Not Even Death Can Keep Us Apart

Chapter Thirty Four: Enough Parental Control

Buck sighed sadly as he drove around for what felt like hours. Little Ophelia was asleep in her car seat, and all the emotion Buck felt finally came crashing around him like that tsunami years ago. He felt as if his brain was drowning in his own spiral self-worth. He finally stood up for himself and for the love of his life, and his family. But god they did a number on Buck's self-worth. He knew he should've stayed, he should've fought more and harder. He shouldn't have left Eddie alone to handle his own parents. But what if Eddie's parents were right? Because they weren't the first people to say Buck was terrible for Eddie and Christopher. They weren't the first people to say that Buck was going to drag them down. And what hurt worse, Buck was hopeful. He wanted to know what it felt like to be loved by a family, and he had hope in Eddie's parents. He really did. He hoped that some family would accept him for him, because he knew his own parents definitely didn't. But that shattered all around him, and he thought it would be best if he left. He didn't want Eddie to lose everyone because Buck was is in the picture. He wanted Eddie and Christopher to have their family, he wanted them to be happy. Even if that meant shattering his own heart so they didn't have to feel the pain that Buck felt when his own family rejected him. Buck was the reason Eddie's parents weren't happy, not because Eddie was dating a man. They hated Buck, not the fact that Eddie liked a man. It was only him. The more he spiraled, the more his heart broke. And he wanted Eddie to be happy, he wanted Eddie to have his family.

Buck didn't know where he was going, he just kept driving. He sighed and wiped his eyes from the fallen tears, trying to choke back the lump in his throat. After a little while, Buck finally realized he needed to get out of the car. It wasn't fair to Ophelia either.

He called Maddie, and she answered on the second ring, "Hello?"

"Mads.. uhm.. what are you doing?" Buck asked, trying to not give away the fact he has been crying. Maddie instantly caught onto it though because his voice betrayed him.

"Nothing really. Chimney took Jee to see her Uncle Albert. Albert has been wanting to see Jee for a while now, we all just been so busy. I didn't go because I had a rough call, and I wanted to decompress after that stressful call. Now I am just sitting here doing nothing. Want to come over?" Maddie asked.

"I-... I .. please?" Buck stumbled at first.

"Come on over then Buck!" Maddie exclaimed.

"I have Ophelia," Buck said.

"That is okay Evan. Sounds like you need someone to talk to," Maddie said softly.

"Okay, I will be there soon.." Bucks said softly as he hung up the phone. He turned himself around and made his way to his sister's house.

It didn't take too long, he wasn't too far from her house. He pulled into her driveway with a sad sigh. Before he could talk himself out of it, he got out of the jeep. He gently grabbed Ophelia out of her car seat, who whimpered for a second before falling back asleep in Buck's arms, and walked up to the door. He stood for a moment again, lost in deep thought if he should even go in. Maddie smiled as she opened the door and saw her brother standing outside with his daughter in his arms. Maddie looked into Buck's eyes and the sadness in them broke her heart, and she sighed as she opened the door to let him in.

"I went ahead and set up the pack n play for her when you called," Maddie said softly as Buck walked inside.

"Thank you," he whispered. He walked to the pack n play, setting her down gently. She stirred for a moment until she got comfortable, then she fell right back asleep. Buck smiled down at his daughter, staring at her softly. Buck walked to the kitchen where Maddie was, and leaned against the counter. She offered a beer, which he politely declined. She gave him a glass of water instead.