Promises To Be Kept. Chapter Twelve

We were sitting on the couch watching some movie that I wasn't paying attention to in the least. I was leaning against Jordan's side and I noticed that he kept looking at me out of the corner of his eye.



" Is something wrong?" he asked as he turned his head to look at me fully



" Nothing. I've just been thinking about a few things that's all"



" Anything that I can help you with?"



" I don't know. Maybe but I haven't decided yet."



He gave me a kiss on the forehead and told me that when ever I was ready to talk about what was on my mind that he would be around to listen." I continued to think and I suddenly knew what I wanted to do.



" Jordan I was wondering if we could stop by my house tommorow before we go to the center. I have something that I really need to do.



" Are you sure?"



" Yeah I'm positive"



" Okay, if you think it's a good idea."



I wasn't sure that it was a good idea but it was something that I needed to do in order to move forward with my life.



The next day I got up early. I made myself presentable and we left early so I would have plenty of time. We pulled up in front of my house and I didn't move right away.



" Babe you don't have to do this if you don't want to."



" Yes I do. I'm just worried that things are going to get bad."



He offered to go in with me and I accepted. I needed his strength if I was going to go through with my plan. We both got out of the truck and he grabbed my hand as we walked through the door.



" Dad. Are you here?" I yelled when I didn't hear any noise



I saw a familiar figure come out of the living room and I was relieved to see that while he looked rough he didn't appear drunk



" Hey dad." I walked over to him and gave him a hug and a kiss



" Hey sweetie. I've missed you." he murmered into the top of my head



" Who is that?" he asked as he looked at Jordan, who was still standing by the door



" Dad this is Jordan. Jordan this is my dad, Jake."



They both said a tense hello



" Dad I want to talk to you before I go to the center."



He agreed and I followed him into the living room so we could have some privacy. I found out that while he didn't remember anything about the night that we brought him home that he had heard about it the next day from Jeff, who apparently had gotten a call from Henry to let him know what had happened.



" I'm so sorry. You know that I don't mean the things that I say when I'm drunk." he said as he grimaced



" I know that you don't but they still hurt you know."



He was looking at a spot on the carpet. I grabbed his hand in mine and tried to make him listen.



" Dad I love you and I want you in my life but I can't do this anymore. Please get some help. If you don't do it for yourself, do it for me, please?" I asked him trying not to beg



" I don't know Melany. I think that it's too late for me. I've messed up so many things in my life and I don't know if any of it's fixable."



" I had a really smart person tell me they could see that I was a good person despite what had happened in my past and I think that of you. You just have to be willing to try."



He sat and didn't say anything. I was about to give up when he said the last thing that I expected



" I know that I've made a lot of mistakes in my life but one thing that I've always had no regrets about is having you."



He pulled me into a warm hug and squeezed me so tight that I almost couldn't breath. He finally let go of me and stroked my hair off of my face.



" I'm willing to try. I know that I haven't been there for you in a long time but I want to change that if it's possible."



" I want that too dad. I have to go. I don't want to be late for my community service."



We got up and went back into the kitchen and Jordan was leaning against the kitchen counter.



" Thanks for taking care of my little girl for me. Just treat her right and we won't have any problems."



" Yes sir"



I gave him one last hug and made him promise to call Jeff as soon as he could. We left and made our way to the center.



" Everything went well?"



" Yeah it went better than I expected. Now he just has to follow through."



" You just have to have a little faith, that's all."



He was right. I did everything that I could. Now it was up to my dad to decide if he wanted his life to get better or if he was going to continue wallowing in the past. I knew that my past was finally just that. My past and I had the future to look forward too.