Save Me 18+ Sequel to Protect Me✔️

Chapter 2 Paying It Forward ✔️

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Thankfully, the nightmares have ended, at least for now. So to distract myself and get back to being productive, I bury myself in work.

Actually, all of us do.

Maddox had called with a new assignment and said that it was a good transitional one. Seeing how I have been somewhat out of the swing of things for the last several months, this assignment is a perfect way for me to ease back in.

Today, the three of us are going to do a seminar. Yeah, it's way different than normal, but it will give me a chance to refocus my energy and hopefully provide some people my age with the knowledge to help keep themselves safe.

I stand outside on the porch, waiting for Drew to come back and for River to head through the yard from his house so that we can leave.

"I am glad to see that you are ready to get back to work." River says, putting his arm over my shoulders.

"Me too; I can't keep sitting in the house waiting for something bad to happen. I need this, and maybe we can use what we've all learned over the past few years to actually keep others from going through it."

"You have the biggest heart of anyone I know, sis."

"So, how do you think Darlene and Ryland are going to hold up while we are all gone for the weekend?"

"Well, Ryland cried when I tried to walk out the door this morning. He grabbed ahold of my leg, screaming, 'Daddy, don't go'."

"Oh my God, that's too cute." I gush.

"Cute? No, Sky, it wasn't cute; it broke my heart. Do you know how hard it was not to just throw my bags down and stay put?"

"Aww, tough guy, River! You've gone soft!" I tease playfully. "Did you cry?" 

His face flushes slightly as he tries to cover it with his hand.

"Oh my God, you did!" I giggle.

"Shut up!"

"No! It's sweet! I love how amazing you are with him. You are such a great dad."

I can see a shimmer in his eye when I say it; he straightens his back, standing a bit taller, proud.

River is a huge badass; he is as tough as nails and has taken down more bad people in the last three years than most seasoned policemen do in their entire career, but when it comes to being a dad, that is where he is truly at his best.

Maybe it is the way we were raised or all of the shit we have gone through, but there is nothing that looks better on him or makes him more proud than being a father to his son.

We may have been cheated out of having a role model dad, but that is something none of us ever have to worry about with Ryland.

"Well, what about Darlene? What is she doing this weekend while we are away?"

"She invited Mrs. Debbie up to stay with her and Ry; I think she was glad to be rid of me for a few days, to be honest." He laughs jokingly, I think.

The two of them have what most people would call a picture-perfect marriage. Just like with me and Drew, their differences, combined with their goofy personalities, make them a perfect match.

Despite my initial thoughts and impressions of her, Darlene and I are extremely close, and she has helped solidify an important lesson in me, that first impressions aren't always right, and what we see on the surface isn’t always the truth.

"Oh, Lord, you may come back home to an entirely redecorated house." I laugh.

"Yeah, and a half a dozen new flowerbeds." He chuckles. "Say, where the hell is that no good husband of yours?"