Dallas.

truth or lies?

Dallas

We are walking to our cars to leave when Noreen approaches us "Dallas, can you stay back. You too, Tyler. I want to speak to you guys real quick." She tells us. She is about to speak when Beau Benjamin Miller and his father come over to give their condolences. Where is his mother? Could she not be bothered to come? Aren't her and Noreen friends? Well, it doesn't matter. I think it is best she is not here. I wouldn't be able to hold back and I don't want to be held responsible for doing anything crazy. Especially when the person deserves it. Beau is clearly checking me out, not caring that so many people here can see him. I hate him so much. I don't miss the nervous look, Mr. Miller gives me. Does he think I am going to tell Beau that he was at my show? I don't give a f*ck what this man or his family do. If I never see Beau again, it will be too soon and his dear mommy will be in jail soon. I smirk. I can't f*cking wait for that day.

Mr Miller looks at me, then he looks away and acts like I am not even standing here. He acknowledges Ty. He reaches to shake his hand. Tyler looks around and frowns. I nudge him and he reluctantly shakes his hand. Mr. Miller doesn't even look at me, but tells Ty that he has been keeping up with him and is happy that he is making it to the top. What the f*ck. Mr. Miller hands Noreen an envelope and gives her a hug, then he and his dead-beat son just stand there. What I am not expecting is what Noreen does next.

"Well Tyler, don't you have anything to say to Adeline? You two were together for such a long time and she needs you right now. She is pregnant, her sister just died. I was thinking that this can be you two rekindling your relationship. You have been single for a long time now and you and Dallas haven't hooked up. You clearly don't want to be with each other. We know Adeline made a mistake and Tyler, you like raising kids that aren't yours, so why not raise Adi's baby?" Noreen says. I gasp. No she did not just say that and offend us all in her little rant. "Mom" Adi says. "Noreen" I say, at the same time, to stop her from talking any more nonsense. "Oh Dallas, are you jealous that he won't just be taking care of your daughter now? Tyler is enough man to take care of many kids. He can afford it and he isn't a deadbeat like this one." she says, pointing at Beau. "A deadbeat?" Mr. Miller says "I have nothing to do with this" Beau says, shaking his hands in front of himself. Noreen laughs. "Well, if you would have taken responsibility for your daughter, then Tyler wouldn't have had to step up and raise her." Noreen says, I scan the parking lot and there are still so many people here. My family and friends are just some feet away, watching this all play out. I think they are waiting incase I need them to jump in. How embarrassing. I grab my head, feeling the headache building. "What are you talking about, Noreen?" Mr. Miller says. "Oh come on, you guys didn't want a grandchild by Dallas. Your wife thinks she is dirty and trashy. She wasn't good enough for Beau. When she came to you about her pregnancy, Beau told your wife that he wanted nothing to do with Dallas or the baby and your wife was happy to let Dallas know. That is low, even for you people, but we know how you Millers are, don't we." Noreen winks at Mr. Miller who looks like he has just been slapped. She turns back to us "So, what do you say, Tyler? Adi needs you. Want to come over?" Noreen says. Beau and his father are both staring at me. "What the f*ck is going on? That little girl is mine?" Beau asks. "No, that is not possible." Mr. Miller says. "Wait, what?" I ask, why do Beau and his father sound surprised?

"Mommy, daddy, let's go" Austyn comes over and grabs both of our hands. Beau steps forward. "Don't" Tyler warns him. "She's mine," Beau says or asks. I don't know. My mind is spinning. I am so confused right now. He knows she is his, doesn't he? He didn't want her. Why is he acting like this is the first time he is finding out about her? "She is mine" Tyler says, not backing down, knowing she is not really his, but I mean she is really his. So complicated. "Dallas. You and I need to talk." beau tells me, stepping back. Mr. Miller looks horrified. "We have nothing to talk about Beau. Lets go Ty" I say. Beau grabs my wrist. "I don't know what is going on, but I didn't know. I swear to you that I did not know about her. I would never have left you." he tells me, shattering everything inside of me. He didn't know. That is not possible. I went to him. I reached out. He texted me back. I have the messages. He sent his mom to kick me out of their house. He hooked up with Marissa after dumping me. "Things are different now though. Lets meet up and talk. Lets clear the air" he says. "F*ck you Beau. Lying doesn't look good on anyone." I say, and walk away.

"I actually believe that he didn't know," James says. "Me too," dad says. I stare at them both, not believing them right now. They have never told me that Beau might not know the truth. We all just assumed he did and hated him for his choices. "He isn't a bad kid Dallas. He never was. He was always respectful when he came here and he is straight at work. Now that you mention all of this, I think something happened. It seems like information was kept from him. We know who his mother is and how she is. She is more than capable of doing this." dad says. I shake my head. My life has just been flipped upside down and I don't know what to do..

I walk over to where Tyler is with his parents. Tilly smiles at me. "Does this change anything, Dallas? Are you taking her from us?" she asks me. Is she crazy? Tyler is looking straight ahead. His face tells me he was crying. "Nothing changes. Tyler is her daddy and you guys are her grandparents" I say. "Beau will want to be in her life though. He will want visitations. What if they hurt her?" Tilly voices my biggest concern. She knows those people can not be trusted. I mean his mother, my daughter's real grandmother, was in on her other grandmother being k!lled. There's no way they can get her. No judge will allow that. She wouldn't be safe with them. "They won't. I will k!ll them." Tyler says. I go sit next to him. "Ty, calm down. I will meet with Beau and hear what he has to say. I will find out if he is lying or not." I tell him. "That's my girl. I have been there since she was born," he says. His face breaks my heart. I smile, and nod. "She is yours Tyler. I would never take her away. You have raised her. You are her daddy. I won't let them take her away either," I tell him and that seems to calm him down. "What if he wants you back? What if he wants to be a family with you and Austyn?" He asks me the loaded question. My phone vibrates and I look down and check it, because I can't even answer any of Tyler's questions. I hate Beau no matter what. Even if he didn't know. Nothing changed for me. Maybe I will hate him a little less, but he is related to the person who k!lled my mother and lets not forget how he horribly dumped me and cut me out of his life over a lie. He can f*ck off. If he wants to be in my girl's life, it will have to be under my terms. I think that is fair. "It's Adeline, I am meeting her at Cali's bakery". I tell them and stand up and walk away. It's too hard seeing them so upset.

I go speak to my dad in private. He encourages me to meet with Beau and listen to what he has to say. "He is her dad no matter what, Dallas. She is in the middle of it and you are the adult making the decision for her, but just speak to him and see where his head is at with all of this. Let him know what you think, your worries and straight up tell him she can't go over to his house." he tells me. I think everyone is worried about that w!tch of his mother getting near her. She would not hesitate to hurt Austyn. What if Beau is lying and they all plan on hurting her? What if they want to take her from me? A wall immediately goes up and I beg my dad not to let my girl out of his sight while I go speak to Adi. She leaves in the morning, so I only have right now. Cali is opening up the bakery late now, since she closed it for a couple of hours in the afternoon. I am a ball of anxiety as I get in my truck and head towards the bakery.