(Complete) Joe Walch was in love with the girl of his dreams. Everything was perfect until it all changed...
Ella Burke had a wonderful family, a job she loved and a man she was completely in love with until her dreams were shattered.
Can Ella lear...
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She came in and immediately pleaded with Caleb. "I'm so sorry!"
Then she turned to Joe. "Mr. Walch, it was all my fault. I wasn't supposed to be driving anyone else."
Joe wanted to say so many things, but before he could Alexa's father introduced himself as Sean. "My wife and I had gone out last night. We didn't realize Caleb was coming over never mind she was going to take the car across town to her friend's house. If we had known..."
"I thought he was at your house all night."
As if on cue, Alexa pulled Caleb's phone out of her pocket and handed it to him. Joe had been duped and he wondered how many nights had he looked at his phone thinking that Caleb was someplace he wasn't.
Sean seemed to understand Joe's confusion. "How about a cup of coffee? I think we can trust them here."
Once settled at a table in the hospital's cafe, Joe said, "I thought he was friends with Gaby. I didn't know about Alexa. I feel like a fool."
"She was nervous about facing you. Apparently, it was decided, because she's in your class. I didn't know about the secrets. Caleb started hanging around my stepdaughter, Gaby, but she is a fickle girl and dropped him. Alexa befriended him. The girls couldn't be more opposite. Gaby, I fear will be pregnant before she graduates. Meanwhile, Alexa is normally a rule follower. I can't even blame Caleb, because she told me he tried to talk her out of it.'
"No one told me... were they drinking?"
"No, Alexa runs track. She can't do any of that or she'll be off the team. With practice and meets she really only has time to hang around with friends on Friday and Saturday. She had never had Caleb over on a weeknight before. It isn't my job to chaperone Gaby, but I do Alexa and have enjoyed having Caleb in my house. Alexa's mother left her with me in the divorce, and I think the two of them have the lack of mothers and abandonment in common."
"But your daughter has you and I know she's a good student." Joe reassured him.
"Yes, and Caleb has you."
"And he resents me for making him come home at eleven."
"He never complained, besides I have never invited him to stay longer. I think I was remiss in not touching base with you sooner. I didn't know Caleb was keeping secrets. I should have stepped up after all I've been a parent a lot longer."
Joe laughed. "That's the problem. I'm not a parent. I'm a brother trying to muddle through."
Sean sighed. "I'm in the insurance business. I will need to give you all my information. Unfortunately, my insurance will be responsible for all of Caleb's medical bills."
Joe looked at him. "None of it had even crossed my mind." Sean nodded and Joe said, "I'd like to get back upstairs."
Alexa still looked guilty. "Don't worry I know it was Caleb who worked hard keeping me in the dark. No matter what happens, I'm not going to treat you any different in the classroom."
