Page 54 of Second Chance Fate (Hope Falls: Brewed Awakenings #5)

His mom covered her mouth with her hand. Tears began to fall down her cheeks as she sat quietly listening to him. His dad’s expression didn’t change.

“The first few years of his life were very difficult. She said she was basically just in survival mode. It turned out that her husband was not a good man. Unfortunately, once she realized that, she was basically stuck. There were a lot of extenuating circumstances: he’d isolated her, she had a very ill son who needed the medical insurance he offered, and she had no car and no bank account in her name.

Thankfully, a neighbor noticed what was happening and helped her and she was able to leave him. ”

His mom was nodding her head, and his dad was quiet, staring at him with an expression he could not read.

“They moved here last May. She didn’t approach me or say anything because she wanted to make sure that I was a good person. We’d only spent about thirty-six hours together over a decade ago. She didn’t even tell Owen. She’s doing that now.”

“He doesn’t know?” his mom gasped.

“She’s telling him now,” Caleb repeated.

“Wait? Who is telling Owen?” His dad looked between his mom and him.

“Taylor,” Caleb and his mom said in unison.

His dad’s forehead creased with confusion. “I thought you said the girl from Daytona was named Rebecca and she had jet black hair.”

“Well, it’s obviously Taylor,” his mom emphasized the word, her tone indicating the information could not be more clear.

“How is that obvious?!” his dad stated with exasperation.

“Her hair was black when I met her because she was playing Priscilla Presley in her theater class in school. And her name is Rebecca Taylor. She’s been using her last name here because she just felt safer using it with her ex out there.”

Caleb’s dad sat up straighter. “Where is he? What’s his name?”

His mom dropped her hand from her mouth and went into full-fledged mama bear. “Does he know where they are? When is the last time she’s spoken to him? Who’s with them now? Do we need to go over there?”

Caleb felt a swell of gratitude for his mom and dad. He’d always appreciated them, but in that moment, he could not have felt more lucky for the parents he had. He knew that from this day forward, no matter what happened to him, Taylor and Owen would always be protected, cared for, and loved.

“His name is Martin Watts. He’s in Chicago.

That’s where Taylor and Owen lived. No, as far as I know, he doesn’t know where they are.

She hasn’t spoken to him since the day she left.

” Caleb knew his parents weren’t going to like hearing this next part, and he hated upsetting them, but he knew they’d be even more upset if they found out he’d kept this from them.

“He is out on parole right now and has an ankle monitor while he waits for his trial.”

“Parole for what?” his dad interrupted before he had a chance to finish.

“He was arrested a couple months after Taylor and Owen left for false imprisonment and attempted murder. He broke into a woman’s house, who he suspected knew where Taylor and Owen were, and held her at gunpoint, demanding she tell him where they were.

The woman’s boyfriend showed up, and Watts shot him. ”

“When is the trial?” his dad asked in his deadly calm voice.

The voice that used to terrify Caleb as a child because he knew that was the voice that meant he was really in trouble—there was no wiggle room.

That was the voice that meant he was going to be grounded or have privileges taken away or have to do volunteer work like picking up trash or getting up at the crack of dawn on the weekend to do manual labor that would have his muscles screaming by eight a.m.

“It was supposed to start today, but that text Taylor got this morning, when you guys were at the house, was notifying her that it had been postponed. Martin’s father is a circuit court judge, and his older brother works in the district attorney’s office, so they know all the tactics to drag this out. ”

“That poor thing.” His mom held her hands clutched to her chest. “Have you spoken to Eric or Logan, just to let them know what is going on?”

“No.” Caleb shook his head. He hadn’t even thought about telling his friends on the force, one of whom was the chief of police.

“I think you should,” his dad stated in a way that was more than a suggestion; it was a direction.

He nodded in agreement, and they all sat quietly for a moment, and he let his parents process what he’d told them.

“So, this means we’re grandparents.” His mom’s eyes welled up again, but this time he knew they were happy tears.

“Yes, Owen is your grandson.”

His mom stood and pulled Caleb to his feet, throwing her arms around him. His dad did the same, patting him on the back. “It’s a little late, but congratulations, son.”

“I told you he reminded me so much of Caleb.” His mom swatted his dad’s arm as they all sat back down, and she wiped the happy tears from her face. “Didn’t I tell you after Bingo?”

“There’s one more thing.” Caleb took another deep breath. “When Taylor was in the hospital, right after she got out of the ICU, we got married.”

Both of his parents stared at him, wearing matching stunned expressions.

“What?” His mom blinked. “Married?”

“Yes.”

“You had a wedding?” she emphasized.

“No,” he quickly corrected her. “I just had Belinda, you know, from Tahoe, come to the hospital, and we just said our vows, if you could call them that. It was basically just agreeing to be husband and wife while she was in her hospital bed and then signing paperwork.”

He waited for their reaction, for the onslaught of questions. He was ready to defend his actions. He was locked and loaded and ready to go.

“So you are legally married?” his mom clarified.

Okay, that wasn’t exactly what he’d expected. In fact, he’d classify that as a softball, but maybe she was just ramping up.

“Yes.”

He waited. After a few seconds, he saw the corners of his dad’s mouth twitch before they curled up, and he looked over at his mom. The moment his mom and dad locked eyes, they both burst into laughter.

“What?” Caleb asked, looking between them, searching for what he could possibly be missing.

As his dad’s laughter died down, he took his glasses off and used his thumb and forefinger to wipe moisture from under his eyes.

He had laughed so hard he was crying. He was still chuckling as he said, “I can’t wait to see the look on Patsy’s face when she finds out our son is not living in sin, that he’s not leading his flock astray with the desires of the flesh, that he’s not bringing the spirit of fornication and deceit into the house of God, and whatever else she’s been all over town running her mouth saying about my son, spreading lies.

Look in the mirror, lady; who’s going to hell now? ”

“George, stop,” his mom warned, even though she was still grinning a little bit.

Caleb’s dad was a preacher, but his mom was definitely the moral compass in the family.

His dad was the best man he knew; he was an honest, hardworking, God-fearing man, kind, empathetic, and strong, who would do anything for the people he loved or even for a stranger, but he also was a member of the Hell’s Angels for about five years in his early 20s.

His mom liked to tease his dad that when he got pushed too far, his time with the Hell’s Angels overruled his time with God’s angels.

“Stop what?” His dad doubled down. “Do you know how many meetings I had to have with her, how many issues I had to deal with? This is priceless. First, a grandson, and now this. Man, this is the gift that keeps on giving. It’s like Christmas came early.”

“George,” his mom’s tone was still in the warning zone, but she was still smiling.

Caleb had no clue that his secret wedding would bring his father so much joy or that Patsy’s behavior would add years to Nonna’s life, but hey, a win was a win. He’d take it. It was all just the cherry on top of the cake. The cake that was his life with his wife and son. His family.