Finding Home in Redemption

Chapter Twenty-Eight

I was walking to my bedroom, ready for bed, when my phone started ringing.

"Come open your door," Sam said over the line after I answered. Confused, I went to the front door and opened it to Pop and Sam.

"What are you guys doing here?" I ended the call with Sam and moved to let them in.

"We decided to bombard you tonight." Sam was sitting on the floor taking her laced up combat boots off.

"She thought it would be too awkward to do it tomorrow at work," Pop explained. "So here we are. Hope you don't mind, but Maria's coming over, too. She went to get some pizza first."

"Where is she getting pizza in Taylorsville?" I asked.

"The Market. It's frozen so turn your oven on," he answered.

I rolled my eyes and pre-heated the oven.

"So, Brennan was at the office today," Pop said getting straight to the point. I looked at Sam.

"So, you know?"

"I know a lot more now than I did the other day when he showed up at my house. Freaked me out when he showed up as a cop, but I knew you would want the truth. I hope you aren't mad I told him where you were going to be yesterday," she said.

"No, I'm not mad at all. It was kind of weird hearing all this at the cemetery but I wanted to know the truth, and now I do."

"How do you feel now?" Pop asked. We'd moved to the living room, and I sat beside Pop while Sam stretched out on the floor.

"I feel weird. I want to be so angry with him but I can't. I want to give him another chance, but it's like my head keeps telling me it's way too soon just to forgive and forget. I have to remember what happened to my heart when he left. The biggest thing I have to ask myself is, is he the same guy that I fell in love with, I mean, I fell for Aaron but who is Brennan?"

"I think they are the same person, squirt." Pop said.

"Yeah and you have to realize, there isn't a rulebook, Bentley. This is your story, not someone else's. Just because other people don't forgive so easily doesn't mean you can't. Your ability to let go of things is what makes you who you are," Sam said.

"She's right," Pop said cutting in. "Hank ran over Sam's foot three months ago pulling a stupid car into one of the bays, and she still hasn't forgiven him."

"I thought it was broken!" she said, waving her foot in the air. "I went to the hospital and everything."

"You guys are so ridiculous," I laughed. "But you're both right. This is all my decision, and I guess the most important thing is seeing who Brennan is for myself."

By the time Maria showed up with the pizza, I was starving. Thankfully, she was brilliant and knew us enough to buy two pizzas and a bag of chips. Pop ate almost an entire thing by himself. No matter how many times I watch him eat a whole pizza alone, it impresses every single time.

Sam and Maria left soon after dinner and Pop stood in my kitchen while I cleaned up the mess.

"Feel free to help out, Pop," I laughed. He smirked at me but started helping.

"So, I've been thinking about something I wanted your opinion on," he said when we were done.

"What's up?"

"What would you think about having some kind of outreach program or something?"

"I love that! Did you have anything specific in mind?"

"I do. What if we did something for the homeless shelter in Hillview? I drove by it the other day, and it looked awful. I don't know if they just don't get funding or what's going on, but I was surprised people were living in it."

I don't think I'd ever been so on board with an idea in my life.

"What's the plan?"

We pulled out a notebook and worked together to come up with more ideas that could raise even more money for the shelter. I finally had to kick Pop out when I was yawning every other minute but promised him we'd finish talking the next day at work.

After locking the door, I looked at my phone and contemplated what I was about to do. It was well past midnight, but there was something I wanted to say to Brennan. Something that hadn't occurred to me until Sam had declined my invitation to spend the night; because she didn't want to sleep in the spare bedroom. She hadn't wanted to sleep in his bed. I picked up my phone and sent my thoughts.

Me: There's something I need to say. I don't know if this will make sense at all, but here it goes. I feel like I'm cheating on Aaron. I know you are Aaron and I'm sorry, I just can't help but separate you from him. I'm willing to give you an opportunity to show me you're him, but please be patient with me.

It hadn't even been two minutes before I got a reply.

Brennan: I completely understand, and if I'm honest, I am whole heartedly jealous that Aaron has your love and I don't. But I promise you, as long as you allow me to fight for it, I will.

Me: I know you will. Goodnight, Brennan. I'll see you tomorrow.

Brennan: Goodnight, Beautiful.

I set my alarm and spent the next half hour staring at the ceiling. I know it had only been a day since I'd found out but I was already sick of my feelings going back and forth. I was a woman who knew what she wanted. I wanted to graduate college in a couple of years with a degree that would help me be a high school counselor. I wanted to help my father run his business and, more than anything, I wanted everything to work out with Brennan.