Tethered Hearts | ✓ | Books 1 & 2

Episode 49| On Death's Doorstep

"Are you?"

"Fuck no. There's not a chance in hell I'll see that bastard. I hope he dies."

Sophia's brows creased together. "You said he told you he didn't kill Julia."

"Yeah, well if I was a psycho like him, I wouldn't tell anyone I committed a murder either. It's a logical thing to do. No one incriminates themselves unless they intend on being caught."

"What about your mom and sisters?"

"What about them?"

"Do they think he did it?"

"No, they don't," I replied. "Carter, the one person I thought would listen to me, turned her back on me when I told her what our father did. She couldn't believe I would say such a horrible lie about our dad."

She batted her lashes at me in amazement. "Essentially everyone in your family thought you were making it up."

"Everyone besides my uncle," I said, "He was there with me when everything went down and he supported me a lot since I got here. I couldn't have gotten this far without him. My uncle Roy never liked my dad all that much. He still thinks I should visit New York though before my dad dies. He's got this grand idea that I'll be able to have a heart-to-heart with my father and get things off my chest."

"Will you consider going then?"

"No," I refused. "I'm not going to New York to see him. He'd probably have some elaborate hit set up for me if I tried to go see him. It all seems like a trap."

In actuality, if my father wanted me dead, he would've done it years ago. He had the money and the power to get it done. But no matter how much anger he had reserved for me, he didn't want me dead. I was his only son, and maybe in my earlier years, he might've hoped for me to take over his portion of the city where sold most of his dope.

I glanced at the time and rolled out of bed. "We need to get ready for the hospital visit. We slept in for too long. It's way past eleven."

"Alright," Sophia yawned, stretching out her limbs. "Bryce?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?" She didn't wait for me to give her the green light. "Why don't you want to visit your sisters or mother? You haven't seen them in years. You don't miss them?"

"Of course I miss them, but I don't need to see them. I've gone years without them. I can go on the rest of my life without them in it."

"Bryce. They didn't do anything though." Sophia said, watching my every move as walked to my closet. "They're still your family."

"Okay, Sophia, this is one thing you can't argue with me about." I removed the coat-hanger from one of my brown T-shirts and slipped my arms into the holes and ducked my head into it. "Stop where you are before I call you a hypocrite."

"How am I being hypocritical?" Sophia got out of the bed. "I'm tell you that you should give them another shot."

"Oh, like how you gave your dad another shot?" I mused lighthearted and exited my closet, putting a pair of jeans on. This wasn't an argument. It was more so discussion over serious topics. I didn't come off angry and neither did she. "You can't be mad at me for cutting off my family when you do the same exact thing with your dad."

Sophia went to the suitcase she brought with her from home and started flinging clothes out. "Fine," she said with a clip to her voice. I had tread on a sensitive territory. "When are we leaving for the hospital?"

"After breakfast," I retorted and went into the adjoining bathroom. "Unless you want to eat after we come back. We could stop by a diner."

"That works, too," Sophia said. From the reflection in my mirror, I saw her shimmy into a dress with a floral pattern on it. She had a white T-Shirt underneath. Spinning around, she said, "Do you think we'll be able to see Kelsey today?"

"I hope so." I plucked the toothpaste off the marble counters and removed the cap. "Her surgery to remove the bullet went well."

A saddened expression glossed her face. "I can't imagine what Conner's going through. Seeing that really made me think. What if that happened to—"

"Don't start thinking like that, Sophia." I could see where she was going with this. She was starting to think if that bullet had gone into her or me, or maybe even Nicolas. He was in the room, too. "Once you start that train of thought, it's hard for you to make it stop. And before you know, that fear is going to rule over your life."

"It's hard for me not to think about it." She sighed heavily.

I lowered my toothbrush and toothpaste to the counter, abandoning the task of getting ready. I immediately left the bathroom and took a long stride across the room to her. Looping my arms around her and drawing her closer to me, I said, "Hey, you're not going anywhere and neither am I."

"You can't make promises like that."

I flashed a smirk. "I just did."

"Not that long ago you said one of your fears were not reaching the age of thirty." She commented. "It's difficult to picture a future when I think of you saying stuff like that. Especially with what you do."

"How about this? I'll live up to the age of ninety-five years old."

"Ninety-five?" Sophia perked up, smiling. "You can't promise that either."

"Sure I can. We'll both live in one of those old-folks home. I've seen photos of my great-granddad and he died with a head full of hair at the age of eighty-eight. Since I already have great genes, I'm going to be one of the few sexy silver foxes at the old folks home." I told her and her grin widened. "I'll even share my serving of apple sauce with you and only you, and we can both wheel off on to the sunset with you on my lap for our afternoon naps."

Sophia's head tapped against my chest, muffling a laugh. "I like the sound of that."

I couldn't promise Sophia an auspicious future, but I could do my best to make her present shine brighter than it did the day before. What tomorrow had in store for us wasn't in my control, but I did have power over what I could do today.

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