Second Chance at Forever

by Mary Wasowski

  Our car pulled up in front of the gates to the Townsend property. We were granted access as we descended onto the big house. There he stood, Henry Townsend, smiling at his grandson as we stepped out of our car. Gail had her arms opened as Jackson ran to greet his grandmother. To look at Gail was like looking at an older Elizabeth. For a woman in her sixties, Gail was beautiful. She had kindness that radiated throughout. I walked over to Henry, as he stuck his hand out for me, but I knew what was coming next. Henry always shook hands first and then pulled me into a hug, but I vowed to remain calm and keep my wits today.

  “Walker, I can’t believe it. Why didn’t you phone us and let us know you were coming? We would have been more prepared and had lunch ready. This is a great surprise.”

  “I’m afraid we can’t stay long. We are traveling back from Maryland. I needed to speak with you before heading home.”

  “Sure, Walker, no problem. Jackson, why don’t you visit with your grandma over here, and I will spend some time with your dad.”

  “Okay, grandpa, I have missed you.” Jackson embraced his grandfather and held on tight for a couple of minutes, looking over his shoulder, directly at me. My son was worried for him, and unbeknownst to Henry, Jackson was hurting me with his lack of trust. Even after all we talked about and the promises I made to him. Again, I hated the position that our two fathers had placed me in. If they would have just minded their own business all those years ago…I wouldn’t have to be dealing with this now.

  “I love you, my boy. You need to stop growing. You’re making me feel short. Spend some time with your grandma, but don’t eat all of the cookies. She just made a fresh batch.”

  “I make no promises, Grandpa. See you soon, dad?” Jackson looked over to me with his apprehensive glance.

  “I won’t be long, son.” We both watched Gail and Jackson disappear behind the doors. My plastered smile was now gone.

  “So, Walker, what’s on your mind, son?”

  “Don’t ever call me that again! I’m not your son, Henry.” Henry’s face went ashen and was taken back from the tone that I was using with him. We had always been friendly with one another. Today…that’s over.

  “Have I done something to anger you, Walker? What’s going on?”

  “Yes, Henry, you have made me angry. So very angry that I was ready to destroy you yesterday and take away all of your happiness like you did to me. The person you need to thank for my change of heart is your grandson.”

  “What in the hell are you talking about, Walker?”

  “Seriously? You’re going to stand here and pretend as if you don’t know what I’m talking about. Come on, Henry, you can’t be that dense. After all, wasn’t it you that orchestrated the great plan to eradicate Reese Mitchell from my life?”

  “Walker, I…”

  “What, Henry? Cat got your tongue? I should rip your tongue out for all the vile things you did to me, and to Reese. You remember her, don’t you? She was my entire world, and you and my father conspired together to force her out of my life. Is it coming back to you now? You and my father destroyed my life. How could you do this to me, Henry? And what about Elizabeth? She deserved a hell of lot better than what she got.”

  “What do you want me to say? Walker, you must know everything if you’re here now confronting me with it.”

  “I don’t know everything, Henry. I know the business side of it, but what I don’t know is the personal reasons. Why did you do this, Henry? Why me? I loved you. I trusted you. Hell, I wished you were my father over Phillip.”

  “Walker, I knew my Elizabeth always loved you, even when you were teenagers. She would talk to her mother about you and how she dreamed of becoming your wife one day. She was my only daughter. I wanted to make her happy, and when your father was in trouble, I came up with the idea to match our children together.”

  “Do you hear yourself? Elizabeth was my friend, and friend only. I never returned the feelings that she had for me, and I told her that so many times, even before Reese, came into my life. How could you not know this? Do you even comprehend what you did to me and your daughter that you claim to love above anything else? She was just a second choice, a means to an end. I never loved her, Henry!”

  I stopped and took a deep breath. I couldn’t stand here and defile Elizabeth’s memory. Of course I loved her, but I just wasn’t in love with her…not in the way she deserved to be loved.

  “You fool of a man did this to her. What do you think she would say had she known this? She would have been destroyed by your manipulations and deceit.”

  “At the time, Walker, I thought I was doing the right thing. I’m sorry.”

  “Sorry? That’s all you have to say? Sorry doesn’t even begin to come close, Henry. What about after Elizabeth died? You still held it over my father’s head and forced him not to tell me the truth about Reese.”

  “Your father was his own man, Walker. Don’t you forget that. Yes, I helped him out of a sticky situation that might have ruined your company at the time. Your father made his choice, and he was the one that made the decision to keep quiet and not tell you the truth. Your father made some careless decisions that might have cost him everything, including your legacy. He wasn’t willing to gamble with his life’s work and take anymore unnecessary risks. He came to me and asked me to help him. No favor is free, Walker. You know that. It’s business 101, and your father taught you that lesson before you could run.”

  “What are you telling me, Henry? How much trouble was my father truly in? Are you saying that he could have gotten out all on his own? And without your help?”

  “Does it really matter at this point? He asked for my help. I helped him. End of story.”

  “Like hell it is. You manipulated my father for your own personal gain. You didn’t care about helping your friend. All you cared about was getting what you wanted.”

  “Phillip was my friend, but he also was in need of help. He would have done the same for me. I came up with a solution that benefitted us both. I never wanted my investment back. I was aiming for the bigger prize. All I wanted was to see my girl happy with the man she loved. The road to her happiness was you…you, Walker.”

  He continued, “You can’t stand here and tell me that you didn’t love her. I knew in time your feelings would change, and in the end they did. After she died, I already lost my reason for living. My beautiful baby girl now was rotting six feet under. All the money in the world couldn’t save my girl. You had a new son to take care of. You didn’t need the pains of your past colliding with your present and future.”

  “Do you hear yourself? Henry, your deceit was not a blessing for me. You played god with people’s lives, and clearly you had no faith in Elizabeth. She was strong, independent, and more than capable of finding her own soul mate. It makes me sick that you felt this way about her.”

  “I loved my daughter! I’m not going to stand here and listen to you spew your hate for me all over her memory. She loved you, Walker. Don’t you dishonor her in front of me—Ever!”

  “You’re the one that is dishonoring her. You and your fucking lies have brought this on here today. That night in the hospital when she died, I knew I heard my name. You and my father were arguing, but when I questioned you about it, my father silenced you. Were you going to tell me then?”

  “No, Walker, I wasn’t. That was my grief talking. My only child had just died while giving birth to her own. I felt God was punishing me for what I did to Ms. Mitchell. I don’t know what I would have said if Phillip hadn’t stopped me.”

  “He did stop you, but what about every day after that? Henry, you should have told me the truth.”

  “Why, Walker? So you could have run back to her? And have that girl raise Elizabeth’s son with you? No way in hell was I ever going to allow that. What do you want me to say? I’ve been repenting for my sins every day since my beautiful Elizabeth was taken from us. It hurts and cuts so deeply every time I look at Jackson. He carries my daughter in his eyes,
and he’s so much like her. After she died, Gail and I were left with her greatest legacy—her son, Jackson. He is the good that came out of all of this, don’t you see, Walker? I love that boy more than my own life, and I won’t lose him. Please don’t take him from us. He is our daughter’s child.”

  “He’s my son, Henry. My son with Elizabeth. Jackson is not a child anymore. I can’t keep him from you, but I promise you this. If you ever try to interfere with my life again, business or personal, I will go ahead with my original plan. I will destroy you, piece by piece. Believe me, old man, I won’t lose any sleep over it. I am not a forgiving man and will never forget what you have done to me. Do not believe for one second that this act of clemency is a sign of weakness. Again, this one Free Pass that I will grant you is for Jackson, and only him. Don’t fuck with me again! If you do…Don’t say you weren’t warned.”

  “Walker, I died a thousand deaths the day we lost Elizabeth and was reborn when I held her son in my arms for the very first time. I know pain and loss, Walker. I have lived it with you.”

  “Henry, the days of pain and loss are over for me. I have found Reese again, and I plan on marrying her as soon as I can. You will not interfere again with my plans. If you want to enjoy your retirement and still have a relationship with your grandson, then you will agree to what I have said here today. You and I are finished. I no longer wish to ever see you again.”

  “Walker…”

  “Save it, Henry! This conversation is over. You and I are over. Cross me again, and even Jackson won’t be able to save you. Go say your goodbyes to your grandson. We have a life to get back to.”

  We walked back to the house in silence. Henry hung his head low and wore a look of shame all over his face. He never saw this coming, but neither did I, when he made the decision to betray me. I didn’t want this to fall back on Gail and hurt her. She was as oblivious to her husband’s crimes as my mother was to Phillip’s. They stood by the men they loved above everything else. Olivia and Gail had fierce loyalty when it came to loving and supporting their husbands. My mother denied emphatically she didn’t know and would have tried to stop my father, but would she really? I said my goodbyes to Gail and waited in the car for Jackson to return. I watched as his grandparents hugged him. Gail was a kind woman, and I hated to hurt her.

  “Grandma, please don’t cry. I’m going to see you next month at graduation.”

  “Oh, my sweet boy! I love you so much, and I am so very proud of you. Your mother would be too. She is always with you, son. Please believe that.”

  “Okay, you two, can a grandfather get a word in edgewise?”

  “No! I didn’t see you baking all those cookies this morning?” Gail responded jokingly.

  “You got me there, pretty lady, but can you take kindness on an old man and give me a few minutes with our boy here?”

  “Less of the old, Henry. You’re still the most handsome man I know.”

  “Oh my goodness, you two. I’m getting a toothache with all of this sweetness.”

  “Now, Jackson, tease all you want, but one day you will be in love and know exactly what this feels like.”

  “I’m already there, grandma, but I’ll need a rain check on the story until I see you again. Dad’s waiting on me.”

  “Of course, honey. Give me another hug, and then go talk with your grandpa. I love you. Safe travels back home, and I’ll talk to you soon.” She wiped her fallen tears as she made her way back inside. Jackson had a chance to be with his grandfather for a few more minutes.

  “Are you okay grandpa? You don’t look so hot right now.”

  “I’m fine son, just got the wind knocked out of my sails. I love you, Jackson. You know that right?”

  “I do.”

  “I want you to know that you always have a home here with us if you ever needed one. You’re my daughter’s child, and our door will always be open to you.”

  “Jackson, we need to leave,” I called out from the limo.

  “I have to go grandpa. I love you too!”

  Watching my son embrace the man I once admired, knowing he was responsible for forcing Reese out of my life, has shattered me. How could this man look me in the eye all of these years and live with the knowledge that he along with my father was responsible for my pain? Now my son, his only living connection to Elizabeth, is protecting him and vilifying me as the bad guy?

  I saw the fear and mistrust in Jackson’s eyes. We drove back to the airstrip in silence. Jackson couldn’t look at me. He probably thought I hurt his grandfather and broke my promise. I clearly wanted to talk to my son, but his silence was stopping me. We arrived on the tarmac to our waiting plane to take us back home to California. I handed off my briefcase and jacket to our flight attendant. Once we were in the air, I spoke.

  “HOW LONG ARE you going to ignore me? This distance between us is killing me.”

  “It’s hurting me too, dad. You lied to me! You hurt Grandpa Henry when I begged you not to. Did you see the look in his eyes when we left? What did you say to him that put that look there?”

  Listening to my son accuse me of vile things had me crawling out of my skin with anger. This was what Phillip and Henry managed to do. Hell no! They will not drive a wedge between me and my son. I will never let anyone ever do that. He wants the truth…the whole truth…okay, he shall have it.

  “Jackson, I didn’t do anything to your grandfather but speak with him. Before you try and convict me of crimes you think I have committed, will you listen?” He silently nodded.

  I started, “You must understand that this week has completely changed my life, and many secrets to my past were revealed to me. You and I knew two very different sides to Phillip Reed. My father was extremely controlling of me while growing up. Any independent amount of thinking that I managed to do, he was threatened by it. When I legally became an adult—your age as a matter of fact—his dominance increased beyond extreme heights. He wanted to, and most of the time, managed to control every decision I made.”

  I continued, “Jackson, my entire outlook on life and my future changed the minute I met Reese Mitchell. I came to life when I met her. She gave me light in my life in areas that were dark and unforgiving. I was Phillip Reed’s only son, and I knew not cross him within reason. With Reese in my life, I had this level of confidence that I waved in front of my father like a victory flag, never knowing that it also enraged his hatred for her. Foolish in my thinking that I could go up against my father in my younger years, when I took over at Reed Global, that all changed. I was the one that held the power, and the roles were reversed. Little did I know that I was still secretly being deceived and betrayed. To learn that men I trusted and respected like Grandpa Henry hurt me to levels I can’t even begin to explain to you.”

  I went on, “When your grandfather came to visit with me before he died, as you remember it was your birthday, but it was also the anniversary of your mother’s passing. It is a bittersweet day for me, as you well know. Even after all of these years, it still pains me that Elizabeth is gone, and you celebrate one more birthday without her. To see my father on this day completely derailed me. He was going on about how sorry he was for not being the father I deserved, asking me many personal questions. I wasn’t prepared for this, and I lashed out at him. His visit resurrected many hurt feelings that I kept to myself. For you, Jackson, I never wanted to show you my personal pain, so I buried those feelings along with your mother.”

  I said, “My father was forcing me to say the words, and when I did, it only proved what I have always known: that my feelings for Reese, have never changed. I had no idea where she was in the world and how she was living her life, but I still loved and yearned to be with her. I felt sick to even be thinking of her on the same day I was still grieving for your mother. I shunned your grandfather and made him leave. He said his goodbyes to me, and I did the same. I never could predict that would be my last time spent with him.”

  “Did you ever really love my mother?” Jackson ask
ed. His question was justified, but as it needed to be answered, it still felt like a piercing stab through my heart.

  “Yes. I did son.”

  “You loved Reese more?”

  “Jackson, how I can explain it to you when I don’t understand it all myself? No matter what I say, you still are going to be looking at me with hurt in your eyes. I can’t bear the thought knowing I’m the one that has put it there.”

  “Just be honest with me, dad! Tell me the truth. Make me understand this.”

  I took a few breaths and calmed my heavy beating heart. “The love I had for your mother was based on our friendship. All your grandparents were close friends with each other. Our families were connected by our social circle and by your grandfathers’ businesses. Elizabeth and I were children when we met. I spent every summer in the Hamptons, and so did Elizabeth. I called her a tag along and teased her relentlessly. She was tough and never gave up. She followed me everywhere, and then she rightfully put me in my place one day, and we were best friends ever since.”

  I explained further, “As we grew up, somehow her feelings changed for me, and she fell in love with me. She confided her feelings to me one day, and when I tried to kiss her, it didn’t feel like fireworks to me. Your mother wanted more, but I never did. We remained friends, and then in my senior year at college, my world changed with the first sight of Reese. I simply fell in love, and wanted to be with her. Your mother knew how much I cared about Reese, and eventually gave me her blessing. Jackson, what I’m about to tell you will be very painful to hear, but if you want the truth then I will continue on.”

  “Please, dad, I can handle it.”

  “I thought I had it all figured out. I was going to graduate college, take over Reed Global, marry Reese, and ride off into the sunset. That fantasy never became a reality where Reese was concerned. My father had been threatening her for a while, and she kept me in the dark to his manipulations. When I finally discovered what he was doing, I had confronted and embarrassed him in front of our family and friends. I thought it was over, but I was so wrong. He drove Reese out of my life with lie after lie and continued to threaten to hurt her until she finally submitted to his demands. She was to leave me and never return to me…not ever. What I didn’t know at the time is that she was pregnant with my son…my first child, Jackson.”