Begging On Your Knees✔️(Wattpad version)

Meeting Colton's dad

Amelia

Colton wasn't mad, but he wanted me to understand further. We went to see his dad after they ground us.

We drove over to a house, and he pulled upfront on the other side. He turned off the car and sat there. He turned and looked at the home. Then he turned to me. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as you are," I said with a reassuring smile.

We got out of the car and walked up to the front door. He knocked twice, then it opened. We stood there as a woman looked at us.

"Can I help you?"

"Is my dad here?" Colton asked with an icy ness to his voice.

She purses her lips and crosses her arms. "No," she replied.

Colton looked at her as I stood there. It wasn't awkward.

"Do you know when he will be back," he asked her with no emotion.

"No, I don't," she said with a coldness.

We stood there.

"Shouldn't you be taking care of a drunk you call Mom," she smirked.

"Well, considering she's dead. Doubt it," Colton shot back as I stood there, furrowing my brows. She showed no emotion, and I couldn't believe she said that. It was beyond cruel.

Then we heard a man say, "Marsha, who's at the door?"

Colton glared at her as a man came to the door and locked eyes with Colton. He was an older version of Colton with the same hair and eye color. The resemblance was uncanny.

"Colt," he whispered.

"Dad," Colton greeted him.

He took a step towards Colton, and Colton took a step back.

"I just wanted to let you know. Mom is dead and to introduce Lia to you." He turned to me. "Lia, this is my dad, Cole Hardwick."

I took a step forward and extended my hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Hardwick." He took it and shook it.

"Same," Cole's dad said.

We released our hands, and Colton said, "We will go." We turned and walked away.

"Colt," his dad said as Colton stopped. We turned as his dad walked towards us. "Come inside, and we'll talk."

"Why?" Colton asked him.

"Because I hate that we don't have a relationship," he said regretfully.

"Really because you seem to prefer it that way. You let her rule you," he snapped as he pointed at his stepmother.

His dad looked at him.

"I came to you. I told you, your wife made me feel unwelcome. You told me to try. I did, but that wasn't good enough," he barked.

"I'm sorry, Colt," he apologized.

"You're sorry. You didn't fight for me. You got everyone fooled, saying you did, but the truth was you took me back to that house and dumped me there. Then you left me there. Left me to deal with the drinking, the puking, the mess," Colton snapped.

"Colt," his father said.

"Save it. I ran after you, but all I did was watching you drive away. Back to your new family abandoning me," he said as he turned and walked away. I followed him when he stopped me.

"I wish I would have gone back that day. I regret it every single day," he said to me.

"Why didn't you?" I asked him.

"Because they gave me an ultimatum. Either I lose my son, or I lose my other kids," he said, torn.

I looked at him.

"I love my son," he pleaded.

"But it's not enough. Mr. Hardwick, if you truly love your son, like you say you do, then you would realize that he's just as important as your other kids are. My dad's unrelated, was there the day Colton found his mom dead. He offered him a home. Biology doesn't make a parent. You either are or aren't," I said as I turned and walked away.

Colton's dad could be a parent to Colton and choose someone over him. That, itself, was sad.

I walked over and got into the passenger side. Once I was inside, we drove back to my house. We said nothing. I saw firsthand the lack of relationship between Colton and his dad because of his stepmom.

We pulled into the driveway and walked inside. Colton said nothing except went straight to his room as my parents looked on.

"How did it go?" Dad asked.

"It was terrible. Colton's stepmom is a witch, and Colton's dad chose her over him. Dad, I've never seen him as hurt as he was today. I'm sorry we ever went," I said, trying not to cry.

He walked over and wrapped his arms around me as he said, "I think I know what to do."

He let go of me and went upstairs. He walked to Colton's room and inside. He touched Colton's shoulder, and he turned around and threw his arms around my dad as Mom and I looked on.

Then he cried.

Dad hugged him and let him cry. All Colton wanted was a parent's love. He couldn't get that from his own, so he got it from the one who gave it unconditionally, my dad.

Mom wrapped her arm around me as we watched Dad comfort him.

Once Colton got done crying, Dad looked at him, "Why didn't he want me? What did I do? Was I not good enough?"

"Colton, you did nothing wrong. He made a choice. He could have chosen you over her, but he chose her. That was his decision. You shouldn't have to suffer because of it," he reasoned.

"I cried every night. I prayed he would come back for me but never did. Eventually, I gave up hope," he said to Dad.

"Colton, I don't think you gave up hope. I think you realize people aren't perfect. It's hard to hear, but we all think our parents are perfect but realize they're just like anyone. They make mistakes. I know I'm not your dad, but I would like to be close enough one for you if you let me," he said sincerely.

It was the one thing Colton needed to hear at that moment.

"I'd like that," he said to Dad, who smiled at him. Then we watched as Colton hugged dad again. That made me smile.

They say biology doesn't make a parent. You are, or you aren't. I believe that to be true. At some point, we all have to make that choice. Right or wrong, it's still a choice whether we want to admit it.

Will Colton ever forgive his dad? I didn't know. What I knew is he just wanted love. Isn't that what any of us want? Love?