Page 21 of Keeping Kyler
A light bulb goes off in my head as he says, “Doug Grant is my biological father. He’s the one who saved me.”
Chapter Nine
Faye
“Oh, em, gee.He knew? He knew who you were and what happened?” I ask.
Ky nods. “Apparently—if he’s to be believed—he never knew Mom had a third child by him until he came to the track by chance that day. He says he knew I was his the minute he saw me, and he could also tell I was scared. He said he’d heard the rumors going around about his colleague, and it didn’t take much to work out what was going down. He fought him and told the owners. My bio dad forced the scandal to come out and saved me from further abuse.”
“And you punched him?” I scratch the top of my head, perplexed.
“He told me that was the extent of his fatherly duties and to get the fuck out of his house and never come back. I saw red. Hit him once. Did the rest of the damage pounding the wall.” He flexes his injured hand.
“Ho. Lee. Shit.”
“I know. What the hell am I expected to do with that?”
“Fecked if I know,” I admit. Silence descends. “What do you want to do now? You can’t avoid Alex and James forever.”
Sliding me off his lap, he stretches his arms out over his head as he sighs. “I know, but I’m not ready to face them yet.” He gets out of bed, pulling me up with him. “But I don’t want to run into that asshole either, and I’d like to put as much distance between me and this town as possible. How about we get some breakfast and then start the trip back but find some place to stop off and lay low for a few days.”
“Okay, if that’s what you need. I’m down with that.”
He grins, already seeming a little lighter. I know from experience how cathartic it can be to get stuff like that off your chest, to free your soul of some of the dark matter weighing it down. “You should call Dad and ask him to smooth things over for you at school. I don’t want you getting into trouble on my account,” he says.
I don’t think he’s realized that he just called James “Dad,” but I’m not going to point that out. Jamesisstill his dad even if they don’t share the same flesh and blood. Just like Michael will always be my dad too. “I’ll ring him. You go shower first, unless you want to speak to James?” I keep my voice steady, devoid of the tendrils of hope building inside me.
He shakes his head and his smile fades. “Not ready to face that yet.”
“He’s hurting, too. I was in the room when he found out, and he was devastated, Ky. He loves you so much.”
“I know, but it’s too soon. My head is such a mess.” He hauls me into his chest. “I just want to lock myself away with you for a few days and chew things over. Then I’ll go back and talk to them.”
I wait until I hear the shower turn on before I phone James. “How is he? Are you all okay?” he says by way of greeting.
“He’s hurting, but we’re okay. He’s not ready to come home, so I’m going to hang around here for a few days with him. I haven’t spoken to Kal yet, so I’m not sure what he’ll want to do. Can you square things off with Principal Carter for me, please?” I figure it’s best to tell him, not ask him and give him a chance to say no. Not that it would matter. Wild horses wouldn’t drag me away from Ky.
I’m met by silence and heavy breathing. “I’m not happy about this, but I’ll agree because there are extenuating circumstances. I’ll give you a few days, but he needs to come home, Faye. We need to speak to him. I need to speak to him. This is equally upsetting for me.”
“I get that, and he does too, but don’t force him to confront this until he’s ready.”
“Has he met him?”
“Yeah. It wasn’t a good meeting, and I don’t think he’ll be going back there.”
“I’m sorry he’s hurting. Tell him … tell him I love him, and this changes nothing. He’s my son, and this will always be his home.”
After a quick chat to update Kal, we all meet in the lobby a half hour later and check out of the hotel. Kal has deets of an all-day breakfast place on the outskirts of town. I drive with Ky in his rented truck, and we follow Kal to the restaurant.
After we finish eating, we discuss plans over coffee. “I may as well head home,” Kal suggests.
“It’s up to you.” Ky shrugs.
“It feels like I’m in the way,” he admits, holding out his cup for a coffee refill when the waitress appears.
Ky leans over the table. “You could never be in the way, and if I’ve given you that impression, I’m sorry. You’re my brother, and I’m really grateful you came with Faye. That means a lot.”
Kal takes a slurp of his coffee, carefully choosing his next words. “I can’t pretend to imagine what you’re going through. I know it’s some bad shit, and I wish you could tell me, but I get it. You need Faye, and I’m cool with that. I can wait until you’re ready to confide in me.”
