I bent down and began cleaning up my mess. I was breathing heavily and honestly had no idea what to do with myself.
"Kathleen." He started but I refused to look up. "Can we just talk?"
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I began to stand up in attempt to get away when he grabbed my arm.
"Please." His eyes seemed sincere but I was still hesitant. It was almost instantly when I decided to listen to what he had to say that Dallas walked in.
He saw me on the floor and then looked over at his father. His father, who he hadn't seen in years. Who had hit him when he was drunk. Who now had his hand wrapped around his wife's arm. That's when the old Dally was resurrected. The cold and mean Dallas and he was stronger than ever. Dally picked his father up by the collar.
"Don't you ever lay a hand on her!" He screamed ferociously while shoving him out the door.
"Dallas!" I yelled trying to stop him. I did no good however. I ran outside where Dallas was beating his father. "Stop Dally!" I screamed while trying to pull him back. I finally stepped in between them both. Knowing that Dally would stop. It worked.
"They'll arrest you. Please, I need you." I called him down and he looked at me, angry and broken. But the longer he looked at me, the more of the my Dally came back.
"Dallas." His father started. "Let me explain."
"Get the hell out of here!" Dally yelled. I grabbed his arm trying to keep him as calm as I could.
"I'm dying Dallas." He blurted out. "I'm dying."
We both turned and looked at him. He looked back at us and I realized he was being honest. About all do it. He was honestly sorry for his past. And he was honestly dying.
"From What?" I asked the question I knew Dallas wanted to know, But couldn't ask.
"Cancer. Liver cancer."
"Probably from all of the damn alcohol." Dallas spat in a venous tone.
"Dallas I just wanted to see my son before I died."
"You should have thought of that before! Before I got arrested saving your ass! Before you left me locked away man! I was 14! I was just damn kid!" He was yelling again. I tried squeezing his arm as reassurance but he ignored my existence.
"Dallas I was messed up okay? After your mother died I fell apart."
"You think that's an excuse for abandoning me? After I got myself out of prison I made my own life! I raised myself." His last sentence wasn't a yell but just as angry as the last. He looked at me. And then shook his head.
"Look at her." He commanded his father. David looked at me with sad eyes. "I take back what I said. Her mother and father raised me. Then they passed away and she took care of me as well as five other boys."
I glanced at Dally and then back at David. For a split second David smiled at me. I could see in his eyes he was thanking me for taking care of his son.
"She your wife?" David asked kindly.
"Yes." I answered for Dallas. "We were just married a few weeks ago actually."
"Dallas, I'll leave and never come back as long as you let me speak to her I'm private. You can watch through that window. I won't lay a hand on her I promise."
"Hell no!"
"Dallas." I stopped him. "Deal." I said to David. I turned back to Dally. "I will be fine. Go Dally." He looked at me angrily and I pulled him down and kissed him. "Go."
Dally finally listened and walked into the restaurant and stood watching. Never once taking his eyes off us.
"He's awfully protective over you." David laughed.
"I'm very thankful for that."
"You should be. He's a great boy." He sounded sad. I could tell he cared about Dallas, that's why I didn't understand their past.
"Explain." Was all I said. He knew what to say.
"After Dallas's mother died, my wife, I became an alcoholic. I lost my job and began selling on the streets. A man tried to rob me one day and Dally came out. He threw the man off me. The guy landed on his own damn knife. He was dead before the medics got there and they arrested Dallas." He explained and my stomach was tied into knots at the thought of 14 year old Dally in jail.
"Why didn't you bail him out?"
"I had no money. After a year his aunt got the money to get him out. He left without ever seeing me again. Came down here I guess. This is where his mother was from." He explained and smiled at the thought of this being Dallas's mother's home.
"Look, just take care of him please. I love my son, my past may convince you otherwise, but I do." He began to walk away, but I had to stop him.
"Wait!" I called out.
He turned and looked at me. "How long do you.. have left?" I struggled through my question.
"Doctor said 2 years max. Why do you ask?"
"My parents are dead. And Dallas's mother is too. Your the only parent left... or grandparent." I said quietly. His eyebrows jumped slightly at this.
"Are you?" He glanced at my stomach and then back at me. I nodded.
