Page 75 of Remember When We
I had promised my kid it would all be okay.
Lyssa did the very thing I would have done.
She did the very thing I would have done in this situation. Get our child out of there first. Save him first and herself next. Or if necessary sacrifice herself.
“Gio, they took my mom.” Matthew cried.
I crouched down and took hold of his shoulders.
I stared into his tear-filled eyes looking at him like I was looking at a picture of myself.
“Look son. I’m going to get her back.” I nodded.
“I don’t think ... I don’t think you can.” He kept repeating. “There were so many bad guys. I couldn’t look after her. I couldn’t do it. She told grandpa to take me.”
“Listen to me. Grandpa did the right thing. She wanted you to be safe and that’s just what good parents do. It’s what good mothers do, and even fathers.”
“My father doesn’t live here though. I don’t know where he is. I don’t think he cares at all.” He cried harder, and it made my soul shrink away in guilt. At the same time, it heralded the moment I’d been waiting for. The right time to talk, it was now.
“No, that’s not true. Matthew, listen to me. I need you to listen to me okay?”
He tried to calm himself. Paul made his way up the stairs and I looked to him as if for support. It was strange in my younger years I’d done the same thing. Paul was that guy who was there for his kids so very different to my father. My mother had been more like Paul.
Paul nodded giving me that reassurance.
I looked back to Matthew and held his gaze. “I’m your father, I’m your dad … Matthew.” The words were like a release, ripping off a bandage.
His little eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. “You?”
“Yes. Me.”
“Wow.” He breathed.
This kid had surprised me in more than one way since I’d been here. He’d just done it again when he reached out and touched my cheek.
I took his hand and brought it to my heart. “We can talk about that later when I bring your mother back. I just need you to know that I always cared. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you when you were younger. I’m sorry I missed those days. But I’m not missing anymore, or anything else. Right now I need you to trust me to get your mother back. Can you do that?”
“Yes.” He nodded and smiled.
I could have cried when he threw his little arms around me and gave me a hug.
“I’m so glad you’re my father,” he whispered.
“Me too.”
Like the devil coming to steal happiness my phone rang in my back pocket and I knew exactly who that was calling.
I released Matthew looking to Dante and answered the phone.
“Where is she?” I said straight away.
“My how the tables have turned,” Bailey replied. “Here is what you’ll do. Bring me Torrez and I may consider giving you back the girl. I’ll send the address. Please no funny business and you come alone.” He hung up.
I looked to Dante.
“Stay with them for me.” I told him.
“Gio you need me to watch your back.” Dante winced.
