Page 286 of The Valiant Knight

“I cry every day because I lost him. There isn’t a single day that I don’t mourn D’Artangnan. He was the best thing that ever happened to me. He was kind, loving, and special. There has never been another him.”

Tony reassured him.

“And you were those things too. If he fell in love with you, you have those same things inside of you. Let them out, and let them find love. You’ve kept them locked up for so long.”

He did.

They were his only connection to the Marine who stole his heart.

And took it with him when he left.

“Thank you for the advice,” Graham said.

It was no problem.

“Can I ask you something?”

Tony nodded.

“Sure.”

“If I was your son, would you be ashamed of me?” he asked. “Am I really as bad as they told me I was?”

With tenderness, Tony turned his face, and stared into his tear-filled eyes.

“I’m proud of you now. I would have been proud of you then. I have a son, Graham, and there’s nothing he could ever do that would make me stop loving him. What your parents did…I’m sure they regret. Maybe they didn’t at that time, but at some point, they will.”

He wiped his eyes.

“Are they still alive?” he asked.

Oh, he knew they were. He kept tabs on them, just because he had no one else to think about.

“Yes.”

Tony wiped his tears with his thumbs,

“In life, we all make mistakes. Forgiveness isn’t for the person who hurt you, Graham. Forgiveness is for the person who was hurt. Maybe it’s time you talked to them and told them you forgive them, so you can start healing too.”

He closed his eyes.

And Tony pulled him into his arms and hugged him. He let the man cry, and he held him up.

Because family wasn’t always blood.

Family was the people who were there when you were at rock bottom.

He said nothing else to him, but he held him, letting him get it all out.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

In that moment, Tony paid the universe back. Once upon a time, he had no one, and Charlie LaRue came to him, called him his son, and showed him the kind of love he needed.

So, Tony was going to do the same.

“When I was a little younger than you, about thirty, I went on vacation with Elizabeth and Chris. It was for Christmas.”

Graham listened.