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His father’s eyes rounded. “You’re not serious.”
“Desperate times and all that.” He studied his father. “Why are you really here? What do you want?”
His dad leaned back against Carter’s workbench and sucked in air through his nose. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m sorry for hurting you and Shauna. I was young, selfish, and immature when I left your mother.”
“And us.”
“Right. I know there is nothing I can say that will ever make up for what I’ve done, but I mean it when I say I want to be the father you deserve. I want to know my future grandchildren. I want us to be a family. I hope it’s not too late.”
Carter stared at him as he took in his words, which felt empty and worthless. “I don’t think you could ever understand the depth of the pain you caused me.”
“You’re right.” His dad nodded and sat down on a chair across from Carter. “I don’t know how I can ever make up for that. Shauna told me what you went through with the transplant.”
Carter crossed his arms over his chest and remained silent. His body began to tremble as his emotions crashed into each other—sadness, regret, grief, shame, and anger.
“I heard what you said last night, and you’re right. If I had been here...” His voice was thick. “If I had been an actual father to you, I could have helped you—financially and emotionally.”
Carter didn’t respond.
“I want to make up for that. I want to help you now.”
“The thing is, it is too late.” Carter heard the harsh edge to his voice.
His father nodded, and sadness flickered over his face. “My uncle left me some real estate when he passed away. I sold it all. Got more than I expected, in fact. But I haven’t spent a dime. I want to give half to you and half to Shauna. I would imagine it’s enough for Shauna to pay off her house and plenty for you to get a new start. Then you won’t need to sell your grandfather’s car. I’m sure it means a lot to you.”
Carter shook his head. “I don’t want anything from you. And why now? Is it only because Shauna reached out to you and made you regret what you did to us?” His voice began to rise. “Don’t try to tell me you’ve been looking for us, because we’re not hard to find. Sure, Shauna’s last name changed, but mine hasn’t. I’m still living in the same town where you left me.”
His father wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “I’ve wanted to find you for a few years, but you’re right. I was too embarrassed. Your sister had to open the door.”
Carter’s eyes narrowed as he studied his father. “I don’t know why Shauna did that. In fact, I begged her not to.”
“I deserve that.” Dad’s voice was soft, his expression full of shame. “But I want to make things as right as possible with you and with Shauna.”
Carter shook his head as his tone hardened. “When I was a kid, I used to tell myself that you’d surprise me and show up for my birthday party. For years I waited for you, but you never came. You never came,” he growled.
His father sniffed again. “I’m sorry.”
“You say you are, but where have you been all these years? In Tennessee with your uncle enjoying your new life without us?”
“I moved around for a while, but yes, I finally settled in Tennessee.”
“I don’t care if you were living on the moon. All I know is that you weren’t here, where we needed you.” Carter pointed to the concrete floor. “Mom struggled to buy us clothes, food, shoes... She struggled to pay the power bill, the water bill. It was always difficult for her. I remember the nights she cried and the nights when Shauna cried. But you weren’t there. You weren’t!”
His father blanched as if Carter had struck him. “And that’s the biggest regret of my life.”
Carter snorted. “Sure it is.”
Dad cleared his throat. “I was eighteen when I married your mother and when Shauna was born, and I was twenty-two when you came along. I was too immature and selfish to know how to be a good husband or a good father. When things got hard, I ran away, and I regret that. I wish I had fought for your mother, and I wish I had fought for you and your sister.”
“But you didn’t. We weren’t important enough for you to fight for.”
“I want to change that, Carter.”
“Life is hard. How can I trust that you’re not going to run away when it gets hard again?”
“I promise you that I won’t, and I’m not just saying it. I’m going to show you and Shauna that I want to be here in Flowering Grove. This is where I’ve always belonged, and I regret that it took me so long to figure that out.” Dad sighed. “You and your sister are my family, and I want to be and do better for you.”
Carter crossed his arms over his chest. He couldn’t allow himself to trust this man. He’d already caused too much damage.
