Page 29 of Remember When We
He had a black out and fell down the stairs. Dad had liver disease. He was a lot better now than he was, but back when it was bad it was awful. I had very nearly lost him; just like Marshall.
“It’s too much for you. I never wanted this for you and I’m so ashamed that you’re going through this.”
“Dad no, please don’t say that. It’s going to be okay.”
“That monster was parked outside the house today.”
Jesus. He was talking about Frankie.
“Dad, did he say anything to you?” My breath hitched at the thought of him doing something more to my dad.
“No, he didn’t need to. It was like he was taunting me, telling me that he owned us. Like he could come and take my child. Do whatever he wanted to us.” Dad’s voice shook as he spoke.
“I’ll think of something. I will.” I promised.
“You’re doing too much. It’s good to see you home early, but dare I ask what happened.”
I almost forgot. How could I forget what had just happened to me? I stopped for a minute and wondered how I was going to say this.
“Gio’s back in town. He came to the bar.”
Dad straightened and widened his eyes. “What? Really?”
“Yeah, he’s back in town.”
I didn’t need to tell him about the other day. Dad hated talking about anything to do with Marshall’s murder. While we didn’t keep secrets I didn’t feel it was necessary to tell him I often went to the crime scene. It was morbid and truth be told it was probably dangerous considering the parking lot was abandoned.
“Did you speak to him?”
“Yes,” Oh,and devoured his mouth like I hadn’t been kissed in the last eight years.
“Lyssa–”
I held up my hand and stopped him. “There’s nothing to worry about. You don’t have to worry about me and him. As you know you never did.”
“Lyssa. There are some things in this world we do and we can’t take back. In my grief I blamed him for Marshall’s death. I shouldn’t have done that, and it pissed me off that he was seeing you behind my back. But he’s Matthews father, if he’s here it’s not a good thing to keep him away from him. He should know.”
I had to confess I was very surprised to hear Dad say that; very surprised. However, I had my reasons for keeping this secret.
“It’s best this way. I don’t want my son to experience the kind of disappointment I faced when he left. Furthermore, if he knew all that we were going through and he wanted him, he could take him. Take him away from me.” That was entirely possible.
Gio was wealthy and as I saw tonight, something else in Chicago. The guys were scared of him. There was what he‘d done to Tony too. The man had power that was what it came down to; power.
“Sweetheart, if he sees that boy he’ll take one look at him and know the kid is his. He’s the spitting image. There’s no hiding that.”
I didn’t want to think about that tonight, though he was completely right. I just didn’t want to have to contemplate anything more.
“I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.”
Another squeeze on my hands gave me some reassurance.
“You’re the strongest woman I know Lyssa. I’m proud of you. I want to do right by you. I know I’m to be blamed for Gio leaving.”
“No, Dad. You know what he’s like. If he really wanted to, he would have stayed, or come back before now.”
“Did he say why he came back?”
“No. I don’t know why he’s back.” I didn’t know and I figured it was best I didn’t find out.
