The Dance Part 2

Chapter 327 Bring Him Back Alive

Gabe sat back on the stairs of the old cabin and surveyed his handiwork. Everything was back in its place. Organized and orderly, with one exception, his life was still in disarray.

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the same picture...himself, Lucy and children. He missed Lucy. He missed her raucous laughter at his corny jokes and bad impressions. He missed the way she hogged the covers at night and he was forced to wrap himself around her to stay warm. He missed just being with her. But he also missed what could have been. He missed the story that he had already written in his mind about he and Lucy and baby Brown.

He struggled with the demons in himself and wondered how Bam overcame what happened to Lila. He thought about how Jill forgave Matt's drinking problems not just once but twice. He recalled Red's story of her attempt at suicide before Bear came into her life. If they could all forgive and move on, he also needed to find that strength in himself. Physically, he was strong as an ox but emotionally, this would be the most difficult obstacle for him to overcome.

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Bear sat in the chair across from his elder brothers. "One of us needs to go and get him. He has been gone almost three days."

"He needs to process this grief in his own way." Bam pushed back from his desk. "Just like I did."

"But this is Gabe. He has never dealt with anything this hard before. I think we need to intervene. Matt?"

Bear looked at Matt waiting for a response. "Look, I agree with you but they need to handle this issue together. It's their relationship."

"I don't agree. None of us has ever lost a child before. This is different. We need them to see the value of what they have....together. The longer this drags out, the harder the reconciliation will be." Bear slammed his hand on the desk. "I can't believe you two are just going to stand on the sidelines. What has happened to your sense of family, of loyalty, or romance?"

"Bear, I don't need a lecture on any of those topics. Both Matt and I have plenty of experience in those trials and tribulations." Bam tossed a stern look at his younger brother.

Bear jumped to his feet. "Fine. If you won't help me then I'll call out the big guns."

Matt responded hastily, "Let's keep Ma and Da out of this."

"Those aren't the big guns I was referring to....I meant Lila and Jill."

Bear stood up and huffed out of the office. "He's not serious, is he?" Matt asked Bam slightly worried. Both brothers knew whenever Jill and Lila were involved, they had better be on the same page.

"Damn it. Go get him. I don't fancy sleeping alone for the next month." Bam motioned to Matt to call Bear back.

Bear smirked as he re-entered the office. "Glad to see we are all on the same page now. Tomorrow. We leave at high tide."

"So what's the plan?" Bam asked.

"No plan. We just drag his sorry ass back on the boat and return him to Lucy." Bear laughed maniacally as he left the office.

Bam threw his hands in the air. "Why wasn't I an only child?"