father and I have always maintained an amicable relationship. At first, it was for the sake of you kids, but, now, it’s because we’re friends, and we always will be.” She pulls my head up gently by the chin. “You’re my son, and I love you. You did nothing malicious. You didn’t mean to hurt anybody. Please, Holt, forgive yourself. As far as I’m concerned there’s nothing to forgive.”
“I feel the same.” Dad touches his head to mine. “Let go of this. It’s my burden, not yours. You were never meant to carry this.”
Mom breaks out in a series of sneezes.
“I’d better get this little guy out onto the porch.” Izzy cradles the tiny creature in her arms.
“I’ll go with you,” Baya says, and Annie follows along.
Bryson steps up and slaps me over the shoulder. “Wish you would have said something. I knew there was something eating at you. I just assumed it was the fact you didn’t go to Briggs. You think you’ll go now?”
“I’m good with the bars.”
“Speaking of which.” Bryson turns to Dad. “We got approved for the loan. Holt and I can buy you out at the asking price.”
Dad lifts his brows, mildly amused. “How the hell’d you pull that off?”
“Got an outside investor to act as a silent partner.” He looks to me. “If it’s okay with you, Ryder says he’ll spot us the loan.”
“Ryder? That’s great.” I glance back to where Izzy was a second ago. Maybe I can get Laney and Ryder to spot the studio a loan as well? I know Izzy would die to have it.
We say goodnight, and Izzy and I hit the dark inky road with our new cat, Happy.
“You want to run by my place for while?”
“You mean our place?” Izzy’s eyes light up with a smile born of a thousand promises, and my boxers perk to attention.
“That would be the one.” I steal a kiss as we drive off into the night.
A part of me is still convinced that things would have been a little different if I never started that tragic chain of events so long ago. But, in this case, I guess different doesn’t mean better.
The past no longer has a hold of Izzy and me.
We’re finally free, and we’re going home—together.
But there are still a couple of things I need to do before we start in on that happily ever after.
Letters and Thank You Notes
Izzy
Okay Dad—here we go, last one.
They say all good things must come to an end. I’m not sure I necessarily believe that, but, in this case, I think that might be true. I think it’s high time we start having real conversations with one another. I think it’s high time we share more than ink and paper together. I’d like to see us move our relationship into the verbal zone. Now that I’ve had time to consider it, asking me to write to you proved to be a brilliant move. In a strange way it’s as if you never left. I’ve always felt connected to you. I longed to sit down and write you each and every day. It was our special time. It was a season that I will cherish in and of itself because these letters that I thought were tiny tokens of my affection proved to be gifts to me, far more than you’ll ever know.
Thank you for that. Thank you for being in my life every single day whether in body or spirit.
I love you more than words can say. So glad I can tell you in person.
Thank you for coming back to us.
Signing off for the very last time,
~Little Bit, all grown up.
Sunday afternoon, Mom, Laney, and I order take-out and talk to the man we never thought we’d see again, my father.
“I hope you like the lemonade!” Laney pours us each a glass. “It’s my own recipe.”
Mom rolls her eyes. “Hon, there are only three ingredients in lemonade, but we appreciate the effort.” She takes a sip and makes a face. “Holy crap. You’re lucky Ryder’s pockets are lined with gold. This tastes like leprechaun piss.”
“Nice, mother.” Laney averts her eyes before taking a seat across from me.
Dad picks up Laney’s hand, then mine. “You raised two beautiful girls here, Momma. I’m proud of each one of you.”
“She did it all with the help of the studio.” I look to Mom and nod. She has to know how much it means to me—to all of us.
Laney clears her throat and nods toward Dad. “So