The Girl He Craves

Meredith's pov

He hauled in a shaky breath, his eyes swimming with sadness. I had hit him with the past, something that could potentially bring out the man he once was.

’She’s dead." He whispered, pushing the photo away. "The dead can't speak.'"

I blinked in sadness, pitying the man he is now today. "But they can still see and hear. If mom was here, she'd smack you upside your head and then nurse your wounds."

He clenched his fists, turning away from me completely." Is this why you came here? To remind me of why I'm actually doing what I'm doing? Look at me, Meredith." His eyes snapped up to mine suddenly and I had to take in a very sharp inhale as emotions swam through the windows of his soul.

Father was in more pain than I realized.

’I'm a shell of a man because of her. I can love no other, I have a permanent hole in my heart because of her. Love is selfish Meredith, the pain is unbearable. I tried to save you from it too," He looked over my shoulder at Grant.

He continued. "But I was too late. I need to save my grandson before it's too late."

I shook my head, reaching out for him. My heart ached for my father. A man who once believed love was the answer to everything now made love his enemy. It was painful and tormenting to watch him become this person.

When my fingers touched his hand, he flinched. His eyes swept to mine in shock. I don't remember the last time I held my father's hand or the last time I voluntarily stood this close to him.

After mom died, our father-daughter relationship was swept up and tom into shreds. He would come home late from work, smell of booze, and trash the entire place.

I can recall listening to a few bottles shattering on the wall. I can even remember the feeling of that broken glass piercing through my heel one of those mornings after his rampage.

when I cried out in pain, he looked at me dead in the eyes that day, his

he had me stay up alone in my room, crying my eyes out. My foot

with the fact that I lost my father the same day I

coldly, like we were not father and daughter at all. I did what he asked and made sure to not

of course, I met Grant

wrong dad,’ I

a while too. Always regarded

a flicker in his gaze, a flicker that reminded me of the past and the way he looked

shared with mom, I was sure were the happiest you've ever been. Do you regret meeting her? Sharing life with her? Making life with

"No. I don't regret anything when it comes to your mother Meredith.' He tore his eyes

had to go back I'd do it all over again." He whispered. “I'd

I could hear the raw emotions playing in

a woman who he loves dearly. You're trying to tear his family

his eyes to me. "Don't you see I'm trying to help him Meredith? Yes. I love your mother and would choose her all over again, but

hand, growing angry now that he was trying to justify his absurd mental thinking. "Love is beautiful. Every bit of it is beautiful. Every single emotion is beautiful. Stop hurting Aiden because of what I

could marry into the Muralo's. But Grant and I run away and

was his actions that

and then he lost his

understood his loneliness and how a dead mind and heart can really turn someone insane to think

my vision as I cracked. ‘I'm sorry for leaving you the way I did. I'm sorry I didn't leave a letter. I'm sorry I stayed years not checking up on you dad. But please, you can't hurt Aiden because of me. He's my son and I want to see him happy. He deserves to feel happy. Don't tear him away from his family. If you truly don't want him to get hurt by love,

away, swallowing before whispering. 'That girl....she reminds me