Time Changes Everything

Chapter 17

We stood there for what seems like an eternity, we were all cut off of our thoughts when the door slammed.
"Im sorry I thought I would have a different reaction to when I first met you. Not walking out like that." Tom said
"Its fine. Its not the worse thing I have been through." I chuckled trying to lighten the moment
"No, its not fine. I was the one making the decisions for Jennifer to give you up. But I am your grandfather." He said with tears in his eyes and pulled me in to a big hug
"Daddy, your going to strangle her to death." JJ said wiping the tears from her eyes
"Im so glad I have almost all of the family finally under one roof." Sandy said pulling us all into a hug
"Jennifer where are the boys anyway?" Tom asked
"They are at home with Jacob. Wills on a case." JJ said
"Jacob?" Tom asked in a concerning protective manner
"Ya, your granddaughter has a boyfriend and will be someday marry him." Luke laughed
"Boyfriend? I have only known you for less than twenty minutes. We need to sit down and talk." Tom said wrapping his arm around my shoulder
"Alright, haha Im fine with that." I responded back
"Good. We are going to Lucys diner. We will be back soon." He said guiding me to the door and into his truck

At Sandys house

"You dont think he will be tough on her right?" JJ asked
"No, she will be fine. Hes going to love her. Hes already like putty in her hands. I could see it." Sandy said smiling
"Im going to call Jacob. Maybe he can fly out with the boys as a surprise and Will can come after the case." JJ said
"That sounds like a great idea. I cant wait to be the tough uncle. Let me go grab my hunting guns from my house and clean them." Luke said laughing

At Lucys dinner

"Im sorry I walked out right when I saw you." Tom said
"Its fine really." I said
"No, its not. When I first saw you, you looked just like Jennifer. I thought about that moment I held you. I asked the nursing staff if I could hold you for five minutes. I wanted to go back into the room and have Jennifer hold you and take back the adoption." Tom said looking into my eyes with tears running down his face
"Why didnt you?" I asked with tears
"I wanted you to have a better life. You deserved to have a family who could give you that. I honestly didnt think we could." Tom said wiping my tears
"So, you just let them all give me up. I had to be abused for ten years. You honestly thought that was giving me a better life." I said pushing his hands away from me "I lived in a closet, I was beaten, and I was treated like I was worthless." I kept going
"Britt, Im sorry. I regret everything. You did so well for getting out of that environment." Tom said
"And it was no thanks to you. I did it myself. I worked hard for that soccer scholarship. I got it taken away because I tore my ACL. The amount of student debt I am in is going to take my whole life to pay back. You did nothing but give me up and give up on me." I said standing up crying
"Britt, please sit down. I went to every single soccer game of yours. I was at that game when you tore your ACL. You are so much like your mother. I have to live with it everyday of my life." Tom said
"No, Tom. Im leaving." I said starting to head out the door
"Call, me granddaddy. The boys do. Let me take you back to Sandys." Tom said blocking my way out
"No, I would rather walk." I said pushing him out of the way

I started walking. I got angrier and angrier until I was in a full sprint. Everything that happened to me flashed by me. Memories of my parents. My eighth birthday when we were all together one last time. The first time my aunt slapped me. My sixteenth birthday when my uncle first burned me with his cigarettes. When I first met Jacob. The moment I knew he was the one I was going to marry. Finding JJ. Losing my child. The last month of being with JJ, Will and the boys. Celebrating Henrys first home run. Eloping with Jacob yesterday in the court house. I stopped running and found myself standing in front of Sandys house.

I walked inside ignoring everyone and went to my room slamming the door behind me. 
I laid on the bed and cried. I hear a knock and JJ asking if she could come in.