hurt less to see you grow up and become the person you"ve worked so hard to be."
"Maybe I shouldn"t..."
Not letting me speak, he informs, "You"ll need to ask Grandma to take you shopping for what you"ll need." He says this with a smile. "And I"m not telling Grandpa you"re leaving. You"ll have to do that."
Smiling at him, I squeeze his hand and take this as his acceptance. "I"m excited."
"I see that." He smirks through his words. "We"ll talk again soon, okay?"
I nod then lean in to kiss his cheek. His hand wraps around the nape of my neck and squeezes gently as I do.
"Thank you for this," I tell him quietly as I watch Caleb start to stir. "Want me to take him?"
"Yeah," he answers. "I"ll see you inside."
"I love you. Thank you."
Smiling up at me as I grab Caleb from his arms and adjust him in my own, I turn around and hear Dad whisper to my back, "I love you, too, monkey."
Acknowledgements.
The Readers of Vengeance - Thank you for choosing to spend your down time with Max and little Casey. I hope I"ve given you the HEA you felt they deserved. All the messages, posts, and tags were so appreciated!
Ashleigh Thank you for helping with book two. It"s all done and now you have no more book to shred, main, and torture. You poor woman!
Dana Not sure where to start because saying thank you is definitely not enough. Thank you for taking the time to read and reread this book to ensure Vengeance was taken care of. Your attention to detail is almost worrisome.
Denielle Thank you for your constant encouragement and always looking out for ways to help with my books. Your enthusiasm is addictive and at times it"s what kept me going! You"re a superstar.
Melissa As always, thank you for your help in getting this project completed. I hope you"ll always read and shred my books! Most, more than once. Hee hee.
Betas: Jos, Theresa, Sam, and Chantal The Shredding Brigade.
So, so, so grateful for each of you. It was so nice being able to give you the book and know you"re attention to detail and various feedback would be waiting for me, and only days later! You"re all so wonderful to work with!
Bextor"s b.i.t.c.hes I"ve never had a street team and I"m so happy to know all of you. The group is small and I couldn"t appreciate each one of you any more than I already do!
Ladies of the Lights Of Peril Thanks for being there! Always always love the postings and excitement, especially surrounding this series. Now, up next is...
Proofreaders: Julie and Danni GREAT catches. Thank you for sticking with the series and making it even better!
Again, thank you to the teams that make it all so pretty!
Editing by: Hot Tree Editing Services.
Other t.i.tles by A.C. Bextor.
Vengeance Duet.
DIRTY.
TRUTH..
Lights of Peril Series.
Holding On The Way Home.
Toxic Tied To You.
Devil"s Despair Series.
Ace"s Redemption (Stand Alone).
Hayden"s Verse (Stand Alone).
Travis"s Stand.