Fading Pasts

Chapter 3

(Above is Arthur Conti, John's father)

A beep rang out, signaling the end of yet another conversation. The following afternoon I drove to my father's house. He wasn't a good father. He had a bad childhood that he took out on his family with too much alcohol, much like Oswald had.

"Hello, sir."

He looked at me with sadness in his eyes. This was the first time I had ever seen him let the brick wall that surrounded his heart down as he brought me into a hug.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine. I'm here because a man kidnapped my wife and told me to come here and see you."

"Why would he send you here?"

"I don't know. All he said was he wanted me to start with my past, and you are the first piece."

"John, I know I wasn't the best father, let alone a good man. I spent most of the time drinking and out at the bar instead of spending time with you and your mother."

"I know why you did what you did. I just wished you would have realized what you did to Mom and I before you lost us."

"It took me leaving the two of you for me to sober up, and man I realized I made the worst mistake of my life once I did."

"You left mom in the dark and never reached out or tried to get her back even after you "sobered" up. That hurt worse than anything you said when you were drunk. You don't know how many nights she cried. How many nights we spent trying to figure out just how to make ends meet. Although you really weren't a good father you taught me some things after you left. You taught me that no matter how toxic a person's past is you just need to push through and find happiness. I found my purpose and my happiness with my wife, and now I lost it. Another thing I hope to be able to use in my life is that just because your parents weren't the best that doesn't mean you don't have the chance to make it better with your own kids."

His eyes started filling. I never thought I would see my father being vulnerable. He deserved to feel sorry for what he put us through. The only problem was standing here, he was still my father.

"I wanted to reach out. I wanted you guys back more than anything. But I put you through too much. What if you two came back to me and then I slipped up and disappointed you again? Ruined our relationship beyond any repair?"

I understood my father now. Why he did things the way he did. He was even more scared of being alone in the world with no one to remember him. He had no idea that his past bothered him the way it did.

"It's okay, Dad."

I forgave him. Maybe he didn't deserve it, but as much as he didn't, I was done with this feud. That's when it happened in a split second. Glass from the window broke into thousands of pieces, the curtains whooshed, my father was hit. I stood there shell shocked my father was just shot before my eyes. I ran to the window to see a pickup truck speeding away. The streetlight barely picked up its blue or black color before disappearing down the next road.

"Dad!"

I ran to his side, and he looked up at me. It wasn't sadness that showed on his face, not even a touch of fear came into his eyes. He looked up at me and the biggest smile crossed his face.

"I love you. You gave me all I wanted today, my son back."

He paused taking a staggered breath and more blood poured out of his wound. I pulled out my phone and dialed 9-1-1. His face took a serious turn.

"Get her back. Don't lose her. I lost your mother."

"9-1-1, what is your emergency?"

"My dad, he's been shot. He's still conscious, but there's a lot of blood. Our address is 747 Hollows Road."