Page 57 of Hot Shot
I find myself in an embrace worthy of an Olympic medal if hugging was a sport. Blake and I talked about Andrew’s hugs earlier. How everyone should be the recipient of one at least once in their lifetime.
Maybe it’s the welcome. Maybe it’s the reality of Laura never meeting this amazing man. Or maybe it’s the walls I’ve hidden behind for years finally crumbling to dust. Whatever it is, like hugging Blake a week ago, emotions I’ve bottled up come flooding out.
The big man doesn’t even flinch. Just holds me tighter. Lets me lose myself in the body-wracking sobs tearing through my chest.
“I’ve got you, son. Let it out.”
Andrew’s words, spoken softly in my ear, seem to give freedom to more of the pain I’ve let fester and eat away at me.
I didn’t cry this hard after Laura took her last breath. Not when I saw the teeny coffin they’d put her in. Not when I found out not only didn’t I get to keep her, she hadn’t been mine to keep in the first place.
I vaguely hear Blake and her mom head inside. But the pain and the tears don’t stop. No matter how hard I try to hold them back, how hard I want to stand on my own, neither of those things happen.
The sobs ease a little and Andrew says, “A good purge does wonders for the soul. Now let’s head inside. There’s a couple of ice cold beers waiting for us by the grill along with some juicy fat steaks we need to cook.”
I’m a snotty mess when I pull back and Andrew does the damnedest thing. He pulls the hem of his shirt up and wipes my face like I’m a toddler with a runny nose.
I have no words. No idea how to thank this man for everything he’s done for me in my life. I shut him out, cut him off without a word of explanation and the first time he sees me in years, he’s pulling me in, offering me comfort and support as though the last time we spoke was yesterday.
“I’m sorry.” It’s not enough, I know it, he has to know it.
“For what? Going off and living your life?”
“For cutting you out of it. For the things I have to tell you. For hurting Blake.”
“That last one I’ll take the apology for. The rest, I’m sure isn’t of your making.”
“How can you know that?”
“Because I might not be your father but I’m the closest damn thing to it you’ve had for most of your life. I watched you grow up,helpedyou grow up. The boy I raised would never hurt the people he loves intentionally. I know you have reasons. Reasons I’m probably going to get pissed off about. But, Branton, you are mine as much as the four boys and girl my wife saw fit to grace me with.”
“I—”
He claps me on the shoulder and steers me toward the house. “Let’s get that beer. And throw those steaks I’ve been marinating all day with special smoky barbecue sauce on the grill.”
“Mom’s secret recipe?”
“Is there any other? I’d never be caught dead using anything else.”
“I haven’t mastered her sauce. Tried but no luck. Her stew though, I’ve got that pretty close in recent years.”
“You’ll have to make us a batch while you’re here. Any idea how long that will be?” He pushes the front door open and leads the way in. “I miss my girl more now she lives on the same continent than I did when she was traipsing around the world searching for gold.”
“Blake said a week. She wants to run me through my paces with you watching. I’ve kept in shape but haven’t played a game with anyone since…”
“No worries about that. It’s like riding a bike. I might see if any of the boys have free time to head out here. We might get ourselves a pickup game like we did when you were all little.”
“I need to talk to you before you do that.” I swallow through my tight throat. “I have some things to tell you, advice to ask, before I can see anyone else.”
“Okay. We’ll have a couple of beers, eat a couple of juicy steaks, and then if you’re up to it we can take a walk out to the pond.”
“I’d like that, but I want Blake with me, and Mrs. Watts needs to hear what I have to say too.”
“As much as I want to tell you to spill it now, I think we’ll all do better with whatever you have to share if our bellies are full.”
“It might be better to hear this on an empty stomach. Nothing to throw up then.”
“Branton, you are not making me feel better about waiting.”
