“Do you have anyone you can talk to?”
Did he? He had, all those years ago, but it hadn’t helped. Would it help now? Doubtful. And even if he thought it would, he wouldn’t know how to go about finding someone—assuming Mark was suggesting a shrink. “No,” he finally answered.
“Son, it’s obvious you care about my daughter. It’s also obvious that something happened in your past that is keeping you from moving forward with your future.”
“That about says it all.”
“So the question is, what are you going to do about it? From where I sit, you have two choices. You can be in my daughter’s life, and your child’s life, or you can run again.” Mark waited for Tucker to respond. When he didn’t, he continued. “Whatever decision you make, it’s gotta be one or the other. Blythe will not be able to handle you dropping in, and then dropping back out again.”
Tucker put his head in this hands. “I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing by staying.”
“Tell me what I can do to help you.”
Tucker sat up and looked at Mark. “I don’t know. I don’t even know how to help myself.”
“That’s an honest answer. I think the road to anything you want in life starts there. What if I found someone for you?”
“What do you mean? Somebody to talk to?”
Mark nodded his head.
Why not? He wasn’t sure it would help, but wasn’t Blythe worth the try? “Okay.”
“Is there anything else you want to tell me before we head back?”
“I’m sorry I left. I honestly believed I was doing the right thing for everybody. I didn’t know she was pregnant. If I had, I’d like to think I might’ve done things differently, but I can’t say for sure.”
“Another honest answer,” Mark put his hand on Tucker’s shoulder. “That’s progress.”
17
Tucker was still sitting outside, on that damned bench, when Jace came back. He didn’t care what his brother said, it was almost eleven o’clock at night. He’d pick him up and throw him in the truck if he had to.
“Still keepin’ the bench warm?”
“Nah. I’m ready to go.”
“You are? Why didn’t you call me?”
“I was enjoying the quiet a little longer.”
“Did you try to see her?”
“I saw her.”
“You did? Did she kick you out?”
“She was sleeping. I didn’t want to wake her. There’s time.”
Jace was as confused as he was impressed with Tucker’s attitude.
“Can we get something to eat?”
“Uh, sure. Renie fed me dinner at their place, but we can get you somethin’.”
“Anything is fine. I don’t care what. Then I need to sleep.”
Jace drove across the street, where there was an all-night deli. He’d reserved a room in a hotel not far from the hospital. Tomorrow, he planned to try again to get Blythe to talk to him. Even if she wasn’t ready to forgive Tucker, it was important to Jace that she know he hadn’t lied to her.