Page 87 of Absolution

“It’s okay, love. We’re going home, and everything is going to be alright. I often wondered if you’d recognize the old me, but now I know, it’s just me before and after.”

A few hours later, I pull into the driveway at my parent’s home. I haven’t a clue what I’m going to say, I hope something takes over, and it rolls out, so I don’t have to think anymore.

I step from my SUV, turning to the dimly lit house. Doc climbs out from behind me, clinging to my side. My feet move faster the closer I get to the door; I don’t even knock.

I hurry through, announcing myself as I walk in. “Mom? Dad? I’m home. Dear God, I’m home.”

Crawford turns the corner, stopping short of me. He searches my eyes, waiting for me to go on, or say something more. Kathryn leans around him, staring at me for a split second before bum-rushing me.

“Thank you, Heavenly Father! My baby is home!” Her arms wrap around me, hugging me so tightly she steals my breath away. As if of their own accord, I enfold her into mine.

“Yeah, Mom. I am finally home.” I’m brought to my knees with her cries, as they echo throughout the house, sending me reeling with my own. My heart hammers in my chest, pumping my blood through my body like a freight train.

I glance at my dad, he stands just to the side of us, his hand clasped on his mouth, muffling his sobs. I reach for him, offering him a lifeline to join us. He grasps hold of it, and I pull him to us.

We stand in their foyer, holding one another like this for the longest time. Finally, I know they have questions, and I don’t have time to answer them all, but I know I have to try.

Dad steps back, drying his face on his handkerchief. “What happened?”

“Scarlet.” I drop my head, shaking more memories free as I do. I can’t count how many times a day I thought of her, now she’s all I can think of day and night.

“She had something to do with this?” Mom tilts her head, wiping her face on her shirt.

“Oh, Mom. Let’s get you some tissues.” I take her hand, dragging her toward the kitchen with Dad hot on our heels. Kathryn yanks down a handful of paper towels, using them instead.

Dad drops into the chair beside me. “I don’t understand, how did Scarlet help? Did you have a dream or flashback?”

“You might want to strangle me, but I’m gonna have to leave most of it until I can get back here, I need to go find her. I messed up, bad.”

“Not until you give us at least a clue of what happened!” Mom takes my hand, and for the first time in two years, I don’t flinch. She smiles, and a warm feeling builds in my chest.

“Long story, short.” I squeeze my eyes closed, not wanting to see their faces when I hit them with everything. Hey, I’m still their kid. “We dated in college, I asked her to marry me and promised to introduce you all. Then, I joined the SEAL’s without talking to anyone, even her.”

Scarlet took it as well as she could, and continued getting her degree in veterinarian medicine. Every time we had it planned for her to meet y’all, she had school, or I would be deployed, it made it hard to get y’all together.”

“Finally, I promised her that when I got back from the last mission, I would make it happen during one of her visits to see me. By then, she was pregnant, and I didn’t exactly return.”

“Creed,” mom’s hand clutches her throat.

I nod. “Yes, Emmie’s our child. You have a granddaughter, and Scarlet was so alone, she truly didn’t know what to do.”

“Craw…” mom reaches for Dad, their hands clasp. “I told you.”

“What?” I gape at them, my head nearing an explosion from so much information coming at once.

He smiles wide. “The minute Kathryn saw her; she knew she was yours.”

“How in the hell didn’t I see it?” I scrub my hand over my face, thinking of every time I looked into Emmie’s eyes.

“You couldn’t even see yourself and recognize who you were. It’s no one’s fault, I’m just thankful for fate.”

I rub the center of my chest as my heart aches for them. Of course, my parents would see what I couldn’t. There’s a switch that flips automatically when you’re a parent, your heart knows theirs.

“I truly hate saying this, but I need to go; I have to try and salvage this. I love them, I want them to know it but more than that, I need them to feel the love they’ve missed for so long.”

“We’ll be here.” Dad pulls me into a hug, slapping me on the back when he’s done.

Mom walks around the counter to me. “When you can, we’d love to meet our Emmie and Scarlet.”