Chapter 29

 

 

To love someone who won’t love you back is like suffocating without the inability to die. It’s like living without being able to take a full breath and you can never be yourself again until you have your oxygen back. Your breath back.

That’s how Tyson felt as he sat on the bed alone at home. Gabrielle hadn’t come home. She told him she was staying at a hotel, choosing to be transparent because he had a right to see his son and to know where he was located. Her decision not to come home and her unwillingness to answer his question left him feeling lost and defeated. He’d asked her if she could love him again and she avoided him. Maybe it was because he’d posed the question to her in the presence of the family. He knew that was a bad move, but he was so desperate to mend their relationship that he couldn’t suppress his feelings.

Tyson hung his head in despair, trying to envision what the future would look like without Gabrielle and his son by his side. Would she eventually fall in love again? Could he handle seeing her with another man? His son being raised by another man? He knew the answer was no. Gabrielle was his woman. Period. There would never be an end to them.

The ringing of his cell phone startled him, took him out of his thoughts. It wasn’t until it rang that he remembered he was sitting on the bed in his room. The sound of the ring brought him back to reality.

He took the phone from the belt clip on his side and saw his father’s cell phone number flash on the display. His father rarely called, but lately, he’d been checking up on his son and wanting to know how little T.J. was doing.

“Hello,” Tyson answered.

“Hey there, son. How’s everything?”

Tyson tried his best not to sigh. “Everything’s fine, Dad. How are you and Mom?”

“We’re fine. We can’t wait to come visit you guys. That’s all your mother has been talking about.”

“Yeah...”

“And she’s been buying all kinds of toys.”

“I bet.”

“So are you settling into fatherhood okay?”

“Yeah, Dad. Why do you ask?”

“Well, I know things were a little hectic when we left, and you’re not as talkative as you normally are so...”

Tyson released a heavy sigh. “Actually, things aren’t quite okay.”

“What is it, son?”

“I accused Gabrielle of something she didn’t do, and now...um...let’s just say she’s not too happy with me right now.”

“Tyson, son, listen. Your mother already told me what happened, so I’m up-to-date on it. I just wanted to hear it from you. Now let me tell you a story about your mom and I. When you were about five years old, I did something extremely stupid. I met a young lady at work...her name was Rosemary. We started out as co-workers, then friends, then close friends and I knew we were closer than what we should’ve been. Then, one day, your mom and I got into an argument over something. I forget what is was, but I can remember how angry I was at her. So I stormed out of the house and went to see Rosemary. She knew I was upset, so she tried to console me. She ran her hands across my face, and then she kissed me, son. She kissed me, and instantly I knew it was wrong. It didn’t feel right. So I nipped it in the bud before it could turn into something, and I never told your mother what happened. I didn’t think it was a big deal because it was just a kiss. However, it was a big deal, you know why?”

“Why?”

“Because I started to watch your mother like a hawk. Every move she made, I thought she was seeing someone behind my back. She wasn’t of course, but that’s what I thought because I knew I had done something wrong so I constantly accused her of doing something wrong.”

“But how does that relate to me? I would never dream of putting my lips on another woman.”

“The point I’m trying to make is, I falsely accused her of doing something she didn’t do. Over and over I did until finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. So, she left me.”

“She did?” he asked.

“She sure did.”

“How’d you get her to come back?”

“First, I recognized the error of my ways, confessed to her why I had falsely accused her, then I pleaded with her to come back to me. Now, son, I don’t know why you accused Gabrielle of—”

“Because Dilvan was there,” Tyson interrupted. “I don’t trust him. He’s been on a mission to take Gabrielle away from me since day one.”

“Let me tell you something. When a woman is committed to the man she loves, there is no other man on the planet who could take her away from him. When you first introduced me to Gabrielle, I knew she was the one for you. I knew it. I got a good vibe from her. She’s down to earth, sweet...she’s completely opposite of that Desiree girl. So whatever it is you need to do to get Gabrielle back, I suggest that you do it. Put your family back together by any means necessary, Tyson. If you don’t, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

Tyson nodded. “I will, Dad. I don’t know how, just yet, but I will.”