Fortitude

Chapter 9: The Inevitable Fight

Song that inspired me to write this chapter:

Let It Go - James Bay

Valerie's POV

Jake sits down on the living room couch, and Ty just stands there, glaring at him.

I sit down in front of Jake, Ty still standing at my side.

I clear my throat, breaking the awkward silence.
"Jake, would you like, uh-some tea?"

I'm nervous, and Ty has noticed that.

"Oh, some tea would be-"

"This is bullshit! He's not here to have some tea! He's here so we can talk. Now talk!"

Ty's voice is loud, he is enraged. Thank God Angie isn't here.

"Talk." I finally say coldly, looking Jake straight in the eyes, crossing my arms.

He keeps scratching at his arm, nervously looking around him. His eyes finally settle on my face, and he speaks.
"Okay, so, uh- the reason I haven't come to see you before now is that I... I didn't know where you lived. Yes. I had no idea before today. I looked for you, but you were nowhere to be found, so I kept looking. Luckily, I found out some of my friends lived nearby, and have heard that a guy named Tyler and a girl named Valerie have moved in here a few years ago with a little girl. And so I figured out it must be you, with my daughter."

"Stop saying she's your daughter!" Ty yells, throwing his arms out in frustration.

He keeps pacing back and forth, thinking.
I can't read his face, I don't know what he's thinking.

I turn to look at Jake.
"So all these years, you were trying to find me? To find her? Why didn't you just tell me that you wanted to take responsibility in the first place?"

He looks even more nervous now.

I raise an eyebrow, impatiently waiting for his answer.

He looks everywhere but me.
"It's just that... I was a coward before. I didn't know what to do, so I left you alone to deal with it. But now, I've changed. I really have. Truth is... I've just lost my little brother. Teddy. And this made me realize how short life is, and how I needed to do the right thing for him. For Teddy."

This explains it, I guess.

I've never had a brother or a sister to know what it's like to lose one, but it must be almost as hard as losing your child. And I can't even imagine what I would do if something ever happened to Angela.

Ty stops pacing back and forth and is now standing there, watching Jake suspiciously.

"I'm sorry about your brother. And I believe you've changed. I mean, everyone deserves a second chance, right?" I say, looking at Tyler with an expression that says 'Stop looking at him like he just killed someone!'

Tyler glares at me, and then at him, clearly not convinced.

Jake raises his eyebrows, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
"So you forgive me? Can I see her now?"

Wow. He seems excited...

Ty turns to look at me and says:
"Valerie, maybe you shouldn't-"

I interrupt him, smiling at Jake.
"I do. I forgive you. But Angela's not here now. You could come for dinner tomorrow. I mean today, and meet her. What do you say?"

Ty whips around to look at me with an expression that says 'What the hell are you doing!'

I ignore him and stand up with Jake, walking him to our front door.