All in the Game

Chapter sixteen || Making amends

It's raining hard now, and it pours on me. Taking a moment to let the cool water wash over me drenching my clothes I take off running again. My phone is water proof but it's tucked away in a safe spot just in case. The music along with the water keeps me going. Turning the corner I end up on sweet's street. 

Val's is just up ahead and though it's hard to see through the rain. I make out Abby waiting a table instead wearing the blue and white uniform. Pumping my arms I go faster making a sharp turn until I end up in a graveyard. 

Fuck. 

With no intention of coming here I turn to go when a gravestone catches my eye. Stepping forward towards the grave, the lain let's up so I can see better. The grave is old with a cracks down the side. Fresh dandelions lay at the foot of the stone. "I see she brought you weeds again." 

No matter how many times I tell her dandelions are weeds she refuses to believe me. Claiming they were his favorite and that weeds or not that's what she will bring him every time. Touching his stone I let out a sigh. "Sorry I haven't come to you in a while it's just—"

Nope fuck this it's creepy and stupid. He probably can't hear me anyone so what's the point? Yet I don't move it's like I'm glued in place. "I'm sorry...I have been the worst grandchild hell I have been the worst human. But I'm trying to do better." 

The rain let's up more coming to a completely stop. "There's this girl you may have heard about her from grandma. Her name is Abby and I love her a lot, but even that I messed up. This is me your grandson the biggest mess up in the world." 

Closing my eyes I take in the smell of grass, and rain. "You would be so upset with me. I'm not better than my own father he walked out on me, and I left my own kids. I'm a father and I have no clue what the fuck I'm doing but I'm trying...for them." 

Not having a father figure in my life growing up was one of the hardest things in my life. Missing out of four years of my kids life added to that pain. I don't want them to go without having that someone in their life. "Grandma always tells me you would have loved getting to know me, I can only hope to make you proud pops. I love you." 

I sit there just watching. Making a reminder to look into getting that crack fixed. Getting up to finish my run I take it slower this. As I pass by Val's Abby is walking towards her car checking my watch I realize just how late its gotten. She stops in her tracks staring at me. 

Should I say something? I don't. She gets in her car and drives off, and I run back home. "Where were you?" Lucy asks eyeing me. I'm drenched from head to toe. "I went to see pops he looks nice, though there's a crack in his gravestone." 

"Yeah, I have been meaning to get that fixed." 

"I should go take a hot shower...don't want to catch phenomena." Truth is I'm trying to avoid the subject of grandpa. Back in my room I strip of my shirt and turn the bath on to let the water heat up. Making amends with Abby won't be easy she's stubborn as shit, and listens to no one. She also doesn't trust easily I knew that when I went out with her, me leaving didn't help the matter any. 

It's time I take some advice from someone who's a lot closer to her than Lucy. Grabbing my phone, I pull up my contacts and text someone I haven't texted in over four years. 

𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧: 𝐇𝐞𝐲, 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐞. 𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭.

𝐌𝐫. 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐬: 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫? 

𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧: 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞...

𝐌𝐫.𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐬: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬? 

𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧: 𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭. 

Mr. Williams was affectionate towards me during our last meeting, but things have changed since then. "Sorry to spring this on you so fast." I apologize as we are sitting down to coffee. So far he's been quite which scares me. 

"Don't be I had nothing better to do. Besides Abby is my daughter whatever it is that concerns her I want to hear it." He says sipping his coffee. "Really, I was happy when you reached out to me. Since you have been home, she's been happier, and you are an amazing father." 

"That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about." He pauses abruptly staring at me. "Here's the thing...I still love Abby." 

Watching him closely he gives nothing away of how he feels about this. "I'm glad you came to me about this." Which makes the uneasiness in the pit of my stomach dissolve. 

"But let me give you some advice about my daughter. Abby was different after you left...more closed off. She won't just forgive you easily especially if it means getting hurt again. So, my advice to you is this give it time, and get to know her. The two of you have changed a lot."

Nodding I say, "thank you sir." 

He chuckles, "there's no need to be so formal. Mr. Williams or Greyson will do just fine." 

I can't fathom how he's being so kind to me. I broke his daughters heart, yet he's been nothing but kind towards me since I came home. Now he's giving me advice on how to win Abby's heart back, and it's good advice. 

We have changed...

"But let me warn you to be careful, she's fragile. Don't mess up this time or you might not get another chance." Another thing he's right about. Abby's all out of giving chances, but there's no way I'm messing this up again. 

After my shift at the grocery, I head straight home. Lucy already told me of her plans to play bingo with some friends at the nursing home, so she won't be home. Not feeling in the mood to do any cooking I'll probably order takeout from Val's and watch tv reruns. 

I haven't called Abby all day partly because of how she reacted to me still having feelings, but also to give her the space I know she needs to figure this all out. I have been home all of two weeks, found out I'm a father, and that I still have feelings for my ex. 

Life seems to be moving crazy fast and fuck I'm scared, so I can only imagine what she's going through. My phone rings just as I'm walking through the door, it's Abby. "Hey," I say answering the phone. 

"Uh...hi." 

Great now things are awkward between us which I definitely don't want. "Look about yesterday I  didn't—"

"Would you maybe want to have dinner with me and the boys tonight?" This is not how I expected this to go. "That is if you don't already have plans." 

"Unless you count takeout from Val's and watching tv reruns as plans then I'm free." 

"Great! See you around seven." She says ending the call. 

What the actual hell just happened? She yelled at me yesterday for even trying to ask her out, now she's inviting me for dinner at her place. Checking the time, it's currently six o'clock. 

Shit. 

That means I have an hour to get ready, do I need to bring anything? More importantly what the hell am I supposed to wear? 

𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷𖧷

The next two chapters are two of my favorites and I can't wait for you guys to read them. 🤭

If you're enjoying my book All in the Game. Please click the star and share your thoughts in the comments. I will update chapters every Wednesday so be on the lookout.–Morgan 💕

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