Into the Crowd. ✔

CHAPTER 20

I was sitting on the bench seat outside the closed door waiting on Maddie. I know everything she said had no meaning. She was scared and hurt and frankly I don't blame her reaction, not one bit, but it doesn't mean what she said didn't hurt, it did. I will never leave not even when she begs me to. Never again. I know she has ten years with Taylor more than me and I had merely three months, but it doesn't mean I love her less. It pains me to see her like this. I want nothing more than for Taylor to get better, but time was running out, I knew that. I sit there with my elbows on my knees, my head to the floor when I saw a pair of sneakers stop between my legs. A tear slipped down my cheek before my arms circles her waist. Resting my head on her stomach. Her hands started to run through my hair and I breathed a sigh of relief at her loving touch.
"I'm so sorry." I hear her voice vibrating through her skin.
"You're here now." I say pressing I kiss against her shirt.
"I was such an idiot."
"You're scared."
"I am." I lifted my head looking into her green eyes.
"Come on. Let's to back in there, she needs us now more than ever." She nods and pulled me up. Her hands tightening around mine when we walked back in.

*
Two days has passed without any signs of change or any news that will bring us any sense about what to do next. I have no idea how they were able to revive her, not with the weak heart muscles. That was not suppose too happen, she should be dead right now, but here she is, alive. A miracle before my eyes. The doctors and nurses come and go. Ezra, Drew and Charlie was staying at our house for the time being.
Maddie was talking on her cellphone while I was play a few chords on the guitar while I sit beside Taylor's bed, but both of us didn't hear the door open. I look up from where I was sitting and stared directly at Graham and Rebecca, Maddie's parents coming into the room like they have done it before.
"What are you doing here?" I ask, getting up and walking up to Graham, ready for a confrontation or maybe another blow to the face if it comes to it.
"Where not here to fight, boy. We're here for our granddaughter."
"No fighting please. Not in front of our daughter. She's been through enough." Maddie comes up from behind, keeping me at bay with her hand on my shoulder. I look over to Graham and he nods, understanding what she was asking of us. I step aside and let them pass, still keeping an eye on them.
"Madison, is there any news about a transplant?" Rebecca asks while running her hair through her granddaughter’s hair. Maddie shook her head.
"I'll make a few calls." Graham says pulling his phone out of his tailored suit pants, but Maddie stopped him before he could do anything.
"Father no, I just got off the phone, there is nothing.” Maddie stops him with her hand, but I pull her away from him and into my arms. Graham sighed and joined his wife beside the bed, but his eyes keeps roaming towards me where I held onto his daughter.
"What are you really doing here? Radio silence for nearly three months and now you are suddenly here when my daughter is laying in a hospital bed, hooked up to machines that's keeping her alive?" Graham sighs and took a seat on the vacant chair. He sat there running his hands through his gray-black hair.
"For decades I've been in control of this family. For almost thirty years I have wanted what was best for you and your mother, Madison. I know I have never been the father you deserve, nor the grandfather to your daughter. I have done many things in my life. I have controlled, I have blackmailed. I won't deny that, but what I did to you would always be my biggest regret, whether you believe me or not.
"What are you saying?" Maddie spoke. I was now sitting on the edge of the bed looking between each one of them, keeping my mouth shut for once.
"I know I can never ask for forgiveness, because there is too much to forgive to ask for forgiveness. These last three months has made me realize that it’s time to come clean, about everything I have done. I am ashamed for the man I am and I should be grateful that your mother stood by me for so long.” He looks at his wife, smiling while squeezing her hand. He even looks… humble?
"This is not a good time, Graham." I mumble from where I sat.
"No, this is something I need to get off my chest. All you have to do is listen and we will be out of your hair." He says, which works for me.
"It all started twelve years ago. I paid Sarah and John Boweman two million dollars to take you and your brother out of the city and out of my daughter's life. What I didn't expect was how they would take the money for themselves and disappear without their two sons."
"You son of a bitch!" I jumped up ready to jump him, but Maddie was there just as my fingertips touched his shirt, he didn’t even flinch. All these years I thought they left us because they didn't want us. Turns out it was true, but it came with a chunk load of money.
"Josh! Let him finish, please." She stops me with a hand on my chest.
"I thought that it would make you leave her, but when that didn’t work I made other plans, solid ones. Ones I could control... After high school it was always the plan to send her away, far away from this city. Then we found out about the pregnancy and that became the perfect leverage I could have against her. What we… what I didn't expect was the accident. The thought of losing my only daughter nearly killed me. Then the perfect moment happened. Josh thought she was dead and her memory loss? That was the perfect opportunity to get you out of her life. The survival of the pregnancy was a surprise though… I blackmailed Veronica and Marcus Fuller, Victoria's parents. Victoria walked in on a conversation I had with your mother about how we will send you to London and let Josh believe that you died that day in the crash. Of course she told her parents. Marcus made bad investments months prior. They were about to lose everything. So we made a deal of silence then I would pay of their dept and they get to keep their house and vehicles.” He got up and started to pace the small room.
"What I didn't count on was a possible reunion." He points between us.
"Why are you coming clean? Why now, after all this time?" I ask him, carefully keeping my distance. He stops pacing, digging his hands into his pockets.
"Three months ago I was diagnosed with stage three lung cancer. I don't have much time." Maddie gasps as stunned silence filled the room.
How?" Maddie whispers in shock.
"Smoking in secret for nearly fifty years would do that to a man." He laughs at himself.
"Why didn't you say anything before?" I chipped in and he stops laughing, watching me in earnest.
"Honestly? I didn't think you would care." He says to both of us. True, but I saw the look on Maddie's face.
"Not care? You might be the worse father in all the history, but you’re still my blood." I hear Maddie say.
"I know we will never have the father and daughter relationship, but I needed to come clean before I die."
"Don't say that. There must be something they can do.” She mutters, not sure if he heard her at all.
"No." For the first time Rebecca joined the conversation.
"Your father and I have been talking. From now on we want to get to know you Madison and hopefully you as well Josh." She looks at me with a sadness I have never seen in her eyes since I have known Rebecca Price.
"Please keep us informed about Taylor." Graham said before he helped Rebecca to her feet as they get ready to leave.
"Okay.” I saw the strain in Graham as he pulled Rebecca to her feet. I didn't know what to say. A mixture between anger and relief, but the despicable things he has done to keep me away from Maddie trumps it all. And the worse thing of all? It worked and I could only shake my head. He walks up to me, for a moment I thought he was going to say something like," I’m pulling your leg" or “Gotcha” but what I didn’t expect was for him to reach out, holding out his hand for me to shake. I look down at it and then at him. From close you could really see the circles around his gray eyes. Slowly but surely I lifted my hand to his. He takes it, but then he stepped closer to whisper something in my ear.
"Take care of my baby girl…" Then they were gone.

*