by Nikki Ash
“Hello, ma’am. I’m officer Jim Kelley and these two gentlemen are the ones who showed up to your home to put out the fire. This gentleman, here”—he points to the guy on the right—“pulled you from the fire.” They both give a small nod and smile. “I’m glad to see you’re okay. Is it okay to speak to you in front of everyone?”
Kayla says yes and informs the officer that Liz is Bella’s mom and they all live together.
“Unfortunately, everything in the home was destroyed from the fire. After assessing the situation, we’ve determined the cause of the fire was intentionally started from arsine. We were able to pull up the footage of the security cameras and we have a shot of a guy entering your apartment and leaving, and then entering again. The first time he enters he’s carrying a small can of gasoline. What’s odd, though, is that he’s also the man who saved your daughter.”
As he says this, he glances over at Liz, hoping she can help him figure out the confusion. He hands her a grainy-looking picture and she gasps loudly, dropping to her knees. She looks up at me with such confusion in her eyes and I already know who she’s looking at in that photo. I can feel it in my bones.
She puts her hand out and I take the photo, looking at it closely. I can tell right away it’s my father, and there’s no reason for him to be anywhere near where Liz lives.
“The man in this photo is Marc Cooper. This is my father.”
The police officer must know what Liz, Kayla, and Bentley don’t know yet, that my dad is dead, because he looks at me with a look of sympathy and simply nods his head.
Liz stands and I can see the fire in her eyes. Mama bear is pulling out her claws. The problem is the man she plans to go after for answers is in the morgue.
“Cooper,” she spits out. “Where is your dad at? I want to know what the hell happened. Why was he at my apartment? Why did he torch it and then save my daughter? I don’t even know what to think right now. I need to find him.”
She takes a deep breath before she continues. “If you don’t want to tell me, fine! You want to save the man who could’ve killed Kayla and our daughter? Fine! I’ll find him my damn self.”
As she goes to leave, I grab her arm and spin her around to face me.
“He’s dead, Liz. My dad is dead.”
Nineteen
Liz
Dead. His dad is dead. The man who torched my home, destroyed everything in it, and nearly killed my daughter and best friend, only to turn around and save my daughter, is dead.
I back up against the bed and sit on the edge in shock. I don’t even know what to think or how to feel at this point. This is just one big cluster-fuck. He looks at me with tears in his eyes and I don’t know whether they’re in mourning over his father or the fact that his father almost killed his daughter.
“Did your dad know about Bella?”
He shakes his head. “After I found out you came to see me, I confronted him and we got into a huge fight. I told him I was disowning him and I quit the gym. He blamed you for me leaving the gym. The only thing I can think of is when you left to go to your interview he went in to torch your place. He must not have known you lived with Kayla and have a daughter. Once he realized somebody was in there he must have gone back to save her. Only he didn’t realize Kayla was in there or maybe he couldn’t make it back in. He died from a heart attack caused by smoke inhalation. I’m so sorry, Liz. This is exactly why I didn’t want to be in a relationship or create a family. My life is so fucked up. This is why I told you that you deserve more.”
Bentley walks over to Cooper and gives him a hug, telling him he’s sorry for his loss. “I know you two didn’t get along, but I never thought he was capable of this.”
Cooper doesn’t say anything. I can’t even imagine how he feels right now knowing his father is the one who put our daughter in danger and then saved her.
I walk over, wanting to comfort him. I place my hands on his forearms, but he flinches at my touch. “I’m sorry for your loss. Your father shouldn’t have done what he did, but I’m grateful he made the right choice in the end to save Bella.”
He takes a step back and looks at me with a resigned face. “It’s probably for the best we didn’t tell Bella I’m her father. Neither of you need this in your life. I’m not good for you. I’m sorry.”
As he walks out the door without looking back, I repeat the words he said in my head.
I’m not good for you. I’m sorry.
Those words hit me like a dagger to my heart. I’ve waited for five years for this man, hoping to one day find him, and without even discussing it with me, he makes the decision for both of us to walk out of my life once again. I clutch my hands to my heart in a pointless attempt to ease the pain as I close my eyes, trying to keep the tears that are threatening to release at bay.
The police officer and firemen let us know the report will be available later today to pick up for the renter’s insurance and then excuse themselves.
I look over at Kayla and Bentley and start to cry. Kayla waves me over, and I climb into bed with her. I cry for Cooper and the loss of his father. For Kayla and what she went through, worried sick about my daughter and almost dying while trying to save her. I cry for my daughter who was almost killed by her grandfather, who she’ll never meet. I cry for the man I care about, who doesn’t think he’s worthy of love. When I’m all cried out, I wipe my eyes and sit up, moving back to the bottom of the bed.
“Now what?” I ask Kayla.
She sighs heavily. “It’ll be okay, Liz. We’ll figure it out. We always do.” And I know deep down, she’s right. With Kayla by my side, we can get through anything.
Bentley clears his throat, and we both look over at him. I completely forgot he was even in the room. He gives us a small smile and says, “Why don’t you go back to Bella, and I’ll stay here with Kayla. When they’re both ready to be discharged tomorrow, you girls can come stay at my place. You’ve met Caleb. He lives there with me, but he’s usually working or at the gym. We have a guest bedroom and, although it isn’t huge, we can get a small bed for Bella and it’ll give you a place to sleep until you figure things out.”
I’m so choked up by his generosity, I just nod.
Luckily, Kayla speaks up and thanks Bentley for the both of us. I give Kayla and Bentley a hug and then head back to Bella’s room for the night. I run into Hayley on my way out, but I have a feeling she won’t be needed after all.
* * *
When Bella and Kayla are discharged the following morning, we head over to Bentley and Caleb’s place. It’s a decent sized condo in the heart of downtown Las Vegas.
We walk in and I’m thankful Bella’s old enough to know better than to touch stuff because this apartment is definitely not kid friendly. Bella goes to the couch to find the controller while pouting that there probably won’t be anything good to watch, when Bentley points her in the direction of a stack of movies that’s almost as tall as she is. She squeals in delight as she starts naming every Disney movie known to man. I smile at Bentley and thank him.
“Don’t thank me. Coop came by last night after you left. When he found out you guys were going to be staying here, he went out and bought all that. There are also clothes for you, Kayla, and Bella in the room. He wasn’t sure of your sizes, so he had to guess. He said the receipts are in the bags in case you have to exchange anything. There are some toiletries in the bathroom, and he also bought toys and a bed and sheets for Bella. It’s all in the guest room as well. He bought all types of groceries, which are in the fridge and pantry, since all we had was water and beer. He said if you need anything else to let me know and he’ll make sure to handle it.”
I’m awestruck. For him to go out of his way to make sure we’re taken care of is so thoughtful, yet it’s also saddening because he’s made it clear he doesn’t want to be part of our lives. He most likely bought all this stuff out of guilt for what his father did even though it’s not his fault.
“How is Cooper doing?”
<
br /> “Not good. He and his mom decided to just hold a small funeral instead of something big. He told his mom that his dad didn’t deserve a funeral after what he did, but she insisted they needed to do something. She probably wants Cooper to have some kind of closure. The funeral is in a couple of days. I despise his old man, but I’m gonna go to support Coop. If you need anything, just let me know. I’ll have keys made up while I’m out tomorrow. If you hear somebody coming in late at night it’s probably Caleb. He works security at a club and casino on the strip, so he gets in late.”
With that, he pats Kayla on the shoulder and kisses her cheek then excuses himself to his room.
I know Cooper made it clear he doesn’t want to be part of our lives, but I can’t just let him bury his father and not be there for him. I decide then that I’ll be at that funeral. Not for his dad, but for Cooper. He needs to see that his father’s choices aren’t his own. I don’t blame him, and he shouldn’t blame himself either.
Twenty
Cooper
After getting everything situated with the funeral director, my mom asks me to go to dinner with her. We head out in my vehicle to the local steakhouse I know she loves. Once we’re seated, she looks at me softly and says, “We need to talk.” I nod, indicating for her to go first.
“When I met your father, I fell in love immediately. Things progressed so quickly that he soon became my entire world. We were inseparable and within a year we were married and a year after that you were born. At first, your dad was so sweet. He was completely devoted to us. He was boxing, but he never allowed it to take over his life. Once he started winning and felt that sense of accomplishment, he clung to it. I was home with you and we were close. In some ways, I think your father resented that my world no longer revolved around his. He would go away for boxing matches, and where I would’ve gone with him before, I chose to stay home with you. Please understand I’m not in any way blaming you. I just think we had different priorities and we grew apart. There were times when he would be gone for weeks and I became very lonely. Sure, I had you, but it’s not the same thing as being with another adult. I tried to fix us, but when I realized we were just going through the motions, I sought comfort elsewhere.
“I know I was wrong. I just felt like he didn’t even notice we were there anymore. I didn’t want to disrupt our house. My affair went on for five years. When you were twelve, he threw out his back while training and had to come home. He was so miserable, abusing the drugs, and drinking. He missed fighting. I told him I wanted a divorce and when he refused, I admitted to having an affair. He threatened to take me to court if I didn’t give him primary custody. Losing you was the worst thing that ever happened to me. I didn’t care about him. You cried several times that you wanted to stay with me, but every time, he would tell me that he would destroy me if I tried to get custody. Then, when I had to watch him put all his effort into training you because he wasn’t able to fight, I just lost it. I started to drink. But here’s the thing. I stopped drinking five years ago.”
I open my mouth to say something, but she holds up her hand, motioning to let her finish.
“It’s true, I have not had a sip of alcohol in five years. I wanted to be a part of your life so badly, but when you told me you were moving back to Vegas to work with your dad, I knew the best thing I could do was keep my distance. Your father was a miserable, spiteful person, and if he knew you and I were close, I was afraid he was going to take it out on you and your career. I just couldn’t do that to you. I don’t know if it’s too late, but I’d really like to be in your life.”
I feel like everything I thought I knew is wrong and I don’t really know anything. My parents weren’t fucked up. My dad was. My mom made choices she felt were best to save me from him, just as he made choices that led to the life he lived.
I reach over and take my mom’s hand. “Of course you can be a part of my life and there’s something you should know. I recently found out that I have a daughter, which means you are a grandmother. It’s a long story, but her name is Bella and she’s four years old. She is the most perfect little princess I’ve ever seen.”
She cups her hands over her mouth and silent tears pour down her face. “Oh, sweetheart, I can’t wait to meet her. Thank you!”
“It’s time for a fresh start, Mom.”
And it really is. I need to get through this funeral tomorrow and then I need to go over to Bentley’s to get my family. They don’t belong with him. They belong with me. Hopefully I can convince Liz to give me a second chance.
* * *
The funeral is filled with people who’ve associated with my dad in some way the last several years. He may not have been liked, but I have to hand it to everyone who showed up to pay his or her respects.
I feel a hand on my shoulder and when I turn around I see Liz. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to support you. Whether you like it or not, you’re the father of my daughter and he was her grandfather.”
This woman’s selflessness knows no bounds. I pull her into a hug and thank her. As we’re breaking apart, My mom comes walking over and introduces herself to Liz.
“Mom, this is Liz. She’s Bella’s mother.”
Liz looks at me bewildered. The last she heard I wanted nothing to do with our daughter or her.
“Oh, sweetie! It’s a pleasure to meet you. My son told me all about Bella. I’d love to meet her.”
“Of course. She’s at home with my friend Kayla right now, but I’m sure we can arrange something soon.”
My mom gives her a hug and excuses herself to speak to other people who are here to pay their respects. When she leaves, I look at Liz and give her a soft smile. “I know you just settled in at Bentley’s, but I would really like for you and Bella to come and stay with me.”
She looks dumbstruck for a second, but it quickly morphs into anger. She pulls me by my hand into a private room away from everyone else and closes the door behind us.
“What changed from the other day to today? You do remember telling me you wanted nothing to do with our daughter or me, right? And that was after you said you did. You are giving me whiplash, Cooper. You’ve changed your mind like five times. How do I know you won’t change your mind, again? Sorry, but Bella and I are just fine where we are. As soon as I find a job, we’ll move out. If you want to get to know your daughter, fine, I won’t stop you, but you can’t expect us to just move in with you after you’ve played ping-pong with my emotions. I already gave you one chance and you threw it out the window the second shit got rough.”
I know she’s right, but shit, I’ve lost enough time with them. I need to take a step back and take things slow, so she doesn’t freak out on me anymore.
“Okay, I understand,” I say, as I close the space between us.
Needing to touch her in some way, I run the back of my hand down her cheeks. She freezes, unsure of what my motives are, and I hate that I’ve created this awkwardness between. Leaning down, I kiss the side of her mouth and whisper into her ear, “For now, I understand. I get I have to earn your trust, and I will. And once I do, you’ll be in my bed, and in my arms, that’s a promise.” I leave her to think about everything I just said because I’m not playing around. I’m going to get my family back.
Now, I just need to get this damn funeral over with.
* * *
A few days after the funeral, my mom and I meet with the attorney who’s in charge of my dad’s will. The attorney lets me know I’ve inherited all the training centers, as well as his life insurance policy, his house, and cars. Of course he didn’t leave shit to my mom, but since I have more than enough money, I insist that she gets the money I make off the house when it sells. I make the decision to take the insurance money and put it away in an account for Bella. After what he did, she deserves the money. There’s enough that she’ll be able to go to any college of her choosing and have a nice nest egg when she decides to start a family or pursue whatever dream she wants.
>
After our meeting, I go to the gym to let everyone know I’m the new owner. I ask for everyone who works here to join me quickly in the office, and once it looks like most people are here, I begin informing everybody of the change in ownership. Thankfully everyone seems okay with it. Some of the guys give their condolences, but most of them know my dad was a prick, and instead congratulate me on the inheritance.
After they all file out, Kaden lets me know that right before my dad died, the physical therapist on staff quit to move across the country to be closer to family, and that sparks the perfect idea. I just need a little time to form a plan.
I show up to Bentley’s place around ten o’clock, hoping to talk to Kayla and Liz, and walk in like I always do without knocking. I have a key and I’ve never knocked before.
Bentley and Kayla are at each other’s throats arguing about something. They stop when they see me and Kayla looks pissed while Bentley looks exhausted.
“What’s going on?”
Kayla is the first to respond. “Oh, you know, Bentley thought it would be okay to bring some whore around here last night, and when she went to leave after he was done with her, she walked out half-naked and Bella saw!”
“Look, I said I was sorry fifty damn times! Liz is being understanding about this. I forgot there’s a child here. You act like I purposely brought her here and told her to leave, knowing Bella was out there. Damn it, woman! We both know you’re just mad because you said you wanted nothing to do with me, so I went out and found someone who does.”
Kayla huffs, and as she’s about to start in on him again, Liz comes walking down the hall and gives me a smile that turns into a frown. I chuckle at that. She must’ve forgotten for a second that she’s mad at me. Figuring now is the perfect time to throw my plan into motion, I say, “Okay, well, first of all. Before we get into all that, Kayla, I have a job opening at the training facility and was wondering if you’d like to come work there. You would be working with Hayley and the fighters—”