And on to chapter twelve.
Thanks again to all my readers- especially my reviewers. Love y'all lots. :-)
Now, on with the show. Ready for it? ;-)
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Karen Scott stared at the father of her three sons with wide, stunned eyes and an open mouth. He was actually here- in the flesh! Standing here... right in front of her.
"Oh, my God," she whispered after what seemed like an eternity.
Mr. Scott nodded slowly, then, looked around uneasily. Finally, his eyes rested on her forehead. "It's been a long time," he said awkwardly, shifting his weight to his right foot. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. The man looked ready to bolt right off the planet.
Ms. Scott was feeling so much at once. Shock being the strongest emotion at the moment. She just gaped at him. At the man she'd once been so helplessly in love with. The man who'd abandoned her and their three children almost twenty years ago. She'd never felt more detached from anybody in her entire life... .
Mr. Scott cleared his throat. "Uh... would it be all right if I came in?" he asked, looking wary.
She slowly stepped aside, unable to speak- for now. He took a deep, shaky breath and stepped in. He looked around the front hall and something flashed in his eyes.
"The place still looks the same," he said, a hint of a smile on his face.
Ms. Scott suddenly found her voice again. "Why are you... how did you even know I still lived here, Gary?" she asked, a slight edge in her voice.
"I chanced it," he said with a slight shrug. "You, uh, look wonderful. Time's... really been good to you."
"Thank you," she said coolly. Her tone made him flinch and she took a perverse pleasure out of that. She felt like hugging, hitting and yelling at him all at the same time. What was he after? What could he possibly want after all this time? She pursed her lips and headed back for the den.
Mr. Scott followed her after a few moments of hesitation. He noticed a twentysomething brunette sitting on the sofa and did a double take. "Kim? Kimberly Hart? Is that really you?"
Kim stared blankly at him for a couple seconds, then, it hit her the way it had Ms. Scott. The young woman gasped and astonishment lit her doe eyes. "Mr. Scott! Holy... hi. Um... yeah, hi," she said. Talk about a blast from the past! What was he doing here? Wow!
"Hi, Kimberly. It's really nice to see you again. How've you been?" he asked with a half smile.
"Uh, great. Great. I've been great," Kim said, nodding. Wow!
"That's good to hear," he said. Then, he gestured towards her swollen belly. "I see you're gonna be having company soon."
Ms. Scott bit her lower lip and looked away.
"Yeah. They're due in April," Kim said, glancing at Ms. Scott.
"They?" Mr. Scott said with slightly raised eyebrows.
"Twins. A boy and girl," Kim said.
"Your grandchildren," Ms. Scott said tightly.
Mr. Scott looked at her as if she'd just told him she was, indeed, the wizard of Oz. "My... are you serious?" he said in disbelief. She'd really dropped a heavy one.
"Completely. Jason and Kim are having twins. He also has a daughter from a previous marriage," Ms. Scott said, folding her arms over her chest. 'Of course, you'd know that if you hadn't dropped out of sight seventeen years ago.'
Mr. Scott let out a low whistle. "Wow. That's really... that's wonderful. What about Jeff and Todd?" he asked- referring to Jason's younger brothers. Jeff was nearly twenty-four and Todd was nearing twenty-two.
Ms. Scott sighed. When her children found out he was back... she didn't even want to think about it. Seeing Gary right now was bringing all the old pain and heartache back. Everytime their eyes locked, she saw her children's crushed expressions all over again. Telling them their father wasn't coming back had been the hardest thing she'd ever had to do. Even harder than holding down two jobs at one point and attempting to be both parents to them.
"Jeff's in grad school and he's engaged. The wedding's in July. Todd's a journalism major and he's graduating from college in June. Jason runs a martial arts school with his friend," Ms. Scott said.
Mr. Scott nodded. "It sounds like they've all done quite well for themselves," he said, glancing down at his shoes.
"They have. I'm really proud of them. They became fine young men," Ms. Scott said calmly.
"In spite of my abandonment," he said, locking eyes with her.
"I didn't say that," she said quietly.
"We all know you were thinking it, Karen," he said in the exact same tone.
Her eyes flashed. "Yes, I was. Do you honestly expect me to feel any guilt about that?" she said, glaring at him.
"I'm the only person in this room who should be feeling any guilt," he said, looking away.
'No argument from this corner. I can't believe this is actually happening!' Kim thought, shaking her head. And it was going to get much worse before it got better.
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"Daddy, can I have some of Grandma's cookies?" Jade asked the second her father put his car in park.
Jason shook his head and laughed. "You and cookies. Man. Baby, it's too close to dinnertime," he said. Then, he noticed the blue car in front of him. So his mom had company. But who? 'I guess I'm about to find out.'
"Daddy, I want a doggy. Aidan and Tamia has one," Jade said with wide eyes.
Jason smirked at her in the rearview mirror. "I know. But their parents don't have two babies coming," he said. Jade was a toddler and he knew who'd be responsible for the dog. "So, we'll have to wait awhile for doggies, cupcake, all right?"
A minute later, he and the little girl were in front of his mother's door. He rang the bell and the door was opened several moments later by his mother.
"Hi, Grandma!" Jade said brightly.
Ms. Scott smiled faintly. "Hi, sweetie," she said softly.
Jason's eyebrows slightly. "You okay there, Mom?" he asked in concern. "Is it Kim and the twins?"
"Oh, no! No. They're fine, baby. It's just... why don't you come on in?" Ms. Scott said. She sounded really strange and Jason was suddenly not looking forward to going into the house.
Jade, however, ran in and straight for the den. Jason stepped in and looked at his mother. "Are you sure everything's okay?" he asked.
She sighed. "Actually, it's all- I just can't- you're gonna be really... . Oh, honey, it's so..." her voice trailed off and she headed into the den- where Jade was sitting next to Kim and staring at the "stranger who looked like Daddy" with curious eyes.
Jason watched his mother go. What was her deal? He shook his head and headed into the den as well. He smiled at the sight of Kim. "Hey, Pinky," he said.
Kim smiled tightly. "Hi, Jase." Okay, she was being weird, too.
Jason laughed. "What is up with you guys? You're acting like-" he stopped abruptly when he noticed the man standing by the entertainment center. Was this guy the reason for the weirdness? Jason looked at his mom, then, Kim- who quickly looked at Jade.
The guy looked like he was about to wet his pants. He cleared his throat. "Hi, Jason," he said, looking directly into Jason's eyes despite his obvious uneasiness.
Jason blinked. How the hell did this guy know his name? He started to ask until he got a closer, better look at the man. WHAT? Jason's blood slowly went cold. No way. No way in hell was this... The former ranger leader's expression hardened as memories of the night his mother had broken the news to him, Jeff and Todd rolled into his brain.
"What's wrong with Daddy?" Jade asked Kim.
Kim swallowed, then, grinned for the little girl's benefit. "He'll be okay, honey. Hey, why don't we go in Grandma's room and watch some TV?"
" 'Kay," Jade said, hopping off the sofa and running out of the room. Kim stood and headed out also, squeezing Jason's hand on the way out.
The three Scotts just stood in an uncomfortable, angry silence. Powerful, torrential emotions were warring in them. After a while, Mr. Scott spoke up.
"Jason, I know this is an absolute shock," he began.
Jason's anger intensified. "Why are you here?" His tone was harsh yet calm.
"Because I felt it was time I gave you all the apology you deserve. I want to make amends," Mr. Scott said, running his fingers through his hair.
Jason let out a short, bitter laugh. "And it only took you seventeen years to want that."
"You have every right to be furious. I did a horrible, cowardly thing and I don't expect-" Mr. Scott was saying.
"You don't get to expect anything!" Jason exploded. His mother closed her eyes. Jason glared at the man who'd caused his family so much pain. "You split on us without a second thought! Mom had to work herself ragged and I had to be more than a brother to Jeff and Todd! I had to be a father to myself! I was eleven years old!"
Shame filled Mr. Scott's eyes. Jason's chest was already heaving. He'd always wondered what he would say to this guy if he ever saw him again. "You're right. You are a coward. Real men don't ditch their families," Jason said, disgust clear in his tone.
"I know. I know. You're absolutely right, son," Mr. Scott said.
"Don't call me that!" Jason yelled, his eyes blazing. "You gave up that right when you turned your back."
"Jason... please just hear me out. Please. Let's just sit down and talk. Please. I know we're not gonna become instant buddies, but, I'd like to start over. I'd really love a second chance," Mr. Scott said, his eyes pleading with his eldest.
"And I'd really love a bank account the size of America, but, we all have our little disappointments," Jason said bitterly. Who the hell did this guy think he was?
Tears filled Ms. Scott's eyes and she took a seat in one of the chairs. She'd always wondered what would happen if Gary ever returned.
"I know I don't deserve another chance. But I really believe that we can-" Mr. Scott began.
"Not gonna happen.. You don't get to just breeze back in after almost twenty years and expect us to throw a friggin' "welcome back" party. You're not needed or wanted here. So, why don't you do us all a favor and go back to whatever it is you kicked us to the curb for?" Jason said as a red haze began clouding his vision.
"Jason, I know I did a really horrible, cruel and selfish thing. It's the biggest regret of my life. I've been feeling lower than dirt for the last seventeen years," Mr. Scott said, his eyes now moist.
"What do you want from me- a lollipop?" Jason said bitingly. He had no sympathy for this man. He just wanted him out of his sight and fast.
"I want to reconnect with you and your brothers. I want us to rebuild-" Mr. Scott began.
"Request denied," Jason sneered. He knew his brothers would feel the exact same way. Reconnect. Hell, there wouldn't be any need for that if the guy hadn't taken off in the first place. Too little, too late.
Mr. Scott shook his head. "I know it won't be easy and it really shouldn't be. But-"
"Look, the answer's no, all right? Just get outta here, Gary," Jason said, folding his arms over his chest.
Hurt flashed in the other man's eyes. He looked over at Karen- who was now crying quietly. He looked back at Jason. "I'll go. But this is far from over. I love you and your brothers, Jason. I understand why that'd be hard to believe, but, it's true. I'm not giving up," he said. Then, he exited the room.
The second Jason heard the front door open, then, close, he walked over to his mother and sat on the arm of the chair. "Mom..."
She looked up at him and his heart twisted painfully. It was the same expression she'd worn when it'd happened all those years ago... .
"Oh, God. Jason... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she said in an anguished tone. Then, she began sobbing from the depths of her soul. Jason pulled her into a comforting embrace... tears of anger and pain now in his eyes.
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Well, it's only the beginning of a crazy ride, peeps. I really hope you liked it. If so, plz show love by reviewing. Flamers: Stay away or I'll whip out my marshmallows. Cya. ;-)