Champion At Heart (Sequel of Breaking Ice)

Chapter Six

Present Day...

"Mama?" Abilene called from the hallway that led to their small living room in their two bedroom apartment. Her daughter had been standing there for a few minutes, calling her several times, but she was so lost in her thoughts, she hadn't heard her at first until the little one tugged at the sleeve of her top.

She lifted her gaze from the computer screen, stopping her work to put her attention on her.

"Yes, sweetheart?" she asked with a smile on her face. "I'm sorry. Mama was distracted."

"I had a bad dream. It was about my Daddy." She quickly hopped on her lap before she wrapped her arms around her neck, letting out a few soft sobs. "He was hurt," she added in a whisper.

Brooklyn felt her heart break at her daughter's emotions; raising her all by herself was hard, but she tried her best and didn't complain about feeling lonely herself. Even if she did, she still tried to plaster a smile on her face, all to keep Abilene happy.

Finding out about Marshall's accident years ago worried her, and she wanted to call him and see how he was doing, but her fear and stubbornness kept her from doing so, and as years went by, it got harder to pick the phone and mark the digits, ready to talk to him and confess everything.

Sophia, as promised, had stopped calling her and she also missed hearing her voice. It was the only connection she had to Marshall, and now she was also gone from her life.

It was all your fault, regardless. You kept your daughter away from a good man, who deserved to know he was a father. And with that, you lost the friendship of a little girl who looked up to you. Her conscience scolded her as she held her daughter in her arms, trying to comfort her.

"It's okay. Do you want to watch a few of his videos? It might make you feel better to see him," she suggested, but Abilene shook her head furiously, pulling away; her big blue eyes, just like her father's, meeting hers.

Wiping her tears from her chubby cheeks, she sniffed and took a deep, comforting breath. "No, Mama. I don't want to watch any more of his videos. I want to see him. Can we go see him, Mama? Please?"

Brooklyn sucked in a breath, not knowing what to respond to her request. It had been almost six years since she last saw him, and she knew Marshall Redd would hate her for hiding their daughter from him.

"Oh, Abilene. You know I have a lot of work to do here."

"Mama, you haven't modeled in two years. And you're doing boring work. Let's go meet Daddy, please!"

"But, we have a trip planned for the summer. We're visiting grandpa Paul and grandma Carol for your birthday..."

"I don't want to! My birthday is not until October."

"I know, sweetheart, but we don't visit them that time of the year, so they always celebrate it when we go in the summer."

Abilene huffed, folded her arms on her chest with a deep frown on her face as she hopped off her lap and ran towards her bedroom, locking herself in. Brooklyn just sat there, shocked at her daughter's outburst and hugged herself, trying to keep her own tears at bay.

You are selfish, Brooklyn Evans. Keeping that sweet angel from the only man that has your heart. They both deserve that and much more.

"Please, let me be," she spoke back, thinking she might be going crazy for talking to herself.

Abilene was right. Her modeling career had gone downhill, and now she was working as a simple wardrobe assistant. For months, she was the laughingstock of their fashion shows, and she regretted leaving home for a dream she would never achieve.

Brooklyn turned back to face her computer, and for what seemed like forever, she thought and hoped that whatever decision she made, was not the wrong one. She knew there was only one person that could bring her to her senses, and that was Bexley, her sister.

Looking at the clock on the wall, she realized it was around 4am back in Tennessee. The seven hour difference didn't seem to stop her as she grabbed her phone, dialed, and prayed she picked it up, biting her own fingernails in anxiety.

"Hello?" Bexley answered, her voice raspy as a yawn echoed through the line.

"Bexley? I'm sorry to wake you up, but I know you're the only person that can give me advice," Brooklyn mentioned, hearing some shuffling before Bexley finally talked.

"What's going on? Is it about Marshall?"

"How did you know?" Brooklyn asked.

"Well. It was to be expected," Bexley replied. "Did Abilene ask about him?"

Brooklyn nodded when she realized that obviously Bexley couldn't see her. "Yes, and she wants to meet him," she whispered, breaking down in tears. "I don't know what to do, Bex. Please, tell me."

Bexley sighed and the silence overtook for a moment. "You knew this day would come, Brooks. It's time you tell Marshall the truth. Jeremiah and I have struggled keeping your secret every time we go there for the holidays And I know Sophia has been dying to tell everyone, too. So, please, do yourself a favor and stop torturing that man. Abilene deserves to know about her father and he deserves to meet his daughter. I'm sorry to tell you, and I love you with all my heart, but you have been selfish. Mom and Dad will understand if you don't go back home for the summer. This is more important, so book a flight and come to Tennessee."

Brooklyn sighed; this was a sign, and she knew her sister was right. "Okay, I'll see what I'll do."

She hung up the phone and called her parents, explaining the situation with details, including how she had upset her daughter. They understood plenty, agreeing with Bexley that she needed to make amends and let Abilene meet her father.

With one long, deep breath, she logged in and booked two tickets for the next day to Tennessee and a car rental in the airport.

Not wanting to change her mind, she hit checkout and it was done. She wasn't going home, but the place where she had given her heart and her body to that strong and ornery cowboy.

Brooklyn walked down the small hallway and knocked on Abilene's door. "Sweetheart? Could you please open the door? You know Mama doesn't like when you lock it."

All she could hear were her sniffles and knocked once again. "I won't cook your favorite breakfast if you don't open the door," she said in a sing-song, hoping her little bribe worked.

Hearing the lock before her daughter opened the door made her smile. She saw her hiding halfway behind it, looking at her with sad eyes. She was truly just like her father. All of her. "It's dinner time, Mama."

"Who says you can't have breakfast at dinner, hmm?"

Abilene nodded, now looking down at the floor in shame. "I'm sorry, Mama. I was mad, and was mean to you."

"Oh, no. You have every right to be upset. But, when you are a bit older, you'll understand. Mama just wanted the best for you, and she went the wrong way. Why don't we have those apple pancakes and then I'll tell you the surprise?"

"Okay!" She seemed cheerful as they both made their way to the kitchen, where Brooklyn cooked her pancakes and told her about their trip to meet her father. Abilene shouted with joy, hopping off the kitchen stool, running and almost tripping before she reached her, wrapping her arms around her waist, thanking her for making her day.

Seeing her happy was all worth it, but fear had crept into her heart, as she didn't know how Marshall would react at being surprised with their arrival.

"I love you, Mama!" she cried, her tears rolling down her cheeks as she wiped them on the hem of her mother's top. "You're the best mommy in the entire world."

I am far from it, baby girl, she thought, kneeling in front of her and hugging her tightly. I'm scared of losing you now.

The next day, they were both on the way back to the States. Fidgeting with her fingers was a dead giveaway of Brooklyn's nerves. Would he be happy to finally meet his daughter, or would be upset at her for waiting so long?

"Just promise me you won't hate me, Marshall Redd," she whispered to herself. "I am so sorry, but I did what I thought was best for me and our daughter."