Echo of a Bird's Cry

THE HERO ANGEL NOVEMBER 10

There are things I need to get off my chest. I'm conflicted about Easton. On one hand he's the wonderful father that raised me and on the other he's an abusive drunk. I never knew that dark side of Easton. I need to talk to him and sort out my feelings.

Easton and I are out at Zebra the only fine dining restaurant in Ravenwood. It's a French American restaurant. The maître d' leads us to a white linen table with comfortable black chairs. The bigwigs in Ravenwood turn in their chairs and gape at Easton like he's a king among men. He wears a deep blue Italian wool fine suit. He strides through the place with his head up, shoulders back, and back straight. His salt and pepper hair is slicked away from his chiseled face and his ice blue eyes are as intense as arctic ice caps. There is this unmistakable sophistication to Easton Willmore.

We start with appetizers, lobster bisque, and jumbo crab cakes with lime infused smoked crème fraiche.

"How's my son?"

"I'm taking things one day at a time."

He nods and sips at his glass of sparkling water. "I'm glad to have my children around. A great deal of time has passed without us spending time together."

"Family is important."

"Family is most important," Easton says, cutting into his crab cake.

"Speaking of which, there are some things we need to discuss."

"I'm all ears."

I rake the tines of my fork over my lobster appetizer. "You took great care of me, Easton. There's no doubt about that. I can't repay you for what you've done for me. You took a kid off the streets and into your home. You gave me a family and place to call home."

He smiles as only a proud father would. "You're my son. I'll always do my best to love and support you. There's no payback needed. We needed you as much as you needed us."

"But there were things you hid from me." I set my silverware aside and push my plate of food away. "You were abusive and an alcoholic. I knew you enjoyed a good bottle of bourbon but I never knew you were an addict. I never knew you abused your daughters and your wife."

Easton eyes become dim. "It's not your fault that you didn't know. I made sure you stayed too busy to ever witness me at my worst."

"Why?"

"Why did I keep you too busy to witness the abuse or why did I abuse them?"

"Both."

He holds my gaze, dropping his fork. He wipes his mouth with a cloth napkin and takes a drink of water from his glass. "I was an extremely horrible father, Angel. Behind my award winning facade, I was a terrible person. I hated myself. I was a reflection of sickness and hate. I drank to cope with it and I hid it for a while, but a beast can only be contained for so long." The waitress comes to refill our water glasses. Easton speaks when she leaves. "I was angry and I dealt with it the wrong way. I beat my wife. I beat my precious daughters. I did awful things a father and husband should never do. Sometimes I would beat them out of sheer anger and annoyance and other times I needed no reason. I was an ill man. There's truly no excuse for what I did." He stares down at his plate, his face a little green. "I kept you too busy to notice the abuse because I was afraid of what you would think of me. I never wanted to be anything less than a loving father in your eyes." He stares at me. "But the true reason I wanted you as a son was because I thought that maybe if I had a son, he could protect my girls and be a better man than I ever could. He could be the hero that saves them from me."

I'm equally angry as I am surprised. My fists clench. "I never knew. I wasn't there to protect them."

"Don't be angry at yourself. Be upset with me. I am the real culprit here. I am the one to blame. I was a horrible person. I was a weak man. I have come to terms with this. This has been a difficult journey, but in a lot of ways I am very fortunate."

I watch his eyes get wet.

"Despite my cruelty, my children still want me around."

"I'm conflicted," I say. "As much as I love you, I can't help but lose some respect for you. I don't understand how you were two completely different people. I feel like I don't know you and I never did."

Easton nods but doesn't look surprised. "Do you want a relationship with me? You will always be my son and I will always love you."

Gritting my teeth, I force out a sigh. "You'll always be a father to me and I'll always love you. I need time. Time to be angry. Time to process it. Time to heal. Time to let it go."

Easton nods, his somber blue eyes meeting mine. "I understand. But it will kill me if my children didn't want me to be a part of their lives. I will respect you and whatever your decision is."

***

Eden chose to spend time with Emily. But her name appears on my phone at 11:45 P.M.

"Do you need me to pick you up?"

"Angel, I need help."

The urgency in her voice causes my panic to increase. "Where are you? What's wrong?"

"I'm at my mother's house. Someone has followed me here. Hurry. I'm not alone."

"Call the police. I'm on the way."

Her phone disconnects.

Eden lied. She told me she was going over David's house to spend time with Emily. Eden never mentioned going over to that abandoned house.

Eden is sitting on the porch when I pull into the drive. She runs to me when I step out the car. Her eyes wide and terrified in the moonlight. She burrows into me, pressing her face into my chest.

Eden clings to me. "I'm so glad you're here."

I hold her close, scanning for officers and seeing none. "Where is the police?"

"I didn't call them."

I frown. "Why?"

"Because I know who it was."

"Who followed you here?"

"Ashely," she whispers. "Ashely wants to kill me."