Page 176 of Forever

“Angel,” said a voice that was definitely not Matt.

My heart started racing. I quickly unlocked the door and opened it. My dad was standing there, smiling down at me.

“Dad?” My voice cracked.

He closed the distance between us and wrapped his arms around me. “You didn’t think I’d miss your wedding, did you?”

I laughed and pulled back. “Actually I did.” I hugged him again. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

He kissed the top of my head. “I didn’t think you wanted me here. That’s why I left. But then I got all your texts and voicemails. And a ton from Tanner. And one from Matt.”

“Matt left you a voicemail?”

“He did. Saying he forgave me.”

Oh, Matt.I knew how hard that must have been for him to do. Every day he surprised me more and more. I looked up at my dad. “I found the letters. That you wrote to my mom.”

He raised his eyebrows.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you changed your mind about wanting me?”

He didn’t say anything.

“I read all the letters that were in that box in mom’s apartment,” I said. “She never saw them. But I did. You regretted telling my mom to get rid of me. You wanted the three of us to become a family. Why didn’t you tell me?”

He exhaled slowly. “Because it was too late.”

“It wasn’t too late. I’m right here.”

“It didn’t make a difference…”

“It makesallthe difference,” I said and hugged him again. “Tome.”

He rested his chin on the top of my head and sighed. “I thought she’d gone through with it. I thought I was too late. And your mother wanted nothing to do with me. She returned every letter unopened.”

I hugged him tighter. I wondered how different my life would have been if my mom had opened one of the letters. If she’d forgiven him. Maybe, just maybe, she’d still be alive.

But there was no going back. No rewinding time, no matter how much we wished we could. I took a deep breath. “It just felt nice to know that I was wanted.”

“Of course I wanted you,” my dad said. “I loved your mom, more than I ever loved anyone. I didn’t even know what love was until I met her. All I wanted was to run away with her. I just…” his voice trailed off. “It took losing her to make me realize I couldn’t live without her. And then it was too late. I didn’t know you were alive. If I had, Iwould have come, Brooklyn. I would have done anything to be part of your lives.”

It was too late for him and my mom. But it wasn’t too late for us. He’d wanted me. And he’d shown up today simply because I needed him. It was the first time it felt like he had no ulterior motives. This was just…love. I pulled back again. “You didn’t need to make me think you were a monster, Dad.”

He shook his head. “When I married into the Cannavaro family, I was young and foolish. What I thought I wanted…” his voice trailed off. “I was a poor kid, from the wrong side of the tracks. I wanted power. And wealth.” He shook his head again. “But I was wrong. About all of it. I didn’t want this life.”

I didn’t realize he’d grown up poor. Like me. But I’d never wanted power or wealth because I’d been surrounded by love. My mom’s. My uncle’s. Miller’s. Matt’s. My father had gotten stuck in a terrible position because he’d never known love until he met my mom. And then it truly was too late.

“I just wanted your mom. And you.” There were tears in his eyes. “And I missed out on everything.”

“Not everything. You’re here to walk me down the aisle.”

He sniffed and smiled down at me. “You want me to walk you down the aisle?”

“That’s what dads do.”

He smiled. “I am so sorry, Brooklyn. I should have told you all this sooner. I’m not used to being…” his voice trailed off.

“Honest?”

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