Chapter 17: Garner’s Dilemma
The streets were quiet as Garner and Sienna walked away from the station. The reality of what he’d just learned about his father weighed heavily on his shoulders. Every step felt heavier, like he was trudging through sand, his mind swirling with conflicting thoughts and painful memories.
They reached a small park a few blocks from the precinct, a place they’d often come to after intense moments, finding a quiet corner under a canopy of trees. Sienna watched him, her face filled with concern as she waited for him to speak.
Garner finally broke the silence, his voice low.
“I don’t know who my father was anymore, Sienna. All these years, I thought he was this… this strong, moral person. But now I find out he was involved with someone like Barron.” He shook his head, his hands clenched in frustration. “How could he do this to us?”
Sienna placed a gentle hand on his arm, looking into his eyes with understanding.
“Garner, I can’t imagine what you’re feeling right now, but I know that your dad loved you. Whatever he did, I’m sure he thought he was doing it for you and Farrah.”
Garner laughed bitterly.
“For us? How could getting involved with a syndicate be for us? He was supposed to protect us, keep us safe—not pull us into something this dangerous!”
Sienna sighed, squeezing his arm.
“I know it’s hard to see it this way, but… maybe he didn’t have a choice. You know how Barron operates. Maybe he got tangled up in this, and there was no way out.”
Garner slumped down onto a nearby bench, burying his face in his hands.
“It’s just… he kept all of this from us. If he had just told us… maybe we could’ve helped him. Maybe he wouldn’t have ended up dead.”
Sienna sat down beside him, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“Garner, don’t blame yourself for this. Whatever choices your father made were his own. He was probably trying to shield you from all of this. He wouldn’t want you to carry his mistakes.”
Garner looked up at her, his eyes filled with pain. “But I feel like I have to, Sienna. I feel like everything that’s happened—all of this—goes back to him. And now Farrah and I are left to deal with it.” He paused, his voice barely a whisper. “How do you even forgive someone who’s… who’s already gone?”
Sienna thought about this for a moment, her gaze soft. “I don’t know, Garner. But I do know that you don’t have to make peace with it all at once. You’ve been through so much—losing your parents, Farrah being kidnapped, finding out all of this about your dad.” She took his hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. “It’s okay to be angry. It’s okay to not have all the answers right now.”
They sat in silence, the quiet sounds of the park filling the space between them. After a while, Garner spoke again, his voice steadier. “I just… I want to understand. I want to know why he thought he had to turn to someone like Barron. Was he that desperate? Or… was he just greedy?”
Sienna looked thoughtful. “From everything I’ve seen, your dad didn’t seem like the kind of person who would get involved with criminals for greed. Maybe he really did feel trapped, or maybe he thought he could handle Barron.” She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “Sometimes, when people are scared or desperate, they make decisions they wouldn’t normally make.”
Garner nodded slowly. “I guess. I just keep replaying memories of him, you know? Like, when I was younger, I’d watch him fix things around the house, and he’d always talk about doing things ‘the right way.’ He used to tell me that shortcuts weren’t worth it.” He scoffed, shaking his head. “But this… this was the biggest shortcut of them all.”
Sienna leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. “People are complicated, Garner. Maybe he thought he could work with Barron without it hurting his family. Maybe he thought he could keep it all separate.”
Garner was quiet for a moment, then asked, “Do you think he ever regretted it? Do you think he realized it was all a mistake?”
Sienna tilted her head up to look at him. “Honestly? I think he probably did. If he loved you as much as you say he did, he must have regretted every moment that could have put you and Farrah in danger. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t love you with everything he had.”
Garner sighed deeply, a bit of the tension leaving his shoulders. “Thanks, Sienna. I… I just don’t know how to forgive him yet.”
Sienna reached up, gently brushing a tear from his cheek. “You don’t have to forgive him right away. Just focus on moving forward, one step at a time. And remember, you don’t have to do it alone.”
Their gazes locked, and in that quiet moment, Garner felt something shift between them. He reached out, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, his hand lingering near her face. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Sienna. You’re the only one who’s been here, through all of this.”
Sienna smiled softly, her eyes warm. “I’m not going anywhere, Garner.”
The closeness between them grew, and for a heartbeat, the weight of everything seemed to melt away. Garner leaned in, his face inches from hers. He paused, his voice a soft whisper. “Sienna… I…”
She looked up at him, her cheeks flushed. “Garner, you don’t have to say anything.”
But before either of them could move, the sound of a distant siren broke the moment. They pulled apart, a little flustered but smiling.
Garner let out a shaky breath, running a hand through his hair. “Guess we should probably get back. Anjo’s going to want to debrief us on everything we got from Victor.”
Sienna nodded, but her eyes lingered on him, a spark of hope in her gaze. “Yeah. But… we’ll figure this out. Together.”
He nodded, feeling a renewed sense of determination. Whatever his father’s mistakes, he was going to protect Farrah, make things right, and take down Barron’s operation once and for all. And he knew he could do it—with Sienna by his side.