kitap alıntısı #75, Life After Wife - Amber Kelly

“Don’t feed me a bunch of bullshit excuses, Dad,” Caleb shouts.

“Watch your mouth, young man,” Damon scolds.

“No.”

“Caleb!” Damon raises his voice, and Caleb flinches.

“Dad.” Caleb stands his ground and doesn’t so much as blink as he stares his father down.

Damon finally slumps and goes to a knee to look his son in the eye. “Look, I know I messed up. That’s why I’m here. I’ve apologized to your mother, and I owe you an apology too. I sorry, son. I had hoped the two of you would come home with me. That’s not going to happen, but you can still come home if you want.”

Caleb shakes his head. “No. I don’t want to go back. I like it here. I like seeing Mom smile and laugh. I like seeing her being treated like she matters. That’s the kind of man I want to be. One whose family knows they can count on me to be there for them. To love them. To teach them how to fish and change a flat tire. I want to come home to my family at night and actually be there with them. Eat dinner and talk about things.”

“I know I haven’t spent a lot of time with you. I work a lot. Too much. But I love you, son. You and your mother.”

“I love you too. I always will, but I don’t respect you anymore. Granna says that love is something you give your family freely, but respect is something they have to earn. We need both. Me and Mom. We need both.” His voice cracks on the last words.

- Amber Kelly, Life After Wife (Balsam Ridge #1)