have time to coddle me. Jenn London had the time and judging by the way she bossed she’d obviously had a lot of practice.
This I didn’t mind.
Like her daughter, she did it sweet-like.
“She was feeling guilty for losing her temper.”
“The two of them are the same. It’s a miracle they didn’t argue more when Evette was growing up. The thing is, all those years Joe was teaching her how to be strong, loyal, stand up for herself, speak her mind, and to follow her heart, especially when the world around her was pushing her to give up. So it couldn’t have been a surprise when she grew up to be the woman he made her. And after what the two of you went through, I suspect you know the woman I’m talking about.”
“I do,” I confirmed.
“Joe does, too. So what’s going on out there is that a father is not listening to the words his daughter’s speaking. He’s feeling the meaning behind those words and seeing to the heart of the woman she is—the woman he taught her to be. He’s reconciling the knowledge that he did his job as her father and his girl didn’t settle for something good. She held out for something great. Not only that, she was smart enough to see it, believe it, and grab a hold. And she did that without delay.”
A flash of fire licked my skin and something else new I’d never felt rushed through me. Something more Evette gave me through her mother. Something that pierced my heart and mended old wounds I never thought would heal.
She held out for something great.
I didn’t know Jenn London well but I knew, like Evette, she spoke her mind and did it from the heart, and she did it true.
She wouldn’t have said it if she didn’t mean it.
“Thank you for that.”
Jenn slowly turned away from the window and glanced around the crowded room. Then her eyes met mine. And that was when I learned something. Joe might’ve taught his daughter to be strong and loyal. But it was Jenn who passed down the compassion and kindness.
“You doubt the truth,” Jenn returned and tipped her chin down. Then she bizarrely stated, “You know, in Japan oftentimes broken objects are repaired with gold. This is done not to forget the imperfection. It’s to be seen as unique. Add to its beauty. The objects with the most cracks are the most exceptional. They’re one-of-a-kind masterpieces.”
“I’m not following.”
“I think you are, Gabe. I think you’re a man with deep cracks filled with gold. What you don’t see is they make you a masterpiece. Unique. One of a kind. An exceptional man who would offer his life for the woman he fell in love with. As the years go on, we’ll get to know each other. And I’m looking forward to that, sweetie. So I don’t know why you’d feel the need to thank me for telling you the truth. But whatever it is that’s inside of you that would make you doubt yourself, I hope you let it go. But in the meantime, I want you to know I’m grateful for what you did for Evette.”
The heat that had been building in my chest reached a boiling point and if I didn’t want it to spill over I had to shut it down. So I did and changed the subject.
“My mom’ll like you,” I told Jenn.
“About that. I didn’t want to ask, but…um…where is she?”
I smiled down at Evette’s mom in an effort to soothe her hesitancy.
“My mom’s sensitive and after my dad died she became more so. I haven’t told her what happened and I won’t. Her seeing me like this would lead her down a path of mental anguish. I go to great lengths to make sure she doesn’t feel anything that would cause her harm.”
“That’s a lot of responsibility to take on—shielding her from anything that could hurt her.”
It was a lot. It was also impossible to shield my mom from everything, but that didn’t mean I didn’t bust my ass trying to do so.
“She’s a good woman who even though we had it rough did what she could. I owe it to her to do what I can so I do. After I’m healed, I’ll fly her out here to meet Evette. We’ll make arrangements for a family get-together. But for now, while I’m in this state, it’s not an option to see her.”