No Regrets

Chapter Seventy-One - (Mostly) Everything Good

DOMINICK'S POV

   Linkon is talking with Tyde when I approach him. The Wiltons left the courthouse a few minutes ago. "Why did you never tell me?" I ask both of them. "You had a whole year," I say looking at Tyde, ", and you had our entire friendship to mention you having a sister." I nod at Linkon.

"What can I say, I didn't want any competition." Linkon jokes.

   I give him a look and he lets out a sigh, he puts a hand on the back of his head. "Never really felt a reason to tell you. We don't live together, my father married her mother and adopted her. Then they got divorced like a year later. You wouldn't have ever met her. Then you did.." he says.

"And I really don't like sharing my family tree and other information like that. Linkon's my older brother, what does it matter?" Tyde adds.

"It matters a lot, to me at least." I say. I take a moment. "Then there's the other matter." I don't need to say anymore, the three of us are on the same page. The silence is proof of it.

   Linkon looks at Tyde, he makes some hand gestures. She looks at me. "There's a lot to the story I will, we will, tell you someday. But I can understand if you want me to stay away from Mollie for her safety." Tyde says looking away from me.

"Hey." My eyes soften. I take Tyde's hand, she looks at me shyly. "I meant it that day, hating you is impossible." I look at Linkon. "Plus, without you, the only non-family member Mollie will know will be this guy."

Linkon chuckles and rolls his eyes, "You trying to start some beef?" He asks.

Tyde laughs a small bit. "Just listening to that sentence made me loose a hundred IQ points."

   The three of us laugh. When the laughter dies down, the mood turns serious once more. "That's why I was at the courthouse that day." Tyde says with a sigh. "I had a meeting I had to attend, court ordered. It left me tense and.."

"Bitchy?" I offer. Tyde nods her head. "Really? I had no idea." I say sarcastically.

   Tyde laughs a small bit and gives me a light punch on the arm.

   Linkon makes a small joke, we all laugh. The tension lightens a bit, though there is still tension yet to be eased. But it will come with time.

"Have you seen Katie?" I ask. I look around, my eyes scanning the crowd. I see my parents with some of the people who testified in my favor.

"I think she went out to the front." Tyde says.

"Excuse me, please." I say as I start to walk away. "Oh, by the way, I'm going to head to the hospital to see Mollie right after my family gets home and I shower. Would mean a lot if you came."

Linkon gives me a thumbs-up, "I wouldn't miss out on seeing the closest dude i've ever met." He says.

"Thanks, we'll be there. Just text me, because I actually answer my phone." Tyde says.

I chuckle as I turn back toward the doors of the courthouse. I start for the steps when I hear Katie's voice. "... I'm sorry." She says.

"Don't be, I understand." A familiar voice says. I look over the half-wall and down to the ground at the side of the staircase. Sawyer stands in front of Katie. "And besides, it's better than the harsh no I was expecting."

   Katie smiles a bit and takes Sawyer's hand. "It's not forever, just for now. Let life get settled a bit, once things are settled and I have time to think, then I will let you know for sure. Would you be okay with waiting?" She asks.

"More than okay." Sawyer says. "I'll wait for as long as you need me to" he leans over and gives Katie a light peck on the cheek. I quickly move away from the half-walk and to the top of the steps. I make sure that my footsteps are very audible as I make my way down.