It All Started With a Diary

annabeth

Enjoy 🤍!

"Don't let the past steal your present." - Cherralea Morgen.

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Chapter 75
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My dad offered a kind smile as he rounded the kitchen table. Just in case, I craned my neck to make sure he was alone. I had questions for him, and for him only.

"I didn't hear you come in, baby. How was the vacation?" he questioned, pulling a chair out. Once he was situated, he frowned as he examined me over. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes," I rushed out a little too quickly before I told myself to calm down. These were just questions, not a death sentence. "Yes, everything's fine."

It didn't seem to settle his suspicions, but he nodded, anyway. I wanted to blurt out everything, but I couldn't. All I wanted were answers.

"Dad," I started out. "Can I ask you something?"

He chuckled at me. "If you ask to open your presents before everyone is awake, the answer is no." Even though I was gone on Christmas Day, they all waited until I came home to open presents. Dad was even dressed in festive clothing to add to the Christmas spirit.

I feigned a laugh. "No, no, it's not that." I paused to consider my options. I could either ease into it or just go for it.

Fuck it.

My hands fell to my knees for leverage. "Dad...how do you know Kade? I mean...before he and I met."

By the flicker of recognition in his eyes, I knew that he realized. He realized that I knew everything.

Dad cleared his throat then leaned further back into his chair. "Kade told you?"

I nodded. "He did. About both of you." I motioned toward the hallway, where my brother was still asleep.

"Well," dad sighed, his fingers trailing through his hair. "I never wanted you to know that side of me, but now you do." His attention fell to me, again. "Do you think any differently of me?"

I frowned, shaking my head quickly at the shame in his tone. Even though it came as a shock, I never once discarded the love he had given me over the years. His past didn't change that.

At my response, his shoulders loosened with relief. "Good," he let out a nervous chuckle. "Well...what do you want to know?"

I recovered all of the questions I'd been building, but instead focused on my main one for now. "How did you get involved?"

He nodded as if he expected it. "Well... I started when I was around Kade's age. I made really good money off of it; I was young, stupid, and angry at my old man. I needed to let that anger out without getting arrested." He waved a hand over his bedroom, where Teresa was. "When I found out Teresa was pregnant with Ryland, I was a young guy who still wanted to keep that lifestyle. It was stupid of me, of course but the past is already set in stone. Then, I found out about you. Even though the circumstances weren't right, I tried to quit, but still needed money for you and your brother. So, I decided to indirectly be involved."

Before I could throw another question at him, he continued on.

"I met Kade after he beat the shit out of your brother," dad chuckled, running a hand down his face as he shook his head. "You should have seen Ryland. That boy had a head as big as a rock at that age, but he was my son."

"So, I went to go find the little punk, but when I did, all I found was a kid walking alone in the rain, no jacket or anything. I offered him a ride, and a job at the cages, and that was that. The kid had it hard at home, and was so angry. I didn't even know he was Susie's until a while later."