The Gray Family: Forces Of Nature

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Brother advice

Pat

I sat in a diner, waiting as someone walked into it. The person saw me and joined me at the booth I sat in the diner.

“I didn’t think you would get here this quick,” I mentioned.

“I came to visit one of Marshall’s boys,” Nathan said. “What’s up?”

I took a deep breath, then explained everything to Uncle Nathan. He sat there and listened until I finished. I watched him rub his chin, contemplating what I said.

“What do you think?” I asked, feeling hopeful.

“You should talk to your dad about this, Pat. I knew the Tilson family growing up and what they did. They’re a nasty bunch of people. It doesn’t help that you and Mason became involved with two family members,” Nathan advised.

“I know, but knowing Pops, he won’t be happy to hear it. Uncle Nathan, I like Britt, and I don’t want to lose her because her family is assholes. Britt’s nothing like her family,” I reasoned.

Nathan looked at me and sighed. I didn’t want to lie to my parents or anyone else. What do you do when it involves your heart?

Nathan

After I visited Pat, I left to meet up with Noah, who is also in town.

“What’s up with Lex’s boy?” Noah asked.

“Well, it seems Pat likes a certain family member of a family we all hate,” I answered.

Noah looked at me, surprised. “No,” Noah said with surprise.

I nodded.

“Dude, that’s messed up,” Noah mentioned.

“Well, one tried to off Maggie along with Nash and Maggie’s kids while another one attacked Larkin. I would say so,” I agreed.

“I would talk to Nash,” Noah suggested.

“And say what? Oh, Nash, your grandkid likes a Tilson, even though they’re assholes who went after your family. Yeah, that will go over swell with big brother,” I retorted, rolling his eyes.

“Get Nolan to do it,” Noah suggested.

“I’ll do one better,” I said, pulling out my phone and making a call. The person on the other end answered, and I explained Pat’s dilemma. The person listened, then hung up.

“Well,” Noah asked.

I smiled. When you need help, you call the one person everyone loves besides Grammy Gray. This person was the best at taking care of business.

Patty

I hung up the phone as Nate looked at me. “What did Nathan want?” He asked.

“Nathan went to see Patton and found out Patton likes Britt Tilson, who is Mike Tilson’s granddaughter,” I said.

Nate looked at me.

“Nathan wants me to talk to Nash and explain things,” I explained.

Nate looked at me. I knew that look. As much as our families didn’t get along, you can’t hold someone accountable for another person’s actions. I hated Brian and Trish Holloway, but I love Maggie. That will help me.

Nash and Maggie came home and found Nate and me at the table.

Nate looked at Nash. “Sit,” Nate ordered as they sat down at the table and joined us. “Your mother has something to tell you.”

Nash and Maggie looked at me as I told them what Nathan said. After I finished, Nash’s reaction was less than favorable.

“No way! That family is nothing but trouble!” Nash yelled.

“Nash, not every person turns out like their family,” I reasoned.

“The Tilson’s tried to kill Maggie and my kids. One r***d Larkin, and you want me to understand one person is good in that family! Over my dead body!” Nash yelled.

“Look, I get that you’re unhappy, but I didn’t hold Maggie accountable for what her dad did to me,” I admitted. Maggie and Nash looked at me with confusion.

“What does my dad have to do with this, not that I care?” Maggie asked.

“Remember when I told you about a boy who I liked in school and Nate dealt with said boy,” I mentioned.

“Yeah, you said the guy wasn’t a guy anymore, but a girl,” Maggie mentioned.

“Well, that’s not true, and it was your dad,” I confessed. Maggie did a double-take, and her eyes widened. Nash furrowed his brows. “Before you both jump to conclusions, it was before I dated Nate. I had an insane crush on Brian, but Brian turned out to be a toad. He made the mistake of hitting me.”

Maggie looked at me, shocked as Nash sat there, speechless.

“Nate found out and handled Brian, then he called the cops. I fibbed and said Nate was with me, then offered to press charges for Brian hitting me since I was seventeen. He was an adult. I learned that sometimes a crush is nothing more than that, and it led me to Nate,” I said, looking at Nate with adoration. Nate returned the same look, taking my hand in his hand.

I looked at Nash and Maggie.

“Sometimes, we move past situations and find a better person. I did that with Brian and received a daughter in return,” I reasoned.

Nash sighed. “I understand, but we have to talk to Lex and Larkin. They need to know, especially Lex,” Nash told me.

“Give your kids more credit, Nash; they may surprise you,” Nate said.

Sometimes we visit the past to help the future. It’s not always pleasant but works out for the best.

Maggie

I can’t believe Pat had a thing for my loser dad. That is current information. Then again, I liked Bryson. I’m still wrapping my brain around the fact I forgot about my husband but remember Bryson. Why couldn’t I lose my memory of Bryson and keep my memory of Nash?

We went over to Lex’s house and had Larkin meet us there. I hope they take the news well.

“Mags, relax. It’ll be okay,” Nash reassured me.

“I hope so,” I said as I sighed.

We arrived at Lex’s house and went inside to find Larkin waiting with Maverick. We hugged the kids and their spouses.

“What’s going on, Ma and Dad?” Lex asked us.

“You and Larkin need to sit. We have something to tell you,” I answered. They sat down next to Piper and Maverick. I explained what Pat told us and waited for the fallout.

Lex and Larkin looked at each other, then at us.

“Look, we understand if you’re upset,” Nash said.

“But we aren’t,” Lex said, surprising us.

“What?” I asked.

“We moved past that,” Lex said.

“Lark?” Nash said.

Larkin looked at us, then at Maverick, who nodded. She turned back to us.

“I forgave Roger a long time ago,” Larkin admitted, shocking us. “I spent endless hours in therapy with Jordan. I understood forgiving Roger wasn’t for his benefit, but for mine. If I resent Roger and hold a grudge, then I can’t move forward and feel happy. I don’t want Roger to have any power over me, even if he is dead,” Larkin reasoned.

Nash and I sat in two chairs, looking at our kids.

“Anger is a useless emotion, and it’s not worth it. We moved past everything that happened. Isn’t it time you both did the same thing?” Lex asked us.

Nash sighed. “I watched how that family went after my family and felt helpless. I saw your mom get hurt countless times, then watch family hurt you kids. It’s terrifying to watch people attack someone you love. You want to protect that person,” Nash explained.

“That’s the thing, Dad, no matter what, you came when we needed you. That’s why it’s easy for us to move past everything. We know you will protect us no matter what,” Larkin told Nash.

That’s when I understood more about my husband than I ever did. Nash made mistakes because it terrified him, he would lose the people he loves, his family. Nash looked at me.

“What?” Nash asked me.

“You lost us and couldn’t stop it. First was when I lost my memory, next was Larkin with her innocence, then Lex with his accident,” I said.

Nash furrowed my brows.

“It terrified you would lose me, you pushed me away until I lost memories of you, then you realize you lost me. You thought I would pine over Bryson because I did before, and it hurt you,” I said as everyone looked at me.

“I don’t want Patton to suffer from rejection the way I did. The Tilsons have a way of hurting someone I care about. I hate the thought of it happening to my family,” Nash reasoned.

“Who says it will happen?” Lex asked Nash.

“Dad, you have rotten apples in a bushel, but it doesn’t mean all are bad. You pick through the bad ones to find one good one. Isn’t that what Ma did with you? She picked through your undesirable traits to find the good ones,” Larkin reasoned.

Nash looked at me. “Well, did you?” Nash asked me.

“No,” I answered. Nash furrowed his brows. “My heart did. The heart wants what the heart wants,” I said, smiling. Nash smiled at me.

“No offense to anyone, but I don’t want to get dragged into my kid’s love life. We’re dealing with Pax as it is,” Lex mentioned.

“What’s going on with Pax?” I asked.

Lex told us about Payton’s phone call. Nash and I looked at each other. Nixon spiraled out of control when Nash and Kat rejected him. We had a feeling the same thing will happen with Paxton unless we can stop it.