Only in Time (A Mystique Antiques Novella) by Kelli McCracken Page B
Authors: Kelli McCracken
Ads: Link
pulsed a wicked path through her heart. She gripped the envelope, pulling out the letter within its decrepit walls. As her eyes trailed over the cursive letters, she could hear her father’s voice in her mind, repeating each word as she read them.
Line by line, everything she ever knew of her father began to change. The man she adored more than anyone had a secret. A gut-wrenching secret.
Fragmented sentences replayed in her mind. A new one added to the playlist the further she read.
You and Ally are my life… I’m sorry for what I’ve done… We were going through a rough patch… It only happened once… Please forgive me.
The letter fell from Ally’s hands, making its descent toward the floor. She didn’t care. Could only stare at her mother. “Are you telling me the reason you started drinking is because Daddy cheated on you? Because that’s no excuse for abandoning me all those years.”
The lines on her mother’s face deepened as she fought with the moisture in her eyes. “I didn’t start drinking because your father cheated. I started drinking because I sent your father to his death.”
As her stomach continued to roll, Ally bit back the bitter taste in her mouth. Her heart raced as much as her mind. How could her mother have been responsible for her father’s death? He’d died in Afghanistan.
Blinking away a few tears, her eyes trailed past the coffee table, up the arm of the chair until she found the courage to meet her mother’s eyes. “What are you talking about?”
Swiping the tears from her cheeks, her mother inhaled a shaky breath. “A couple months after the letter came, your father called. He begged for my forgiveness. Promised that he would make it up to both of us if I let him. But I couldn’t answer. Told him I’d have to think about it. If I’d known that…”
Another round of sobs racked her mother’s body. Ally wanted to go to her. To tell her it was okay, but the weight of her heart pinned her to the couch. “I still don’t understand how this makes you responsible for his death.”
“I broke his heart, Ally. I refused to forgive him. He left that evening for his last mission. Jonah’s father, Michael, was in the same unit. He’s the one that told me how your father wasn’t himself, but being the first sergeant he was, he refused to stay behind.”
Ally didn’t doubt a word of it. Her father loved serving his country. Took pride in training men and women to serve and honor as well. He’d never turn down a chance to lead his men.
Pulling a couple tissues from her purse, her mother dabbed at her eyes and nose before continuing. “They were on a mission to rescue a group of children being used for suicide missions. They thought they’d cleared the house. Were even moving the children to a secure location when your father heard another child crying. He raced back into the house to find the child. A few minutes later, the house exploded.”
The walls in the house began to sway. Ally felt the carpet cradle her knees as she went to the floor, sobbing. It all made perfect sense. Her mother’s guilt. Why’d she turned to the bottle. Her last words to her husband had haunted her every waking moment.
“Ally-bear. There is more I need to tell you. About Jonah.”
Sucking in a shaky breath, Ally pushed off the floor, rising to her feet. A lock of hair fell from her clasp as she shook her head. “I can’t deal with this tonight, Momma. I just can’t. Would you please go?”
A tearful nod later, her mother left the recliner. “I’m sorry, Ally. For everything. I hope you can forgive me someday.” She watched her mother collect her purse before turning toward the door. Reaching it within seconds, she shot Ally one last look. “The most precious thing we have in life is time and love. While time may not always matter, love will. You’ll find the answer you’re looking for. If you open your eyes…and your heart.”
* * *
Swirling the glass of wine in her
Line by line, everything she ever knew of her father began to change. The man she adored more than anyone had a secret. A gut-wrenching secret.
Fragmented sentences replayed in her mind. A new one added to the playlist the further she read.
You and Ally are my life… I’m sorry for what I’ve done… We were going through a rough patch… It only happened once… Please forgive me.
The letter fell from Ally’s hands, making its descent toward the floor. She didn’t care. Could only stare at her mother. “Are you telling me the reason you started drinking is because Daddy cheated on you? Because that’s no excuse for abandoning me all those years.”
The lines on her mother’s face deepened as she fought with the moisture in her eyes. “I didn’t start drinking because your father cheated. I started drinking because I sent your father to his death.”
As her stomach continued to roll, Ally bit back the bitter taste in her mouth. Her heart raced as much as her mind. How could her mother have been responsible for her father’s death? He’d died in Afghanistan.
Blinking away a few tears, her eyes trailed past the coffee table, up the arm of the chair until she found the courage to meet her mother’s eyes. “What are you talking about?”
Swiping the tears from her cheeks, her mother inhaled a shaky breath. “A couple months after the letter came, your father called. He begged for my forgiveness. Promised that he would make it up to both of us if I let him. But I couldn’t answer. Told him I’d have to think about it. If I’d known that…”
Another round of sobs racked her mother’s body. Ally wanted to go to her. To tell her it was okay, but the weight of her heart pinned her to the couch. “I still don’t understand how this makes you responsible for his death.”
“I broke his heart, Ally. I refused to forgive him. He left that evening for his last mission. Jonah’s father, Michael, was in the same unit. He’s the one that told me how your father wasn’t himself, but being the first sergeant he was, he refused to stay behind.”
Ally didn’t doubt a word of it. Her father loved serving his country. Took pride in training men and women to serve and honor as well. He’d never turn down a chance to lead his men.
Pulling a couple tissues from her purse, her mother dabbed at her eyes and nose before continuing. “They were on a mission to rescue a group of children being used for suicide missions. They thought they’d cleared the house. Were even moving the children to a secure location when your father heard another child crying. He raced back into the house to find the child. A few minutes later, the house exploded.”
The walls in the house began to sway. Ally felt the carpet cradle her knees as she went to the floor, sobbing. It all made perfect sense. Her mother’s guilt. Why’d she turned to the bottle. Her last words to her husband had haunted her every waking moment.
“Ally-bear. There is more I need to tell you. About Jonah.”
Sucking in a shaky breath, Ally pushed off the floor, rising to her feet. A lock of hair fell from her clasp as she shook her head. “I can’t deal with this tonight, Momma. I just can’t. Would you please go?”
A tearful nod later, her mother left the recliner. “I’m sorry, Ally. For everything. I hope you can forgive me someday.” She watched her mother collect her purse before turning toward the door. Reaching it within seconds, she shot Ally one last look. “The most precious thing we have in life is time and love. While time may not always matter, love will. You’ll find the answer you’re looking for. If you open your eyes…and your heart.”
* * *
Swirling the glass of wine in her
Similar Books
