Page 132 of One Last Shot

Oh.Oh.A terrible rush filled him, swept through him, as if something dark and snarled exited his entire being. He drew in a breath, and... it was whole, and freeing.

His father smiled. “Feels good, doesn’t it.”

“I . . .”

“That’s the feeling of perfect love, son. It casts out all fear.”

Oaken pressed a hand to his chest.

His father took another sip of coffee. “So, now, let’s talk about the girl.”

“What?”

“‘I reach out to the stars, beggin’ for a sign, hopin’ she’ll hear this broken heart of mine.’”

“You . . . what? How doyou know that?”

“I saw the show.”

“You saw Katie and Mike?”

“Yeah. Your mom likes to watch it, and she was really excited, so she called me into the kitchen and there you were, on the screen, singing.”

“Yeah. I wrote it for this girl named Boo.”

“The rescue girl.”

He just couldn’t . . . then, “Wait . . . what do you mean youwent into the kitchen?”

His father nodded, his eyes shining. “I was in Florida until just a few days ago.”

Nothing. Oaken had nothing.

“Your Mom and I never stopped loving each other. And she doesn’t want to live here, so... I’m going to figure it out. The fact is, she gave me two amazing children, and I should have given her my provision and protection. And I regret that. But maybe it’s not too late. She still needs me.”

“Istill need you, Pop.” And just saying it made his throat ache.

“Yep,” his father said. “So, what are you going to do about the girl?”

He stared at his coffee. “I don’t know. Maybe nothing.”

“Oak.”

“She doesn’t want me.”

His father’s mouth made a grim line and he nodded.

“What?”

“Sounds an awful lot like fear.”

“I’m not . . .”

His father raised an eyebrow.

“Fear. Anger. Pride. It’s all selfish. The only remedy for that is repentance, Oaken.”

“And then what? God magically fixes everything? Hardly.”