The Gray Sisters: Family Matters✔️ (Wattpad version)

When you come back to me

Lex

Before I could do anything with Piper, there was something I needed help with, so I went to the one person who could help me.

"Hey, Dad?" I said as I walked into the kitchen.

"What's up, Lex?" He asked me.

"Could you help me with something? I got to thinking that if I planned on getting to know Piper, I need to do it properly," I explained to him.

He looked at me curiously.

"I was wondering if you would teach me how to drive?" I asked him.

This request took him by surprise. "Yeah, I would love to," he replied without hesitation.

I smiled at him as he looked at me with happiness. To most people, it wouldn't be a big deal, but to us, it was everything. From what they said, Dad and I were always close. Having that distance between us was hard on him. Looking at him as a stranger and referring to him as Nash was awkward. Uncle Nixon told me that, the many times we would sit together in his church.

While my sisters were close to them, I was close to my dad. Not knowing him, broke his heart. That, in return, broke everyone else's.

We ended up in an empty parking lot where he let me sit behind the steering wheel while he sat on the passenger side. He showed me all the stuff and let me get the hang of it, albeit a few minor bumps, such as hitting the curb and almost hitting a tree. Once I got comfortable, I got better.

After teaching me the basics and letting me practice a bit, we went to grab something to eat. I had to admit; it was nice to spend time with Dad. He decided it was best if he drove until I was ready to operate correctly in traffic. Not that he didn't trust me, but it worried him. I couldn't blame him.

We went to a mom and pop's place to grab a burger. While sitting there in a booth, we ordered our food and talked.

"Today was a good day," Dad said to me.

"Why do you say that?" I looked at him quizzically.

"It felt like it did before the accident," he replied quietly.

I looked at him as he sat there, trying not to break. That was the thing I started understanding about my dad; this was hard on him, thanks to Uncle Nixon. It was equally hard on my mom but hard on him because we are close.

"I'm sorry that I haven't been the easiest to deal with lately," I told him.

He shook his head. "It's not that. Lex, this reminded me of what happened to your mom. The confusion, the lost look in her eyes, not remembering anything, and when she did, it was bits and pieces," he explained.

"Uncle Nixon told me it was hard on you but also said it would help get your shit together," I shrugged as he chuckled.

"That it did," he chuckled.

"Did you not love her?" I asked him curiously.

"I did. The problem was, your mother was the type who was resilient. She wasn't like other girls that I knew. She didn't need rescuing, just love. I made the mistake of making her feel insecure when she wasn't," he explained to me.

"Why?" I asked curiously.

"Because I thought by doing so, she would need me. If she didn't need me, then she would walk away. I had been in love with your mother long before we got together. When she talked about this tool, she had a crush on; I hated it. I wanted her to talk about me that way, but I also didn't want to appear the bad guy," he reasoned.

"Yeah, but didn't you end up being the bad guy, because you made her insecure?" It was a reasonable question.

"Unfortunately, yes," he sighed.

"So, you let your fears possibly ruin any chances you may have had with her?" I questioned Dad.

"Yep, but I got a second chance with her," Dad reasoned.

"That you almost blew," I mentioned as I took a bite out of my burger. Dad gave me a look. "Uncle Nixon filled me in."

"Apparently," he sighed.

I chuckled a bit. The thing I was learning about everyone was this, Dad felt the need to save people even when they don't need saving, Nixon was honest in his way, Nathan would rather beat your ass then talk, Noah was the voice of reason, and Nolan was insecure while trying to hide it. I'm seeing a lot of resemblance between them and us. It was a little scary.

"Lex, I know you had a rough time of it. When you opened your eyes and didn't recognize any of us, that was hard. It was like someone hauled off and punched me in the gut. All I wanted was to have my boy back, and I ended up with a stranger who didn't know me. It sucked," he said as he tried to keep his composure.

It didn't matter; I saw the fear in his eyes and knew he feared losing me in any shape or form. When you get past the frustration of it all, you see a clearer picture. I hadn't realized how my dad truly felt, not even when people told me, until now.

People can tell you a thousand times how they feel, but until you see it with your eyes, you don't understand it. At that moment, I realized why he was so adamant about the recovery of my memories.

"You will not lose me again," I told him as he looked at me. It was a poignant moment between us. "I may not remember in my mind, but the feelings I have for you never went away. The warmth that I felt when you hugged me, it's not something that you force; it's something that is there or isn't."

We looked at each other, knowing this was a pivotal moment with us. As much as people may see my dad for the mistakes he made, I saw so much more about him.

He wasn't perfect and screwed up things, but his heart was always in the right place. At that moment, I realized the man my father truly is.

"You seem lost in thought," Dad said, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Just thinking," I shrugged.

"Care to elaborate?" He asked me.

"You love and care about people in your life, knowing you screw up, even when you hate to admit it. You would rather make mistakes and learn from them, then try to be something you're not. You know you aren't perfect, but sometimes you're misguided by attempts to be perfect. You didn't want to rescue Ma, because you know she never needed rescuing. All you wanted was her to love you the way you love her, but you let your jealousy get the best of you because you know someone could take her from you," I reasoned as he looked at me, knowing I'm right.

"I hated the fact she wanted to give her heart to someone that didn't deserve it. When she realized the guy wasn't the one for her, I was happy, but I was afraid she would see right through me and leave me. I never wanted to make your ma feel insecure. I didn't know how to hold on to her," he whispered.

"It's a chance we take when we love someone," I answered even though I didn't know how I knew that. I was going by emotion.

"I'm glad your ma never gave up on me even when she should have," he reasoned.

"Because when you love someone, you never give up on them, no matter what. You didn't give up on me." I shrugged as he looked at me.

I looked at my dad for the person he is. He isn't perfect. He made mistakes, but he still loved the ones that meant most to him. Love isn't perfect. It's never intended to be accurate.

We finished eating and went home. As much as I knew how important it was to my parents, I was there; I also knew one day I would have to leave them and be with Piper. We all have to move on at some point.