God Bless the Broken Road

I couldn’t believe it, my family was gone. I had thought it was a bad dream, but it wasn’t. It was real. I kept replaying yesterday’s phone call in my head, trying to determine if it was sick joke or not.

”May I speak with Miss Mackenzie Tyler?” the unfamiliar voice asked. When I assured that she was speaking with me she went on with the reason why she was calling. “Miss Tyler, I’m calling from the Thunder Bay County police.” I knew at that moment that this phone call had everything to do with my father. I just wasn’t expecting what came next. “I’m sorry that I have to tell you this, but your father, Mark Tyler, was killed this evening.”

I stood in the middle of the parking lot, frozen and silent. The smile that had been a permanent fixture on my face all day, fell. Jared and Eric stopped when they realized I wasn’t walking, when they spotted me they looked worried. I blinked a few times and managed to clear my throat of the lump that had formed.

“H-How?” I was able to get out. This couldn’t be happening.

The woman on the end took a deep breath. “He was driving under the influence and our guess was that he was speeding and hit a tree head on. He died on impact.”

Suddenly I was crying and I didn’t hear what she had said before hanging up. The next thing I knew I was in Eric’s arms. Did I move? Maybe he did?

“Mackenzie, what happened? What’s wrong?” Eric asked, rubbing my back.

I didn’t answer, I couldn’t. I just buried my face in his chest and continued to cry. Dinner was forgotten as the two brothers ushered me back to the car and home. When we got home, the boys left me alone, but I knew it wasn’t going to last long. Eric didn’t like seeing me upset, Jared either. After about an hour of crying to myself in my room, Eric knocked on the door. When he opened it, his gaze met mine and the look of concern and tenderness in his eyes made me cry harder.

He slowly made his way over to me. “Mackenzie, baby, please tell me what’s going on?” he asked, taking a seat next to me. He placed a hand on my cheek, wiping my tears away with his thumb.

“He’s dead.” I whispered. “My dad’s dead.” I wailed.

Eric didn’t say a word, he just pulled me into his chest as I began sobbing uncontrollably. That night, like many nights before I met the Staal family, I cried myself to sleep

The sound of the front door opening grabbed my attention. I was aware of the tears that were running down my face and I quickly wiped them away before putting on a fake smile. Eric was standing the in foyer with his hockey gear in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other. When he spotted me sitting on the couch he flashed me that signature Staal smile that made my knees go weak before putting his gear down and coming over to me.

“How are you holding up?” He asked, placing a kiss on the top of me head. “These are for you.” He smiled, hading me the carnations he held in his hand.

I couldn’t help but smile at the gesture. “Eric, thank you. They are beautiful.” I sighed.
“To answer your question, I’m not doing good at all.”

Eric moved to sit next to me. “Do you want to talk about it? You know I’m hear for you.”

I nodded and curled into his side. I grabbed his hand and laced our fingers together and began playing with his fingers to keep my attention on something. “I miss him.” I whispered. “I know he wasn’t the greatest father the last few months we were together, but that wasn’t him. That was the alcohol. Before my mom died my dad was the greatest guy in the world. He loved my mother and I. He would bring home little things for us and just shower us with his love. He was a high school principle and the varsity baseball coach everyone loved and trusted. I miss him so much.”

Eric wrapped his arm around my shoulders and hugged them tight. “That’s only natural, he was your father and he loved you.” He kissed my forehead. “And I can honestly say that I’m sorry I never got to meet him, or your mom. Your mom and dad raised a daughter that I love very much. They raised you very well.”

“That they did. I just ho-” the it hit me, Eric just said he loved me. He loved me? Me? My eyes had to grow three times their normal size and I looked into his eyes. He just chuckled and continued to look at me. “Did you just say what I think you just said?” I asked. I knew I loved him, but never in a million years would I expect to have him tell me that he loved me.

Eric chuckled again and took my face between his hands and stared me down. “Yes I did. I’ll say it again. I love you Mackenzie, I have since the day you sat at our table and I will be here for you through all of this. We all will.” He sealed his statement with a heart-stopping, breath taking kiss.

When we pulled apart, tears were running down my face and they weren’t from mourning my father. “I love you, too, Eric. I have pretty much since that first day too.” I smiled through my tears. “Thank you.”

“Why are you thanking me?” He asked, smiling.

“Because you and your wonderful brothers saved me and you all made me feel like a part of a family again.”

Eric kissed me again. “Mackenzie, you will always be a part of a family.”

I grabbed my locket and smiling slightly. “I wonder if they found each other.” I whispered

Eric squeezed my hand. “I’m sure they did.”