“Ian, maybe you should sit down. I’ll go get you a glass of bourbon,” Rory said.
“No, I can get it myself,” I said as I stormed inside the house. Rory followed behind. I went to the bar, grabbed the bottle of bourbon, and poured a lot in the glass. I took a drink to try and calm down. My heart was racing and my mind was filled with confusion.
“Honey, I know this is difficult for you. My God, I just went through the same thing. This is unreal. I just can’t believe this.”
As much as I loved her, she was getting on my nerves. “Rory, STOP! Just be quiet.”
“Okay. I’m sorry,” she said as she walked away.
God, I snapped at her and none of this was her fault. FUCK! “Sweetheart, I’m sorry.”
She left the living room and went back outside. I hurt her feelings and I had no right to. I threw back my bourbon, poured another, and went outside to face my mother. I stood in front of the door wall and stared at my mother, talking to Rory.
“Why are you here?” I asked as I stepped outside.
All three of them turned and looked at me. Rory shot me a dirty look and then looked the other way. I was in trouble with her.
“Son, sit down, please,” my dad said.
I went to the table and sat down. “Okay, I’m sitting.”
“I’ve been in contact with your mom since I found out about the cancer. I know this is the last thing you probably expected.”
“To say the least,” I interrupted.
“We’ve talked and your mom believes in second chances and that’s what she’s giving me. Is it because I’m dying? Probably. But she loves you, son. She has always loved you and I kept her away from you all these years.”
I scratched my eyebrow and sighed. “What are you talking about?”
“Your mother left because of me. I was battling my own demons at the time and your mom couldn’t deal with it, so she left. I didn’t know she was leaving until that day I came home from the office and you told me that she went on vacation. I was enraged because I loved her, but I treated her poorly. A week after she left, she tried to come back for you. I suspected she would, so I hired security to watch the house. They caught her, brought her to me, and I threatened her. I told her that she had the choice to come back home and do as I say or never see you again. I don’t want to get into the details of the things I said and did because I’m ashamed of myself.”
“Ian, I tried to contact you several times. A few years later, I went to one of your football games. I had to see for myself you were doing okay. I disguised myself and sat in the bleachers. Your father never knew I was there. In fact, I ran into you that night after the game. We were walking the opposite way and you ran into me. You stopped, put your hand on my shoulder, and apologized.”
I couldn’t make sense of any of this. My mind felt like it was in a million pieces and it was trying so hard to put them together one by one. I looked over at Rory and saw the empathy in her eyes and the sadness splayed across her face. She was the only person who understood exactly what I was feeling. She was the only person that I could talk to and reach out to. She got me. I finally felt what she did. I held out my hand to her and she took it. I looked at both my parents in disgust. The only thing I saw was hatred for my father.
“I sent you a letter. I thought that when you were an adult, you would write back or try to contact me,” my mother said. “When you didn’t, I just sat and prayed every day that we’d be reunited again.”
I got up from my seat and pointed my finger at her. “I never opened your damn letter. If you really cared about me, you would’ve found a way to come and get me. You would have found a way to reach out to me when I was a child. If you were at that football game and we ran into each other that was your opportunity to tell me it was you. But you didn’t! You continued to hide and led me to believe that I was never loved. You abandoned me and I will never forgive you for that! And as for you,” I said in anger as I pointed to my father, “You’re a despicable human being and I don’t ever want to see you again. You’re getting everything you deserve in life, and I hope you rot in hell for what you did. Now both of you get the f**k out of my house before I call the cops.” I stormed back into the house and straight to the bar. I grabbed the bottle of bourbon and a glass and went upstairs to the bedroom and shut the door. I knew it was only a matter of time before Rory came in and I just wanted to be left alone.
Chapter 26
Ian & Rory
Oh God, I couldn’t believe what had just happened. I looked at Ian’s mom and dad and shook my head.
“He didn’t mean it. He needs time. We all need time to process everything. The two of you better leave now and I’ll go talk to Ian.”
His mother, Veronica, looked at me and smiled. “You two make a beautiful couple,” she said as she put her hand on my face. I couldn’t say anything to her, so all I did was give a small smile back.
“Please, Rory, if anyone can get through to him, it’s you,” Richard said and he took hold of my hand.
“I’ll try. That’s all I can do for now.” I walked them out and then headed upstairs. I put my hand on the doorknob and took in a deep breath. I was nervous because I didn’t know how Ian was going to react. I slowly opened the door and saw him sitting on the edge of the bed with the bottle of bourbon in his hand. He looked up at me with cold, dead eyes. I walked over and knelt down in front of him as I placed my hands on his knees.
“I’m so sorry. I know how you feel, baby. I know every emotion you’re going through.”
“Rory, I love you so much, and I need you to understand that I need to be alone. I don’t want you to talk to me. I don’t want to hear what you have to say. I just want to be left alone.”
His words hurt me. I needed him more than anything when I was going through this. I still needed him. Everybody deals with things in their own way and maybe this was his way, alone. I reached up and kissed his cheek.
“I’ll leave you alone. I’m sorry.” I stood up, walked out, and shut the door behind me. I went down to the kitchen where I left my phone on the counter. I called Adalynn. I didn’t know what else to do.
“Hello, darling,” she answered.
“Hi, Adalynn.”
I told her what had happened and she was astounded. She wanted to come over, but I told her it wasn’t a good idea right now. She told me that Ian had his own way of dealing with things and not to take it personally. It was easier said than done because when you love someone, you want them there to comfort you. I never would have been able to get through these past couple of months without him. After I cleaned everything up from the patio, I laid down on the couch and fell asleep.