Page 88 of From the Wreckage

Brielle

Dad greets me with a smile when I walk into the kitchen. “Hey, kiddo.”

“Hey, Dad.” I slide into the chair, watching him as he sets food on the table. "You didn't flip out about Everett stopping by." It’s not a question, but a statement.

He faces me, letting me see the emotions warring across his face.

“I'd like to say I don't make mistakes, but I do.” He sets the mashed potatoes on the table.

“What does that mean?”

He sits down, scooping some macaroni and cheese onto his plate. “That I realized I was wrong.” He looks up at me. “Everett fucked up. And yes, I'm aware he has a past. But I also know... That man loves you.”

I freeze, gripping my water glass. I don't say anything for a long moment.

“He hurt me, Dad.”

“I know. But so did I. I was the one who pushed the two of you apart, remember?”

“But he... he didn't fight. For me. For us.” My voice is a whisper, the pain thrashing through me again.

Dad's shoulders tense. “That may have had a lot to do with me.”

I blink at him, waiting.

“You may not like this, but when I bumped into him in town, I could see how broken he was over you. I had a conversation with him...” He takes a drink of water, as if this conversation is making him nervous. And it probably is. Dad isn't one to talk about emotions much.

“And?”

“That's when I realized how much that man cares for you.”

I sit there, comprehending his words.

“So I put him to the test. See what he'd do. He didn't hesitate. He was here when I got home from work.”

I rub my forehead, my emotions going haywire. “I told him what happened. I didn't mean to. It just... slipped out.”

Silence stretches between us.

“Maybe you trust him and feel safe with him.”

I stare at my plate, my vision blurring. I hate when my dad's right.

“Maybe,” I whisper.

“I have one thing to say. Then I'm not going to intervene anymore.” He shifts in his chair, pulling at the neck of his T-shirt. “You know it's hard for me to admit to myself that my little girl has grown up. And when I saw you and him...” He clears his throat.

“Kissing, Dad. Kissing.” For the first time in a week, a slight smile breaks across my face.

He huffs. “Fine. Kissing.” He shakes his head, stabbing his steak like it's personally at fault for making him uncomfortable. “I reacted like you were a child, not an adult. A soon to be twenty-two-year-old who's always had a good head on her shoulders.”

I blink at him, surprised he's finally realizing I've grown up.

“And yeah, there's an age gap between you and Everett. And yes, he was my friend...” He blows out a breath. "I missed him, too."

It's as if a bomb went off in the kitchen. I mean, I thought my dad seemed—well, lonely—but I thought it was about me returning to college.

“I figured he and I would be spending time together while you were away.” He waves a hand. “But this isn't about me. It's about you.”

I draw my eyes to him, spinning my water glass.

“I always wanted you to find someone who would love the hell out of you. To see how special you are.” He grips his fork tightly. “And he does.”

I'm stunned. I don't know what to say. I know that's as close to acceptance as I'll get. He'll never say those exact words, that he accepts Everett and me together, but that's what he means.

It's everything I wanted to hear from him... but that was before Joey ruined me.

“Dad...” The tears roll down my face. “It's too late. I... I'm ruined.”

My dad is out of his chair, wrapping his arms around me. “No, Bri. Honey, you aren't ruined. You're?—"

The words claw at my throat. The truth I’d been burying with fake smiles and silence since I came home. I don’t want to say it. Don’t want to see his face when I do. But it burns inside me until it tears free.

I push at him enough that I can lift my head from his chest. My lips tremble, the words clawing their way up my throat.

“I-I was r-raped, Dad.”

The words detonate in the kitchen, louder than any slammed door. His body goes rigid, arms stilling around me.

For the first time in my life, I watch my dad—my unshakable, immovable dad—shatter.