Rekindling Tradition

Chapter Twenty-Eight: You Seek Help

Disclaimer: All characters and settings are purely fictional. If there are any similarities to real people or places, it is merely coincidental. The plot is written by me and not copied from any other writer.

********** Chapter Twenty-Eight **********

The Bradshaws never fail in making a profit from a scandal. Or for my situation, making a scandal into a charitable event. My mother was hosting her first annual Tyrus K. Bradshaw Scholarship Fund. It was designed for children with exceptional athletic abilities who needed the means to attend schools that would aid in their academic and athletic growth. The scholarship fund was a great idea and cause, but it was frustrating dealing with my parents capitalizing on my son. 

Ty seemed to be unbothered by the entire scene. He was dressed handsomely in his little suit and was smiling at his grandparents as if they were the greatest people in the world. Tallia and Lucas Bradshaw loved their grandson more than their own children. While Tyrus was the star of the charity event, Zaria and I were nothing more than rejects in our parents' eyes by the bar. 

"Grandchildren are our replacements," Tatum remarked, taking a sip of champagne. He pointed in the direction of his parents, who were feeding little Tayla with all of their attention. Even Tatum's wife, Emily couldn't steal a moment from her daughter. 

"I don't mind being replaced by Ty. He seems to have a better handle on our parents than Theo and I ever did," Zaria joked. It was partially true. Ty didn't mind the eccentrics of his grandparents. However, he was still young and didn't understand his grandparents' obsession with image, money, and reputation. 

"You think they just wake up every morning thinking of ways to make money?" I asked, watching my mother kiss Ty's cheeks. She was the happiest to learn of Ty's existence. She was hurt about missing out on so many significant years of his life, but she was the happiest grandmother. She had it all, a grandson to carry on the Bradshaw name. She needed nothing else. 

"I think the thought never leaves their minds," Zaria answered. She sent a smile to our mother, who signaled for her to come over. Zaria sighed frustratedly. Recently, Tallia Bradshaw's mission was to remarry her daughter. Guessing from the man standing next to our mother, she was about to introduce Zaria to a prospect. Zaria turned to Tatum, grabbing his champagne glass and swallowing it in one gulp. 

"If I'm not back in ten minutes, rescue me," she ordered before adjusting her dress and fixing a fake smile on her face. Tatum chuckled at her. 

"So, how's dealing with a baby mother?" Tatum asked, teasing me. 

"Haha! It's shit."

Tatum held back his laughter, "How so?"

I sighed, "How do you cooperate with a woman who has raised a child by herself for seven years?"

Tatum scoffed, "It's not just her. That's women in general when it comes to their kids. The moment you implanted that baby in her, you were fucked."

"I didn't even know I did it," I shook my head, snickering at the irony of it all. 

"How are you and Scott these days? The media paints a pretty picture, but if I remember correctly, Scott left you dry before graduation."

I smirked, "Sex is fucking amazing. Everything else, not so much." I frowned, thinking of Rylee with Dean. She really believed I would let her fuck with Dean while being my woman. Now she wanted to withhold sex? I feel like my feelings were justified. I have a right to be angry at her. Why should we deny ourselves the pleasure of each other because I'm angry at what she did to me?

"Why isn't shit good between you? Last I check, the two of you were in love during high school. Now that she's back, you should be happy right?" Tatum questioned, grabbing another glass of champagne from the tray of a passing server.

"She ran away from me and kept Ty away from me," I stated matter a factly. 

Tatum shrugged, "Ok? She did it for your career. You wanted to be a football player. You are one."

I frowned deeper, "I never asked her to make that choice for me."

"You didn't. But you never considered what she gave up to allow your dreams to be a reality. You seriously think if Rylee told you that she was pregnant eight years ago, you would be playing football right now? Uncle Lucas would have dragged your ass into Brad & Co. Before you could put on a helmet," Tatum explained. My father would have wasted no time in capitalizing on me knocking Rylee up. The responsibility of the Bradshaw company would have rested on my shoulders with the weight of fatherhood and marriage. 

"I'm not saying Scott made the best move. I'm saying she made the best one for you," Tatum stated. It was the best move for me. I would have hated my life being confined to the company at such a young age. I would have come to spite her for not taking her birth control even though I shouldn't have acted so irresponsibly by having unprotected sex. 

My eyes met with my son's. He was the best thing between Rylee and me. And yet, every time I looked at him, I feel regretful for missing out on his life. Sure Rylee made a decision that benefited me, but I couldn't help thinking about our son. I couldn't stop thinking about how he cried in my arms because he thought I didn't want or loved him. After all, I wasn't there. 

"How do I even move on from something like this?" I asked unaware I was speaking aloud. 

"You get help," Tatum replies, surprising me. I turn to him, seeing him clearly for the first time. There was an aura of calmness around him. It was much different than I'd last seen him. He was a mess back then. His marriage was on the rocks, and it seemed like he couldn't find his way. 

"We weren't raised with the kind of love that they need," Tatum said, pointing to his wife. He took a large gulp of the champagne and discarded the glass. He sighed before continuing, "We were raised to live a lavish lifestyle filled with responsibility and honor to our names. So when women like Emily and Rylee walk into our lives, we don't know what to do with the love they hand us. We self-destruct and hurt them in the process."

There was so much truth in his words. Love wasn't a significant factor in our lives. Sure, we knew our parents loved and cared for us, but we grew up understanding our Bradshaw reputation was more significant than anything else. Rylee loved freely. She loved without a single thought of what could go wrong. She gave in to her emotions and offered herself to me. And me? I always held back. In high school, I was afraid of losing her. I loved her as if she would walk away from me at any moment. Now, I loved her with limits. If what I felt could even be called love. 

"The only thing that can help you figure out what is that you and Rylee have is seeking professional help. I'm seeing a therapist now, and it's helped Emily and me. We're not where we want to be, but we're so much closer to it," Tatum admits. He offers me a glass of champagne, and I accept it. 

Maybe what I needed was professional help. If I needed to get past everything with Rylee, I needed to get the assistance I needed. If not for me, for Ty. He deserved wholesome and happy parents. As a father, I owed him.