He frowned. “He said....you know what? It doesn’t matter. We’ll talk about it later.” His gaze flashed with pain. “I need to see the bastard. To see with my own eyes he’s still alive. That text he sent sounded too full of death for my liking.”
I arched my chin back at the two police. “We can ask to see him, but I’m not holding my breath. They barely let Olive in.”
“Olive...his daughter?”
I nodded.
“Did you know he had a daughter?”
“Not until recently.”
“Who’s the mother?”
Looking away, I whispered, “You’ll have to ask him that.”
“Fine. I will.” Straightening his spine, he took my hand and led me back to the law enforcers. “We want to see our friend.”
The guy shook his head. “No visitors.”
“He has his daughter in there right now.”
The younger cop with his sleek dark hair glowered at me. “Only because someone wouldn’t accept no for an answer.”
Justin narrowed his gaze. “Just like I won’t accept no for an answer.” He sighed. “Look, the bloke isn’t going anywhere. He’s in a hospital, for God’s sake.”
The older cop sighed, his resolve weakening.
I jumped in. “Please let us in. I’m leaving and want to say goodbye before I do.”
Justin froze beside me, blue eyes trapping mine. “What? You’re leaving? Since when?”
I shrugged. “Since I decided.”
“Because of Gil?”
“Because of me.” I didn’t want to discuss this in front of uniforms. Smiling at the older officer, I did my best to appease him. “We’ll only be fifteen minutes. I just really need to say goodbye before...”
His hand rested on his baton before he sighed again, heavy and annoyed. “Fine. Fifteen minutes. But no longer.” Turning the doorknob, he opened it enough for me to slip through.
Justin followed, pushing the door closed behind him.
Olive looked up from where she stood beside Gil’s bed hugging him. Her eyes were red and cheeks damp but she smiled for the first time since I met her. “Hi, Olin. Thanks for helping me sneak in to see my dad.”
I nodded with a soft smile. “You’re welcome.”
My gaze travelled to Gil.
The world once again stopped and spun in the opposite direction.
He looked wrung out and pale. His hair a diabolical mess, his body cocooned in white blankets while a needle punctured the back of his hand and fed necessary antibiotics and painkillers.
His mouth opened to speak.
My heart begged to retreat.
And Justin broke the tense connection, striding in front of me to embrace his friend. “Good to see you’re still alive.”
Gil winced, his gaze struggling to leave mine as he focused on Justin. “At least I get to say thank you in person now.”
Justin nodded. “You owe me. Owe me huge.”
Gil nodded, his tone deadly serious. “I know I do. And I’ll pay you back somehow. Some day.”
“You do know I expect to be told everything.” Justin’s eyes narrowed. “And I do mean everything, Clark. You can’t leave anything out.”
“I know.”
Olive’s attention danced between her dad and the man she’d never met. Her curiosity practically burst out of her. The scared girl from the caravan gave way to a feisty little thing, almost as if having her father back erased the badness of before. She drank strength from him. She trusted that things were okay now—that the past year of entrapment was over because she was with her dad and the world was righted.
She’s the bravest little thing I’ve ever seen.
I envied her ability to ignore history and live purely in the present.
It made me feel weak for wanting to leave, guilty for choosing myself over Gil when he lay sore in a hospital bed.
I should stay.
I should help.
But how much is enough?
After everything...when was it okay to say no more?
My heart beat strangely, confused and afraid as I stayed on the outskirts of their conversation.
Gil cleared his throat, smiling at his friend. “Justin, I’d like you to meet Olive. My daughter.” His body melted as he looked at Olive, his eyes so proud and grateful. “Spinach, I want you to meet your godfather, Justin.”
“Yeah, about the godfather thing.” Justin coughed quietly. “You do know I have no experience with kids right, Clark?”
Gil nodded. “I know. And it’s not fair of me to nominate you without telling you, but for now...while I deal with this aftermath, do you think—” His eyes caught mine, wincing. He seemed almost apologetic, as if he didn’t know if he should’ve asked me if I wanted that role instead.
I approved of his choice.
Justin was stable.
I was not.
Justin was staying.
I’m...not.
“It’s fine.” Justin grinned. “All good. You know that.”
“I know you’re a goddamn saint, and it pisses me off no end,” Gil muttered wryly. “But it also makes me a lucky SOB to have a mate like you.”
“Aww, I’m blushing.” Justin laughed. “Seems getting shot took that stick out of your arse.”
Gil’s gaze narrowed. “Don’t use bad language in front of—”
“What’s a godfather?” Olive’s nose wrinkled, her eyes volleying between the two men as they spoke.
Gil seemed different. Lighter, even while heavier. Happier, even while hurt. Just like Olive, he took support and strength from his bond with her, drinking the same medicine she did just from being around him.
They couldn’t survive without each other. Couldn’t be whole while apart. The true sense of connection and family.
I rubbed at the ache in my chest as Justin bent to Olive’s level, offering his hand in polite introduction. “A godfather means I get to keep you if your dad here ever has enough.”
I cringed.
Justin meant it in a relaxed, soothing way, but after a year of forced custody with her uncle—
Olive looked at him warily, obviously thinking the same thing I did. “I don’t want anyone to keep me who isn’t my dad.”
Justin dropped his hand, noticing his mistake. “Of course. I only meant that—”
“You can trust him, Olive,” Gil gruffed. “He’s not like Jeffrey.”
“You were wrong to trust him, Daddy.” Olive stuck out her bottom lip. “I told you something wasn’t right about him, didn’t I?”
Gil flinched but nodded. “You were right. He was a bad man.”
“He was mean.” She scuffed her blue sneaker into the floor. “I-I’m glad he’s not alive anymore.”
“Me too.” Gil squeezed his eyes shut for a second before opening them again. “I agree that Uncle Jeffrey was bad, but Justin is one of the good guys. Look at him. You’ll see.”
Olive pursed her lips suspiciously, eyeing up Justin. “I dunno.” She traced his face, his chest, his legs, and back to his eyes. Her head cocked as if deliberating. “I don’t think I want you as my weird godfather, but you can be my friend...I guess.”