Forever

Brooklyn didn’t talk to her dad over the next few days, not that he was around anyway and she was okay with that, Sat on her bed after school, she picked up the guitar that Jared had bought her and started playing.

“I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo... what the hell am I doing here, I don’t belong here,” Brooklyn sang, looking up as someone knocked on the door and shifting her attention back to the instrument in her hands as she spotted her dad leaning against the door frame.

“It’s been a while since I’ve heard you sing, or even seen you pick up your guitar,” he commented, moving into the room and picking up a picture of her with her mom, “She could always see the good in people, even when they didn’t deserve it...”

“Why do you hate the Garcias?”

“I don’t hate the Garcias, Brook, my problem lies with Axel’s uncle.”

“What did he do?”

“Do you remember my old partner Alan Patterson?” her dad asked, earning a nod from Brooklyn and continuing, “Axel’s uncle was driving the car that paralyzed him.”

“I didn’t know that, but that isn’t Axel’s or his family's fault...”

“I guess the bottom line is that I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“Axel isn’t...” Brooklyn began, before pausing and starting again, “I know that you’re trying to protect me, dad, but I really like him and I need you to trust that I know him well enough to make my own decisions. I’m not saying that I won’t get hurt, but I’d rather believe in him and have an opportunity of starting something good than regret having not tried at all.”

“You sound so much like your mother,” her dad added with a chuckle, turning to leave and pausing at the door, “I do trust you, kiddo and I’m willing to give him a chance.”

With a smile, Brooklyn watched as her dad disappeared from view and felt a weight lift from her chest.

***

Awoken the following morning by her phone ringing, Brooklyn groaned and answered it.

“What?”

“Meet me at the corner in half an hour, bring your school stuff with you...” Axel instructed, before hanging up and leaving Brooklyn staring at the phone in disbelief.

Despite her reservations about leaving her nice warm bed, Brooklyn got changed and kissed Jared’s cheek as she went to meet Axel. He was already waiting when she arrived, handing her a helmet without a word and motioning for her to jump on the back of his bike.

It didn’t take her long to figure out where they were heading and paused momentarily as she climbed from the bike, looking down when Axel entwined their fingers.

“Why are we here, Axel?”

“Just trust me,” Axel replied, leading her through rows of graves and out to where a large oak tree stood just passed her mom’s lot, “I wanted you to be the first person to see it.”

Positioned under the tree, carved from wood was the statue of an angel and Brooklyn couldn’t hold back the tears as she realized what it was.

“How?” she asked, standing in front of the statue and running her fingertips over the fire red cardinal that sat in the angel’s open hand.

“I may have seen the sketch in your notebook and taken a photo without you knowing,” Axel hesitantly explained, “I didn’t mean to pry... actually, yes I did because I care about you and I just wanted to do something to ease a little of the grief you’re feeling.”

“This really ruins your bad-boy reputation with me, you know?”

“I don’t need that reputation with you,” Axel mumbled.

“Thank you,” Brooklyn said, glancing over at him and snaking her arm around his waist as he wrapped his around her shoulders.

“You’re welcome.”