Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 58397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
Goddammit.
It was up to me, which I suspected was Cathryn’s choice. She was otherwise wonderful at steering conversation into safer waters.
Peering down at Julia, I figured there was one thing I could do. Perhaps Peyton was holding back the parts of his history because I was doing the same. Maybe he thought I had trust issues; I didn’t. Maybe he did, though. For me, it was merely a time of my life that brought pain and grief.
“Mind if we move this party to the terrace?” I asked. “I’m going to put this little monkey to bed.”
“Sounds like a good idea.” Cathryn nodded. “Anything we can do?”
“Yes, bring alcohol.” I was going to need it when I reemerged. “You can come give me a hand, Peyton.”
“Yes, sir,” he responded politely. Too politely.
I’d never told him that he could call me by my name after work hours.
Eleven
“I’m not tired,” Julia whined.
“Of course you’re not, darling.” I helped her change clothes, and her head popped up from her pajama shirt. “It’s been a while since I told you the story of us.”
She nodded sleepily and pulled on the bottoms.
Peyton stood in the doorway, but I did my best not to focus on him.
“Tell it, Daddy.” She jumped over to her pillow and plopped down and under the duvet. “It starts wiv Daddy and Mommy S in school.”
I smiled and crawled over to lie down in the middle. It was easier if I could turn my back on the doorway. “Yes. They were the best of friends and grew up together.” I pulled up the duvet to her chin and tucked her in properly. “They thought it was funny that they were so alike while being so different at the same time. They had the same hobbies, spent all their time together, liked the same subjects in school, and were accepted at the same college.”
“But Daddy liked boys, and Mommy liked girls,” she recited.
I chuckled quietly and combed back her hair a bit. “That’s right, and in college, Mommy S met her first girlfriend, Mommy M.”
“Tha’s when Daddy got mad.” Julia made a scowl, presumably to mimic me.
“He did. It wasn’t his proudest moment,” I admitted. “He was just afraid that Mommy S would forget Daddy, but he shouldn’t have worried. He became great friends with Mommy M too.”
The heaviness landed on my heart like I knew it would. I still saw us, the three of us, back then. Fresh out of college, traveling together, them trying and failing to hook me up with someone, me trying and succeeding to play peacemaker when they’d argued. Sandra, with her calm demeanor, dirty-blond waves, blue eyes, and the biggest stubborn streak in history. Then Mona. A fiery brunette with Italian roots, a loud mouth, short fuse, and yet, so much patience. She could never hold a grudge.
“They were the best friends Daddy could ever ask for,” I went on, swallowing the emotions that rose. “And one day, when they asked Daddy to help them have a baby, he didn’t even think about it. He said yes right away.”
Julia turned onto her side and closed her eyes, searching me out with her hand. She played with my earlobe. “Then Daddy was silly again.”
“Was he?”
She nodded. “Cuz he say he wanted only to be an uncle.”
I grinned. “That’s true. It was very silly of him.” Christ, I’d been naïve. Mona hadn’t thought much of it, but Sandra had known me better than I’d known myself. The two had wanted to raise a baby together, without a father involved, and I’d been wholly on board. Family hadn’t existed on my radar. “The three of us agreed that Daddy would stay close, but Mommies would raise the baby together. And we were all excited. We went to the doctor together, and Daddy only missed one single appointment.”
Julia hummed. It was usually her favorite part, though she was too tired now.
“One day, Daddy came over to Mommies’ apartment.” I stroked her cheek gently, the memories still so fucking vivid. “He wanted to know how the doctor’s appointment had gone, and he almost stumbled right there at the door.”
“Shoes,” Julia whispered knowingly.
“Mm, he looked down and saw a pair of cute shoes for a girl.” I released a breath and rubbed at the tightness in my chest. “He picked them up and stormed into the kitchen, where he found Mommy S and Mommy M. ‘We’re having a girl?’ he asked. And they nodded and beamed brighter than the sun and burst into happy tears. ‘We’re having a girl!’ they said.”
Thinking back on it now, I could see where things began to change for me. Finding out the gender had made everything more real. Suddenly, I was picturing glimpses of the future. I was going to teach this little sprite how to cheer for the Patriots, how to ride a bike, and I was going to be there when she took her first steps.