The Winter Soldier's Lost Love

Chapter 5

Colin knew Grace was going to kill him. He'd already accepted his fate. He smiled as he watched Trey once again cannon ball into the pool.

"He's quite good." Melinda said lightly laughing. Colin looked over to his mother who smiled brightly as she watched Trey swimming.

That morning, she called him, and told him that his father had went with friends up to their cabin up north. With his father gone, Colin thought it would be the best chance to introduce Trey to this mother. He figured with Grace gone, this would probably be his only chance. He knew when she found out, she was going to murder him, but at that point he figured he'd be able to talk her down.

"You sure this will be alright with his mother?" Melinda asked and Colin let out a heavy sigh and his mother just chuckled. "I don't blame her for not wanting him here. Your father's behavior was atrocious."

Colin turned back to see Trey floating in the pool on his back as he looked up to the sky.

Melinda looked at the smile on Colin's face as he looked over to his son and she just knew he would be nothing like his own father. She reached over and placed a hand on his and he turned to her.

"I'm sorry."

Colin frowned a bit in confusion. "For what?"

"I didn't stand up to him. In my head I believed him. That it all would help you grow into a strong, independent man. But he was cruel and he was just...he was mean. He was a bully and I should've stood up to him when you couldn't."

Colin turned away, smiling over to Trey who seemed too content in his own little world in the pool. He couldn't imagine ever treating Trey like Thomas treated him. Trey would know that he loved him, he would know that he was proud of him and he would know that there would be nothing in this world he wouldn't do for him.

Melinda began coughing, tearing Colin from his thoughts. He turned to her with concern.

"Mother?"

"I'm fine," she said standing to her feet. "It's probably just time for my medicine. I'll be right back." Colin nervously watched her as she walked into the house.

"Hey dad!" Colin turned to Trey who was now out of the pool, dripping wet as he ran over to him. "Are you coming in?"

"Yeah, just let me—" Colin's phone rang and he slipped it from his pocket to see a number he didn't recognize. He glanced back over to Trey. "Let me take this." Trey nods before running back over to jump in the pool. Colin brought the phone to his ear. "This is Colin."

"Colin, hey, it's me." came Grace's voice.

Colin let out a sigh of relief, actually happy to hear her voice. He turned at the sound of splashing, and suddenly remembered his impending death.

"Gracie, hey, are you alright?"

"At the moment, yes. What about you? How are things there?"

"Good, fine, me and Trey are—" Colin glanced over to Trey who was holding his nose as he dunked his head under the water. "We're hanging in there. I uh, took him swimming today."

"He show you his canon ball?" she chuckled.

"Multiple times, yes." Colin smiled over to the boy. "He's a good swimmer."

"Yeah, I took him to get lessons early on. Wanted him to be prepared." Grace let out a heavy sigh. "I'm glad everything is going good there."

Colin took a seat as he turned away sightly. "What about with you, any closer to finishing whatever it is you're doing?"

"Honestly, not really."