Page 7 of I Love You Again
Brad followed him into the stables and was about to ask what was going on when Jim landed a fist in hisface.
"You selfish son of a bitch," Jim yelled. Brad had never seen him look so angry. Never in all the time that he'd known him, and he'd never hit himeither.
He picked Brad up off the ground, grabbing him by his shoulders and threw him so hard against the wall the wood cracked. By then Brad's nose was bleeding, and his back felt like it had detached from hisbody.
"Jim I'm sorry. Why don't you take the bail money out of my pay like you usually do?" Brad toldhim.
Jim shook his head at him and laughed a rough, cynical laugh. "Brad you really are dumber than youlook."
Brad simply stared back at him in shock. Jim had never spoken to him like that beforeeither.
"Do you know how much money you cost me boy?" Jim's eyes grew wide. Then he shook his head. "That's not even the point. Brad, you stole an engagement ring. Please tell me you stole it to sell, or have it melted down for fillings. Either one of those willdo."
His first thoughts were that Jim didn't think Brad should be thinking about marriage now because he was still so young, and Trina was only eighteen. Brad had preempted that and he had an answerready.
"Brad!" Jim's nostrilsflared.
"I stole it to give it to Trina, sir." Dark dread washed over him as he watched Jim's expression. "I'm going to ask her to marryme."
"No, you aren't. You damn well aren't. Not you," Jim replied to Brad’s complete surprise and shook hishead.
His body tensed in response to Jim's demeanor. Brad had always been with Trina. They grew up together and shared everything. Marriage would be the natural progression of their relationship. He thought it was a given and should come as nosurprise.
"Why?" He couldn’t hide the sorrow and hurt hefelt.
"Boy, are you kidding me? Brad, is that a question I'm actually supposed to answer? I just bailed you out of jail for stealing a ring you were planning to give my babygirl."
"I love her," Brad tried but to no avail. Jim's face still looked rigid and firm in hisdecision.
"I don't doubt that one bit, but what kind of life do you hope to give her? You're a no goodthief."
"I'll change. This was going to be the last time." Brad nodded firmly, determined more than ever to stop stealing and change for Trina. "I promise I will change. No more stealing, no more anything. Please give me a chance. I don't know what I'll do withouther."
Jim shook his head. "No. You should have thought of that before. And, the fact that you thought it was okay to give her a stolen ring says it all. You can't change Brad. I have begged you over the years to try but look at you. You're still the same. And that is why you can't ask her. I'll be damned if I'm going to let my little girl end up with someone like you. She lost her mother when she was too young. I've been there for her ever since, and I know that the one person who can hurt her deeply is you. Every time you go to jail or get in trouble, Trina spends her days in her room crying. Foryou."
"I'm sorry." Shame weighed down on himheavily.
"Sorry doesn't change anything. Look… I'm going to be real with you because you need to understand." Jim straightenedup.
Brad didn't know how much realer Jim could be. What he'd said up to that point pretty much summed it allup.
"I do understand, and I promise you I'll change. Please, Trina is the only person I care about." In all his time running around stealing and getting in trouble it never occurred to him that he could lose her. "I do loveher."
Jim's face seemed to soften, and for one moment Brad thought he'd calm down and drop theanger.
"Brad, you're like a son to me. I know you love her, and if you were different, if you were a good person, I'd be happy to have you marry my girl. But you aren't, and I won't be around to fix things forever. Chances are I won't even see Christmas this year. So, I can't die knowing my little girl, who I love with all my soul, ended up with someone who will constantly let her down, and give her a life ofdisappointment."
His words were sinking in but Brad was stuck on what Jim said about not seeingChristmas.
"What do you mean you won't see Christmas?" Brad stared at the man who'd undeniably taken care of him like he was hisson.
Jim sighed and ran his hand across hisbeard.
"I'm dying Brad. I have an inoperable braintumor."
At that declaration, Brad felt the color drain from his face. "What?No."
"Yes. I've been having treatment for a year now, but it hasn't helped. Nothing will help me. It's pretty bad, and I don't think I'll see Christmas. The doctors don't think I willeither."
