Seein' Red (Dustin Lynch FanFic)

Smiles

Dustin’s POV

It’s been a long week of hard work filled with pain, sweat and of course tons of laughs. I just got out of bed and went to the bathroom as Sarah was still sleeping soundly with Grant in the same spot, the middle. I was getting ready to get back in bed when I heard something downstairs. I checked the time and it was only a bit after six in the morning. I grabbed my phone and Sarah’s jacket I’ve been wearing since her little backset a week ago, and headed downstairs. I turned round the corner and saw my dad standing with some orange juice in his hand looking outside.

“Hey pops, what you doing up so early?” I asked as I leaned against the kitchen island.

He turned around and leaned against the sink, “ohh just needed a drink, smiles.” I just kinda laughed as he used my childhood nickname, ever since I was 5 when I got my first BB gun.

“Pops can I talk with you?” I asked, looking at my feet.

“Sure smiles what’s up?” Asking me as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and we headed to the outside patio. He stopped at the fridge first and got in the bottom drawer and grabbed two beers.

He gave one to me and I accepted it even though it’s early and he asked, “Is this about Sarah?”

“Why do you think that?” I asked as we sat down outside.

“One, I am your father and you brought a girl and her son for a week and you haven’t talked to me yet. Two, you’ve been wearing her jacket and I can tell how much you love her and three, I see you and the little one gettin along so well,” he said taking a sip and looking at me.

At first I couldn’t find the words to speak but I managed, “I do Sarah is amazing but I am finding it hard to help her with her past. I need help cause the date Austin sacrificed his life to save Grant is coming up.”

“Well son to be honest I think you just need to be there for her and give her space. Like if she time away from you then let her have it because she loves you but she loved him. It’s hard to move on and she is slowly moving on but she will never forget him, okay?” he took a drink and continued, “Just be by her side and help her make that day a better day then it has been.”

“Pop, I get you and thanks for the advise but I feel something is going to happen and she is going to push me away or something,” I said taking a few drinks.

“Smiles, do you remember how you got the nickname smiles?” He said moving to face me.

“Ya I do but how does that mean anything?” I said looking at him desperate for help.

He took a deep breath and started, “Well you were four and I took you bird hunting with me and you have such a great time. You ran and got the ones I shot and by the end of the day you were exhausted and yet you smiled. Then I knew you were ready for your first gun, and you were all smiles. So I got you your B.B. gun for your fifth birthday, you was shooting it and all and you really wanted to actually go hunting and I wouldn’t let you. You was upset with me and didn’t talk to me for a while but I let you have your space and you worked it out. When you got older you was able to not get upset as much as you did the first few times I said no.”

I sat in silence thinking of what my father just said and I took a drink and a deep breath before speaking, “Thanks pop, what would I do without your wisdom. I am still worried but I feel a lot better.”

“I love you so much Smiles,” he said smiling.

“Me too pops,” I said as we sat in silence as we drank. We finished our drinks and by then it was 7 so I decided to go back upstairs.

I stopped just outside of the door as Sarah and Grant are in the other side sleeping. My mind was running a million miles and hour and I couldn’t stop thinking, worried but I had to focus on Sarah and I together. I opened the door slowly and quietly shut it behind me. Walking over to the bed I crawled in and pulled Grant close as I slid closer to Sarah. I tried to go to sleep but for a while I couldn’t stop seeing Sarah upset, what should I do? Should I do anything? I didn’t know but I decided I had one thing to do when I got home.

Sarah’s POV

I stated to move around and I slowly managed to open my eyes and what I saw was priceless. Dustin had Grant pulled right against his chest with his arm around him. I grabbed my phone, checked the time and saw I had a text from Erik asking for my return because he was short handed. I got out of bed and when I did Dustin stirred I froze but he had already opened his eyes and he was looking at me.

“Hey Reag,” he said, his voice deep from sleep.

“Morning Dustin,” I said as he got out of bed but Grant was still sound asleep.

Dustin walked towards me and he puts his hand on my left cheek and said, “I love you so much Sarah.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and he wrapped his around my waist and we stood there with our foreheads touching, looking into each other’s eyes.

Dustin kissed me, “what’s that,” he asked as he pointed to the small ink sticking out of the collar of my shirt.

“Well that’s the other tattoo I said I had,” I said remembering the day I got it.

“Could I see it?” He asked touching my shoulder were the tattoo hid.

“I don’t see why not,” I said walking to the bathroom. Once he stepped in I shut the door and I started to take my shirt off but Dustin stopped me.

He grabbed my arms and said “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“It’s okay,” I said, “how else could you see it?”

“Okay,” he said as he let go. I took me shirt off and Dustin immediately looked at my tattoo, which was pretty big but I usually had it covered. It was a larger hand holding a small hand, and on the back of the larger hand had Austin’s full name, Austin Grant Kershaw. On the smaller hand was Grant's full name, Grant Bartholomew Reagan.

“I love that Reag,” he said touching Austin’s name, and then Grants. I could feel his touch on my skin and I started thinking of Austin and so I started to cry.

Dustin saw me start to cry and he reached up wiping the tears away, “baby it’s okay.” He then started to hug me and I just fell into his arms completely losing it. Dustin sat on the floor and I just sat on his lap with my face in Dustin’s neck. I just sat there till I started to calm down and we heard Grant get up. I got up and Dustin did too and I hugged him tight. Dustin kissed me and kissed my forehead before grabbing my shirt and helping me put it on.

“Stay here and I’ll take care of Grant,” he said kissing me again before leaving.