Wounded Hearts

Chapter Four

Penelope ran quickly from Ronan's truck and jumped into her grandpa's waiting arms. Bruce swung her around and kissed her tiny nose before setting her back down.

"How was school?" he asked his granddaughter. Other than her grey eyes, looking at Penelope was like looking at Amelia when she'd been that age.

"Good." Penelope replied twirling one of her pigtails with her hand. "I have a boyfriend." she added happily. Bruce bit back a laugh when he saw the protective gleam enter Ronan's eyes.

"What's his name?" Bruce asked Penelope.

"Dead man walking." Ronan muttered as he grabbed Penelope's suitcase and handed it to Bruce.

"No, daddy, that's not his name!" Penelope said stomping her tiny sandal clad foot on the gravel driveway. "His name is Josh."

"That's nice, baby girl." Bruce said patting her on the head. "Aunt Abigail was here earlier today and she baked some cookies. You oughta go in there and see if you can find them." Penelope laughed and ran as fast as her tiny legs could carry her up into the house.

"What are your plans for the weekend?" Bruce asked as he leaned against Ronan's truck. Ronan wiped some dirt off his jeans and shrugged.

"Don't have any." he replied.

"You need to go out and have some fun. I would swear sometimes that you are older than I am."

"What exactly do you think I should do?" Ronan asked irritably. Bruce sighed.

"Go to 'Jimmies', drink a little, dance a little. Just let loose and have a good time for a couple of hours."

"No I don't want to go to 'Jimmies'." Ronan replied quickly as he shoved his hand through his messy hair. Bruce sighed.

"Why?" he asked though he already knew the answer. Ronan and Amelia had gone to Jimmies a lot before Penelope had been born and Ronan had been avoiding that place, and every other place that reminded him of Amelia, for the last two years.

"You know why." Ronan growled as jerked open the driver door and hopped inside. Bruce sighed and leaned against the driver door, laying his arms on the open window.

"You need to start living again, Ronan." he said matter of factly. "I miss her too. Hell she was my little girl. My baby. But life has to go on." Ronan felt the tears stinging his eyes but he fought to hold them back as he stared out through the windshield at the many willow trees blowing in the light breeze.

"I'm alive, Bruce." he said quietly. Bruce shook his head.

"No you're not. You go to work, you come home, you go to sleep and then you get back up in the morning and do it all over again."

"What are you a fucking therapist?" Ronan demanded in an attempt to cover up his pain with anger.

"No I'm not a therapist but I love you like a son, Ronan. You need to start living again for your daughter. She is going to notice that her daddy is never happy."

"I am a damn good father." Ronan argued. Bruce nodded.

"Yes you are and Penelope loves you but one day she is going to notice that you aren't happy. Is that the kind of role model you want to be for your daughter? Do you want to teach her to stick her head in the sand when life deals her a painful blow instead of going on with her life and doing her best to be happy?"

"I'm fine, Bruce." Ronan said trying his best not to lose his temper with the older man. He knew that Bruce was just trying to look out for him.

"No you're not." Bruce argued gently. "You used to be fun loving. You used to joke and have a good time. You were always laughing." Ronan swiped angrily at his face with the back of his hand as a tear found its way down his cheek.