Chapter 26

Jeni

I knew my hormones were making me emotionally crazy, but this was insane.

“What? Dash, this isn’t a good idea. I mean it is for you, it’s a great idea, amazing, but I shouldn’t be there.” My head was all over the place.

I wasn’t ready to meet his family. They didn’t even know he was alive. This was going to be the worst/best, most awkward moment in his life. I was the random chick he fucked for a few days. He was their father and brother. He needed this, not me.

“You were the one who saved me, of course, you should be there,” Dash said with conviction as his hand white-knuckled the wheel, navigating the Tesla through the snowy streets.

“I don’t have to meet them on the first day you’re home. You should have some time alone with them; they’re going to be so shocked to see you. This is a huge thing you’re doing, Dash.” He was being a little irrational just showing up like that, but how else would he show up under these circumstances?

“I want them to know you, Imogen. You’re an important part of our lives.” He seemed so determined, I didn’t want to argue with him any further.

It didn’t take long before he was pulling into the driveway of the biggest house on the street. I’d seen large houses before, but his sprawled across two lots and was at least three stories tall. “Wow, you live here?” I asked, too in awe to make my question any less garish.

“I used to, let’s hope I still do,” he said with a gorgeous smile as he turned off the engine. He never struck me as an impulsive man, and yet there he was doing the most impetuous thing I’d ever seen.

“Okay, we’re doing this.” Suddenly, I realized I was going to meet his family and there wasn’t anything I could do to stop it.

A rush of nausea overwhelmed me, and I almost hurled on the driveway, but I took a few deep stabilizing breaths and got my wits about me. I could do this. I was a psychologist, I knew people and how their minds worked; I could just shift into doctor mode and use my coping skills to keep from passing out.

I rounded the car and stood by his side. For the first time since he announced we were meeting his family, his face looked stressed.

“You can do this,” I whispered in his ear as I took his hand in mine.

And he could, this was his family and returning to them was the right thing to do.

“I can,” he said gathering his confidence as he rang the doorbell.

As soon as the doorbell rang the camera over the door made a whirring noise and a few minutes later a man wearing a black suit opened the door. I immediately saw the gun by his side. I was happy the house had armed security, but it didn’t stop my heart from exploding with fear.

“May I speak with Gloria Rye, please,” Dash said. “Tell her it’s her brother.”

When he said this, the man’s eyes widened with shock.

“Yes, sir.” His voice had an official tone as he closed the door on us.

It didn’t seem to bother Dash. Perhaps he was happy they were following a security protocol by not inviting us in, however, it was really cold outside and I was starting to shiver.

We waited a while for someone to come back. I think both of us wanted to say something, and yet neither of us did. We stood there with baited silence… waiting until we heard a commotion inside.

The door flew open and a tall woman with long brown hair and a glowing smile opened the door. There wasn’t even a moment of hesitation, she threw her arms wide and attacked Dash with a monstrous bear hug.

“Oh my God, Oh my God….” she said over and over again as the two of them held each other and swung from side to side.

It was such a touching reunion, I found myself feeling teary, and yet, I was teary just washing the dishes; pregnancy hormones were crazy makers. But it was genuinely amazing to see the love between the two of them. In that moment, I was thrilled for Dash, he was going to live again and seeing the adoration his sister was sharing with her enthusiastic embrace proved his life was worth living, despite the risks.

The stayed in a long embrace and when I glanced over at the door, I saw two small faces peering back at me. Both of the children were exquisitely beautiful as if they were almost unreal. They watched their Auntie’s reunion with quiet, confused faces.

I wanted to rush over to them and scoop them into my arms, but it wasn’t my place, so I offered a kind and loving smile, which brought two polite grins. It was at that time that Dash broke away from his sister and regarded his children.

His sister, noticing the awkwardness his children were feeling helped bridge the gap.

“JR, Alley, I know this is a little strange, but we have some very big news to share with you. Why don’t we all go inside and we’ll explain everything,” she said as her wide arms scooped up the children and ushered them indoors.

I stood there for a moment, not sure of what to do. I really felt out of place and as if I didn’t belong here, not at such an important time. I was just someone Dash fucked in a cabin for a few days. They were his family, they were his life. Essentially, I was now his family too, but our child was simply a product of our nights together. We barely knew one another. I could’ve easily slipped away. I didn’t necessarily want to be a single parent, but I knew I could. My father did it and I learned from him how to provide for a family, however, I wouldn’t cast my child off for a newer, better family. I put my hand on my belly and vowed not to repeat his mistake.

Just at that moment, Dash took my hand. “Imogen,” he said in a deep and commanding voice, “come meet our family.”

His words were powerful and overwhelming. I followed him into the house which was even more grand and gorgeous inside than it was on the outside. We sat in the living room and listen to his sister Gloria, explain to the children how their father was still alive.

The kids were excited, but wary, as they’d grieved the death of both of their parents and suddenly one returns to them—it was going to take much more than an afternoon to understand the enormity of their feelings.

There was no way I wanted to complicate that by being the woman who was bearing a sibling with the father who’d only just returned. I was introduced as a close friend of Dash and the one who convinced him to rejoin his family. At that moment, I was being regarded by all as a hero, and yet all I felt was that I was an intruder.

We were served a lovely lunch and I could tell Dash was looking forward to some private time with his children who wanted to show him their rooms, their treasures and their accomplishments after having warmed up to the idea of having their father back.

I knew Dash would insist on taking me home, so I excused myself to the restroom. I could barely see through my tears, which were at that moment very genuine as I wrote my goodbye letter.

I set the letter on the dining room table and quietly called an Uber to pick me up. The security guard who answered the door saw me. I gave him a smile and thanked him for taking care of the family, acting like my leaving was no big deal.

When the Uber driver came, my heart was splintered. I felt happy I made it out of the house without being detected or having to have an awkward moment in front of Dash’s family and yet, I was also sad I was leaving as this most likely was my final goodbye.

Dash could do some sleuthing to find me, but I hoped he wouldn’t; he needed his life back and I wanted him to focus on that. I was just a complication at best. I knew Mountain Man Dash and most likely he’d never be that man again. So, when I got home to my comfortable apartment, I felt like I’d closed the binding on a short but life-altering book.

Now, it was time to write my own story as a single mother. Dash had left me plenty of money and I planned to continue working. I practiced saying, “Things just didn’t work out with the baby’s father…” and tucked myself in to binge-watch something on Netflix. This was going to be my new normal; missing a man I barely knew, while preparing to parent his child alone.

I wished I could say I didn’t think of him every minute of the day, but he didn’t call so I pat myself on the back for being right about him. He had his family back. He didn’t need me, our child, or anything else.

It was sad, but at times reality is sad. I was a big girl, I told myself I could handle it… and I could, but I didn’t want to. After six episodes of This is Us, there was a knock at the door. It was a little past eight o’clock in the evening and my heart started to race.

Could it be Dash? It was unlikely; he’d be still swept up with his family. Was it one of the drug cartel coming to kill me? I truly hoped not. Most likely it was the neighbor giving me a piece of mail they’d got by mistake. We must’ve had a very loopy new mailman, or my neighbor was lonely. Either way, I dreaded answering the door, but I dragged myself to do it because there was a tiny, remote chance it was Dash.

When I opened the door, my heart fell. It was a delivery man. I did think it was weird for him to be delivering so late.

“Hi, are you Imogen Grant?” he asked in a kind voice.

“Yes,” I said, skeptical and trying hard not to get my hopes up. I was already so close to an emotional breakdown, it was hard holding my head together.

“I have these for you,” he said, ducking away from the door to bring an enormous bouquet of flowers up off the ground. The flowers were as tall as he was.

He handed them to me and I put them on the table next to the door. “Can I have you sign this please?” he asked as he produced a well-worn clipboard with a pen hanging on a string made of knotted rubber bands.

I signed it, numb and dazed, he thanked me and left. I closed the door and just stared at the bouquet before I had the courage to open the attached note. When I finally did open the note, it said:

“Come back, Imogen. The castle is too big to live in without you and our child. Don’t run away from this, we already know how badly that turns out. I need a zombie slaying princess who is a great psychologist and will be a great mother. Get your ass over here!

- All my love Dashell”