MANNY©

Chapter 54

Tyler sat in a chair in the corner of the bedroom watching Maddy wearily hold onto a sleeping Sunny in her lap. He focused on the two little girls who sat in Maddy's bed. When they arrived home on U.S. soil, Tyler listened to Avery whisper that his dad had the gun destroyed before they left Thailand. When they arrived at home everyone was so thankful that they were all safe especially Maddy. 

The rest of the family and friends were very surprised to find Maddy with a little girl who kept calling her mama in Thai. Maddy let them all hug her before she saw Kaleb walk up to her. A smiled filled her drained face.  She threw her arms around him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Kaleb didn't panic while he slowly held his big sister.

The other kids threw themselves around their older brother and sister when Maddy heard sobbing. She let them go and turned to see her mama on the floor crying. Maddy walked up to her as she felt her eyes sting. Her tears matched her mama's. The little girl fell against her mother and finally sobbed hard until she couldn't anymore. Everyone felt that they needed to go and give the family a break. They said their goodbyes and knew they would get the details later. Todd and Alyssa took the infant triplets to their house while all the older kids stayed with their parents, Maddy, and Sunny.

Maddy took Sunny into her room while Tyler sat down Rachael to tell her what happened without telling her that he killed Gertie. Rachael felt drained from just listening to her husband go over everything. She knew their daughter would have a tough time healing. Tyler just took Rachael in his arms before she went to bed where Kaleb, Micah, Mackenzie, and Morgan were.

Tyler continued to sit there now watching Maddy stare at him as he stared at her. She looked away to see Sunny finally, deep asleep.  She eased the sweet little girl off her lap before putting a blanket over her.  Maddy carefully got off the bed to walk over to Tyler. His face seemed to have aged since she awoke to see him holding her. "Daddy?" She carefully called him, standing in front of him. "Yes, Maddison?" Tyler said. "You aren't a bad man. You didn't do a bad thing." She told him. "You saved us. You saved me. You saved your little girl, just like I prayed and knew you would. You are my hero. I love you so much ,daddy." She began to quietly cry. Tyler began to feel his throat burn before he began to sob deeply.

Maddy kept crying while standing in front of him, looking like she was scared to move closer to him without his permission. Tyler sensed it causing him to open his arms for her. Maddy rushed into them.  Father and daughter held onto one another and cried harder. "I love you so much,daddy. Thank you. Thank you for fighting for me."She said, in a broken voice. "Thank you for reminding that you are my blood. My baby brothers' blood is part of yours and mine. You are part of me, Kaleb, Morgan, Mac, Micah, and now Sunny."

"I love you so much, Maddy. You're my firstborn in all the ways that matter and count, remember?" He told her, his voice strained. "You are my oldest daughter. My oldest child. I would fight to the death for all my kids. Especially you, sweetie.  I don't know what I would've done if I couldn't find you. That I couldn't get to you. I just don't know." He held his head down and sobbed more. Maddy placed a hand on his shoulder as she watched her dad breakdown finally at what he witnessed when he got to the room. They both held their heads down before they felt hands touch their shoulders. They looked up to see Rachael give a bittersweet smile. She bent down some to pull them closer. As they hugged one another they knew they had a long road ahead of them.