Page 49 of Just One More Moment

“Hey! I take offense to that,” Dex said.

Remy slapped his brother on the side of the head. “Take care of my girl. I’ll be back soon.”

With a sudden twist of nerves in his gut, he walked away from Raven and Dex, and toward the elevator, heading to visit his father.

He arrived at his dad’s room just as a nurse walked out along with an orderly who stepped over to the food cart, then moved on to the next room.

The nurse paused. “Are you here to see Mr. Sterling?”

Remy nodded. “I’m his son.”

The young woman smiled. “I assumed as much. He told me he has four of them. Go on in. He’s eating breakfast.”

“Thanks.” Remy knocked once and walked in.

His father sat up in bed, the table turned so he had a tray in front of him. “Remy!” Alex sounded happy to see him.

“Hi, Dad.” He took in his father’s coloring, which was much better than it had been yesterday, his pallor no longer pasty and white. “You’re looking well.”

“I feel better. The doctors want to run some tests so I’m here for another couple of days. They want to monitor me.”

Remy nodded, relieved the hospital wasn’t just releasing him. “That’s good. I’ll feel better with more answers. This way you’ll know how to take care of yourself.”

“They say I have to give up red meat, among other things.” His dad grimaced. “They’re even sending a nutritionist in to talk to me. Lizzie wants to be here to make sure she can follow the diet they prescribe.”

Remy was grateful his father would have someone to monitor his meals and behavior, at least in the beginning until he got used to a new routine. That thought reminded him of his mom, who wasn’t here to keep tabs on his dad and the reason Remy wanted to talk.

As his father ate his oatmeal, Remy pulled up a chair and settled in by Alex’s bedside. “So… you and Lizzie?” He brought up the easier conversation first.

Alex put down the spoon. His cheeks flushed as he met Remy’s gaze. “We discussed how to tell you kids but she wanted to wait. And I… I’m worried about how you’d all take the news. Especially Fallon. She has the softest heart.” His dad put a hand over the organ in his chest that was causing him issues.

Remy clasped his hands together, resting them on the side of the bed. He drew a deep breath before diving in. “First off, none of us have spoken about things since yesterday but I don’t have an issue with you two as a couple.” It wasn’t easy to discuss his father’s personal life and Remy did his best not to squirm in his chair.

“I appreciate it.” Alex glanced down but his cheeks were still flushed red, telling Remy this talk wasn’t any easier for him.

“If anything, I’m happy to know you have someone who cares about you and it was obvious to me, even before yesterday, that Lizzie does. She’s been good to us all.”

His father nodded. “But she’s not your mother.”

And wasn’t that the crux of it all? “No. And I know we rarely talked about that night… mostly because I clammed up and refused.”

“Son, I wish you’d opened up to someone. To me, the therapist I spent a fortune on for all of you kids, or at least to each other. I hated seeing you in such emotional pain. Still do.” His father’s voice grew raspy.

Remy understood. He had a lump in his throat the size of Texas and couldn’t find a way to speak over it. But he’d come here for a reason and he swallowed hard. “It’s my fault.”

He glanced up to find his father narrowing his gaze. “What is?”

“Mom’s murder. If I had gone out for dinner with her as planned, she’d wouldn’t have been home when that bastard broke in.” The words poured from his soul. Words Remy had buried that night and pushed down deeper every year since.

“Dammit!” His father raised his voice and the monitor began to flash.

Remy jumped up from his seat. “Calm down before I kill you, too.”

His father took a deep breath and relaxed his breathing for a long, interminable minute. The lines became less erratic on the monitor and nobody came in to yell at him for upsetting his parent.

“That’s what you think? All these years, andnowI find out you’ve been holding that bullshit inside you?” his father asked.

Remy knew Alex wasn’t angry at him, he was upset with himself for not figuring out Remy’s issues sooner. Not that he could have. On that subject, Remy had been a closed book.

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