BLACK CAT.✔

Chapter Sixty-Eight

"I'll wait out here for you."

Becky could see her father sitting on a chair in the far corner of the recreation room. She lifted her eyes from the small glass window in the locked door to look up at Michael Jarvis.

"He probably wouldn't appreciate having a policeman in the room," Michael said as he smiled. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Becky nodded. "I'm okay. He just looks so... so... lost."

Michael focused on the man dressed in hospital clothes, sitting very still staring at the floor. He'd seen this look many times over his years in the force. "He's flat. It happens. Once the drugs have left the system it leaves a person..." He shrugged. "Flat. Empty. I've always believed drugs steal a person's soul, leaving them with nothing but an empty shell which resembles a body." Michael gave Becky a hug. "If he can beat this, his soul will come back, Becky, but he has to do it himself. Find the strength. A hard thing to do, when a person is so far gone."

She nodded and wiped a tear from her eye. "I'm ready."

The orderly unlocked the door and stood just inside the room and said, "It's okay, hun. Just go over. He's calm."

Becky smiled. She glanced at the small glass panel, gave Michael a wave, turned to face her father, and then took a step. Becky lifted her foot and let it fall slowly back to the floor, her sandal just barely making a sound. As she lifted her other foot, Jared Bridgestone looked up. He heaved his body from the chair as Becky took her third step. She felt as if she was in a dream and every step she took was taking her to another world, which was blurred and muddled. Her father gave her a weak smile and held his unsteady hand out toward her.

"Dad." Becky took his hand. She wanted to cry but held back her tears. He looked so pale and afraid. Fragile. "Sit down, Dad." She encouraged him onto the chair and dragged the empty seat closer. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm sorry, Becky." Jared covered his face. "I'm so sorry I hurt you." He gripped her hand as his body trembled.

"It's okay. I'm okay, Dad. I know you didn't mean it." Becky put her free hand on his back. She didn't know what to do. She had never seen her father so vulnerable.

He slid to the floor, kneeled in front of her and laid his head on her lap. "Please forgive me, Becky."

Becky swallowed the large lump in her throat and let her tears spill over onto her cheeks. "I know you didn't mean to hurt me, Dad. I know it was the drugs but if you don't want to do it again you have to stop." She ran her hand over his head. "You have to get help, Dad. You have to stop taking drugs, because one day you might really hurt me or Linc or maybe someone else." She felt him nod into her lap, and then he raised his head and held her with earnest eyes.

"I'm gonna do better. I'm gonna try. For you and Linc." Jared dragged in a lungful of air. "I've never been a good father. Your mother. She... what she tried to do... I was weak then. Now I'm worse than she was." He wiped his hand over his face. "I'm so fucked up, Becky. But while I'm here, while I'm straight, I need you to know... you and Linc to know, that I do love you. I'm so sorry I haven't had the strength to be a good father to you both." Jared gasped and touched her face. "You're beautiful children. Better than I deserve." He smiled sadly as he added, "I'm gonna work out a way so I don't cause you any more pain. I'm gonna sort my problem." He stood and looked down on her, and then bent and kissed the top of her head. "I'm going to fix this, Becky. I promise." Jared pulled her to her feet and embraced her.

Becky pressed her face against his shirt and cried as he held her. "We love you too, Dad. We just don't love your habit."

"I know." Jared sighed. "Thanks for saying that, sweetheart." He cradled her head in both hands and kissed her brow. "You better go now. I'll see you on Monday. I have a hearing for the possession charge but I'll be home after that. Maybe we could have dinner as a family." He smiled again. "You better go." Jared released her and gave her a gentle push. "I'll see you Monday."

"Okay." Becky stepped back. "I'll cook something. Maybe Shepherd's Pie."

"Sounds good, Bubbah. Sounds good." Jared lifted his hand in a wave and nodded at the orderly. He sat down slowly and watched his daughter leave. 

Copyright © 2017 by Donna Fieldhouse. All rights reserved.

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