“Hey there, Little Man. If you’re reading this, it means I couldn’t stick around to tell you all this myself. And that breaks my heart. But I need you to know something—your daddy loved you from the moment he knew you were coming. I didn’t always know how to say things right, but I tried to live right. And I tried to be brave, so you’d always know you came from strong stock. If I’m gone, it wasn’t because I wanted to be. It’s just the way life works sometimes. But you’ve got your mama—who’s stronger than a whole army—and you’ve got my brothers. They’ll watch over you. And if you’re scared about anything, I want you to remember something really important: brave doesn’t mean not scared. Brave means doing it anyway, even with the fear sitting in your chest. I know you’ll be scared on your first day of school. I was too. But I made friends who lasted a lifetime. Maybe you will too. So hold your head high, give your teacher a firm handshake, and smile like you’ve got the whole world behind you. Because you do. Love always, Daddy.”
By the time I finish, I’m sobbing, and even Bear is wiping at his eyes beneath those mirrored sunglasses.
Then, something shifts in him.
He stands up a little taller. He looks over at the motorcycles lined up along the curb, engines still purring like wild animals waiting to run. And for the first time in weeks, he smiles.
“Can I ride with them to school?”
My heart lurches. “Are you sure?”
He nods, eyes sparkling. “Daddy said to be brave.”
Bear stands and claps a giant hand on Tommy’s shoulder. “We saved a special ride just for you, buddy. Come on.”
Two bikers roll forward on a custom-built three-wheeler, polished chrome gleaming, the back seat decked out with extra padding and small handlebars. It’s clearly made with kids in mind. I blink back fresh tears.
Continue reading…
