My Future Husband

Chapter 91

“Are you sure you’re okay, firecracker?” Dad rubs his hand up and down my back. It’s been so long since I’ve sat in his work van, the smell of it is more comforting than he’ll ever know.

“It's not me everyone needs to worry about, it’s her. She wouldn’t even let me stay in the hospital with her, just climbed into bed with Steve and fell asleep.” We sat on that kitchen floor for hours, just listening to her go from anger to pain to never-ending sorrow. Josh got Leah from work and they both raced back, but even they couldn’t help her.

Nothing is going to help her now, not until she knows for sure. What she needs is answers.

“She’s exhausted, she's been through a lot. More than she should’ve.” He pulls me over until I’m resting against his shoulder. “The best person she can be with is Steve, and Poppet said she's going to stay outside the room just in case. I’ll go back and check in on them this evening, but you have a little boy to be getting home to. She wouldn’t want you there tonight.” He’s right, but she’s my sister, she needs me. “Did Hannah arrange the visit to the prison?”

“Yeah, but she doesn’t think the guy is going to cooperate. Brie wants to talk to him herself, she's trying to get us all clearance to go in tomorrow.” This dude better develop the ability to sing like a canary overnight, because I would not want to be the person that stands between my sister and finding out what the fuck happened. It’s going to cost him more than his dick. “Dad, you missed the turning.”

“Oh yeah, I just wanted to take you to the house, see what you think of the work we've been doing while you've been in the hospital.” I feel like crap, I haven’t even gone down there and said thank you to them all. I didn’t think to, I’ve had so much on my mind.

“You know you don’t have to do any of this stuff yourself, right? You need to be watching that heart of yours.” I tap his rock hard chest. It’s difficult to imagine anything not working the way it should with him, he’s a spectacle of what humanity can achieve no matter your age, but the day he collapsed scared the life out of me. I can’t lose him.

“I promise you, I haven’t been doing more than I can.” He kisses the top of my head. “But I’m a sucker to see my girls smile.”

Brie never got this. I’ve been so lucky. I didn’t get a biological mum and dad, but I got some pretty incredible replacements. I had Granny, I have Mama T, I have Dad.

Brie didn’t. She was more of a carer for Granny, even if Granny didn’t want that. She loves Tara, but as an equal, not a parent. And Dad... Well, I think a part of her always hoped she’d end up Leah’s stepmom one day.

“Oh my God.” We drive around the familiar corner, but I barely recognise the houses in front of me. “You rebuilt the porch already?”

“Yeah...” He scratches the back of his head, “I may have underrepresented how much work we’ve got done here. You know what your brothers are like, they need to keep busy so they don’t go insane. Between you being in the hospital and everything that’s happened with Steve, I haven’t been able to get them out of this place. Josh even had Teal bringing me, Phil, and Luke snacks.”

I don’t know whether to hug him or slap him. I told them to take their time, I’m not even paying them, and look at this place! It’s incredible. “You ready to see inside?”

“Hug me first.” He wraps his monstrously giant arms around me as we stop outside. I’ve always been well protected, and with Kage around I will be for the rest of my life, but there’s something about being held by your dad that can’t be matched.

Where there used to be two tiny houses, there’s now one beautiful home. They’ve wrapped the porch right the way around, a staircase far too grand for anyone on the Southside leading up to the front door. “I was thinking maybe Jay could build you a porch swing to go here, like Brie had?” That’s sweet, but actually I was thinking...