Bad Seed

“Why?” I asked. “What did he say?”

I held my breath and waited for the worst. The last thing Tara needed was another fight with her father. He didn’t yet know she was sick. If he kept pushing her, he would break her. I was already angry with him before she started to explain.

“He apologized,” she said. “He actually apologized for everything.”

“What?” I blinked. My anger faded in an instant, and suddenly, I was left in a dizzying haze of confusion.

“I still can’t believe it happened,” she said. “He just showed up and said he was sorry. He admitted he was wrong about you. He promised to accept our relationship.”

“You’re lying,” I said. “There’s no way in hell he said that.”

“He did.” She laughed. “I swear. He said he would stay out of our way if we were sure we wanted to be together.”

“Do you believe him?” I asked suspiciously. “I mean, did he seem like he meant it?”

“If he didn’t before, he does now,” she said softly. “I told him everything.”

“Everything?” I asked.

“About my cancer,” she said, nodding. “It was time. You were right, he needed to know.”

“How did he take it?” I asked. I reached out to hold her hand. She gripped my fingers tightly, tears forming in her eyes.

“He was a mess,” she said. “But also strong. I could tell he was scared, but he tried not to show it. He just held me and told me how much he loves me. He said he’ll be there for all of it, for the treatment and everything.”

I smiled and she sunk into me. At that moment, I loved Darren. I didn’t know if I would ever feel that way again but right then, he was my fucking hero. He finally came through for his daughter in a big way. She needed him more than anyone right now. More than my mom. More than me. She couldn’t go through this without him.

“I’m so fucking glad he knows now,” I said, laughing lightly. “God, I was worried you would have to go through this without him.”

“I didn’t even realize how much I needed him until he was there,” Tara said. She wiped her eyes and sat up. “I thought I could handle it, you know? I convinced myself I was strong enough to do everything on my own, but I’m not.”

“No one is,” I said firmly. “No one.”

“I can’t believe he’s finally okay with us,” Tara said. “I never thought that would happen.”

“Does this mean you’ll stop pushing me away?” I laughed.

“I think I stopped that a while ago,” she said. “I’m pretty much in this.”

“Pretty much?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.

“Caleb, I waited ten years to be with you again,” she said seriously. “This is all I want.”

Her words filled my chest with warmth, but something was still nagging at the back of my mind. It wasn’t that long ago that we were fighting about my painkillers. I knew how much Tara cared about me, but did she trust me?

“I want to be with you,” I said. “That won’t ever change. But are you sure you’re ready for this? I mean, with the cancer and everything?”

She frowned and searched my face. I didn’t say anything else, and soon, understanding dawned on her. She smiled softly and stroked my cheek, making my eyes flutter closed.

“You’re worried I don’t trust you,” she said, as if reading my mind. “Because I freaked out about the painkillers.”

“Well, yeah.”

“I was wrong,” she said firmly. “I was scared that you were going back to your old ways. I’m sorry I doubted you. I really am.”

“I know you are,” I said. “But—”

“But nothing,” she said, putting her finger to my lips. “I trust you, Caleb. I know you’ve changed. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that you’re the man I’m supposed to be with.”