Page 22 of Tattered Souls (Whispering Falls #2)

Tatum

We had found out, through town gossip, that Lance didn’t have a dime to his name; he had tried to hitch to me, because of my brother.

I should have crunched his balls when I had the chance.

But... well... a certain man named Justin Winston was walking around with a broken nose and split lip as well as a few other things.

Curtsey of Garrick, Dom, Chance, Leo, and Dain.

I had just gotten a tattoo done by Optimus.

Garrick’s tattoo artist.

It was a tribute tattoo for Granger.

It was on my left shoulder blade.

His name was done in an elegant script with his favorite thing in the world... it was weird... but it was him.... SpongeBob.

I had designed it, and Optimus had been honored to do it.

He never met Granger... but he had heard about him through Carter over the years.

“Angel face, need you to get out of my chair.” Optimus had his eyes closed and was pinching the bridge of his nose.

I flinched involuntarily.

Quickly, I got out of his chair, and with quick footsteps, I headed to the door.

I had just twisted the knob to open it when I heard, “I’m loyal to a select few people. And when I say a select few people, I mean I can count them on one fucking hand. One of those select few is Garrick. So, before I ruin shit, I need you out.”

Normally, I would have nodded and fled; however, I didn’t.

Thanks to Garrick. See, just this name alone has the gaping holes in my heart and soul starting to get smaller and smaller.

But... I asked, “How would you ruin shit?”

Optimus’s eyes were open then, and he had his soulful dark eyes locked on me. “Cause I’m five seconds away from saying fuck it, and taking you out the back, to a cabin, and keeping you there until you forget all about him and only think about me.”

A slow smile spread across my face. “If you had done that, it wouldn’t have worked. Because, other than my brother, Garrick is the only person in my life whose actions have shown me love.”

Optimus visibly sighed, “Yeah. That’s the only other reason I ain’t doing what I really want to fucking do. Don’t come back until you’ve got his rings on your finger. Hell, don’t come back until you’ve got his baby in your belly. Alright?”

I giggled. I couldn’t help it.

.... Maybe I shouldn’t have told Garrick about what Optimus said.

Because he came back about an hour later after Alec had stopped by with split knuckles.

Well. Shit.

He walked to me, and smiled, then he pressed a kiss on my lips and said, “Go que up our show, baby.”

I did just that.

It was maybe half an hour later when Alec asked, “What the fuck are we watching?”

I tagged Garrick’s arm when I knew that he was about to slap Alec across the back of his head.

When he narrowed his gaze at me, I glared.

To that he smirked, then nodded.

“We’re watching my favorite show,” I told him.

And then... well... Alec nodded, then said, “Well, let’s watch it.”

It was two episodes in when Alec said, “Damn, but I want to be a Warlock. Shit would be cool as hell.”

“The Warlocks are demons, Alec,” I told him.

Alec widened his eyes. “Exactly. Be cool as hell.”

***

I had just finished drying my hair when Garrick walked in and said, “Linda’s here. She’s asking for you.”

I frowned. “Huh. That’s weird.”

I placed the hair dryer on the counter, and then walked by him, but not before I pressed a kiss on his lips.

When I made it to the living room, I saw her.

She looked worried.

What in the world was going on?

She saw me and smiled, “Hey, sweetheart. Hope it’s okay that I came by.”

I nodded, “Umm, yeah. It is. But what’s going on?”

She winced. “Can we take a seat. There’s something I want to tell you.”

At my nod, she moved to the couch, and I followed her.

She stared at me, and then she said, “It’s not an easy story to tell, but I’ll try. Okay?”

I frowned but nodded.

“Twenty-five years ago, I met a man. A man who had a little boy. He was precious. And I fell in love with him first, then the man. Things were great. But... we had an open relationship, and I happened to get pregnant. He hadn’t minded at the time, but over the months that I was pregnant. .. he started to get mean.”

She took in a breath, and my gut was churning.

“Wait.... are you trying to tell me that... you're my mother... and Granger wasn’t my brother at all?” I asked.

She nodded, “Yeah... it was uncanny how much the two of you looked alike.”

I didn’t know what to say.

Therefore, she continued, “After I gave birth to you, and he saw you... He just lost it. He beat me so badly that I was laid up in the hospital. I knew I couldn’t live like that...”

“So, you left me there with him?” I asked her, my tone void of any emotion.

She nodded. “Yes. He had something on me for a long time, something he threatened me with. But... you're my daughter. And after I found out that he passed away a few days ago, I couldn’t stay away from you. Which was why I introduced myself to you as Linda. But my name is Tabitha.”

I took in every word that she said.

And then I started laughing.

I couldn’t help it.

“Wow. This is rich as fuck,” I said.

I was still laughing when she snapped, “I’m not sure what’s so funny.”

And that was when I heard it, “Get the fuck out of our house.”

Garrick said as he stormed over to where I was sitting and then grabbed Linda, err, Tabitha by the arm and dragged her out of the living room.

He tore the door open and then pushed her outside, before closing it and locking it.

I was still laughing until Garrick came in front of me, knelt, and placed his hands on my knees.

I was still laughing as I said, “What the fuck?”

Garrick looked at me and shook his head, “No fucking clue.”

“So, my own mother abandons me. My father, who isn’t my father at all, beats the hell out of me. My brother isn’t my brother. My ex beat me. Do I have that right? Oh, and I have no clue who my actual father is. Do I have all of that right?”

He nodded, “Yeah, baby. But even though you didn’t share blood with Granger, he was your brother. Blood doesn’t make family. It never will.”

And at his words, the laughter died, and then tears started to fall.

He wrapped me in his arms and carried me to our bedroom, where he lay us down and held me as I cried.

I cried so many tears that my head started hurting.

I had cried so many tears that I cried myself to sleep.

***

When I woke up the next morning, Misty was there. She saw me and smiled, “You’ve been mine since I met you, don’t you dare forget that.”

Frank was also there, “Claimed you the minute I met you, darlin’.”

Garrick was standing there with his arms crossed, and he said, “You don’t work there anymore. She also will be selling and moving away. Far fucking away.”

I smiled at them and nodded.

And that was that.

I walked over to Garrick, and the minute I was close enough, he wrapped me in his arms, holding me tight, and keeping me safe.

As long as I had Garrick, I had everything.

***

Garrick had also promised to help me find my birth father if I ever wanted to.

I thought about it, often over the next few weeks, and when I told him that I did, I explained, “Yes, your parents are amazing. But when we are blessed with kids, I want him or her to know that they are loved. Completely.”

And he nodded.

It was four weeks later when my DNA results came in through a company we had sent them to.

I had matches.

Close related matches.

But then... as I watched his family, who were going to be my family one day, I realized something... I had all I ever needed.

So, I put my results in the drawer beside my bed and forgot about them.