Chapter 22 - I DON’T NEED YOU TO SAVE MEWarren almost ruined their reconciliation by being helpful.
Of course.
He arranged private security for Nora without asking.
She discovered the driver outside her office.
That evening she went to his house.
“Cancel it.”
Warren frowned.
“Derek’s associates—”
“Cancel it.”
“Nora.”
“No.”
He stopped.
She continued.
“I needed you when somebody was following me.”
“Yes.”
“I needed you to believe me.”
“Yes.”
“I did not ask you to build a security perimeter around my life.”
He looked chastened.
“I was worried.”
“You’re always worried.”
“I’m your father.”
“That does not make my choices yours.”
He sat.
Old Warren would have argued.
New Warren tried not to.
“I’m sorry.”
Nora nodded.
Then sat across from him.
“I need you to understand something.”
“I’m listening.”
“When Mom died, you treated every emotion like a threat.”
His face tightened.
“I know.”
“When I miscarried, you called doctors instead of sitting with me.”
“I know.”
“When I married Ethan, you investigated everyone around him.”
“Yes.”
“You thought keeping me safe meant knowing everything.”
Warren looked down.
“That was easier than admitting I couldn’t stop bad things from happening to you.”
Nora went quiet.
There.
Finally.
The fear beneath the control.
Warren continued.
“I spent my career believing enough information could prevent disaster.”
He looked at her.
“Then your mother died anyway.”
Nora’s eyes filled.
“And you grew up anyway.”
A small smile.
“And you stopped needing me in the way I knew how to be needed.”
Nora reached across the table.
“I still need you.”
Warren looked at her.
“But I need a father.”
His face crumpled slightly.
“Not an investigator.”
He nodded.
“I can try.”
“Good.”
She squeezed his hand.
“I don’t need you to save me.”
“I know.”
“I need you to listen.”
Warren smiled sadly.
“I’m getting better at that.”
She smiled too.
“Yes.”
Then he asked:
“Dinner Friday?”
Nora laughed.
“That’s very normal.”
“I researched normal father-daughter activities.”
“Dad.”
“Kidding.”
She stared.
He smiled.
For the first time in years, Nora believed they might actually find their way back.
May you like
Not to what they had been.
To something better.
