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The silence is oppressive. What the fuck am I supposed to do? Is there some kind of protocol for this? Olivia has a lot of faith in someone who has no idea what the hell they’re doing.
“Well, it’s just you and me. So which one of us is gonna fold first, huh?”
Violet stares up at me, unblinking and eerie. I’m about ready to call the dour old woman from last night back?—
When, suddenly, my daughter’s face lights up like Christmas morning.
And it melts my heart.
Her face curves into a gummy smile as her irises sparkle and her hands reach out for me, fingers grabby and chunky and perfect.
“Look at you. Trying to charm me,” I say with a chuckle.
She giggles and makes babbly little noises that sound suspiciously like she’s… mimicking me?
I tilt my head, and Violet does it, too. I stick out my tongue, and hers pops out of her mouth with a trail of spittle and bubbles.
Monkey see, monkey do.
Okay, so maybe Olivia was right about this. Maybe it isn’t so bad. For every funny face I make at her, she makes one back. I start making nonsense sounds and she mimics them as best as she can.
I lose track of time goofing off with Violet so easily that I don’t realize how much of it passes.
“Well, look at you two.”
I whirl around in an instant. Olivia stands in the doorway with a grin on her face.
“She started it,” I mumble.
Olivia snorts and comes up to the crib. Violet immediately reaches out to her. It’s insane how children give their trust so easily. She loves Olivia in every way her tiny little newborn heart knows how to love someone.
Can I say the same?
I clear my throat. “So, what’s on the agenda today?”
Olivia beams as she pets Violet’s head. “School.”
“Huh?”
She looks up at me. “Daddy crash course,” she explains with a wicked smile. “We’re going to spend the day taking care of Violet, which will include playing, learning some baby cues, and… maybe venturing outside with her? Together?”
I purse my lips. All I can think is, What if someone sees? What if some sleazy tabloid gets a hold of pictures of Violet? Of Olivia?
Olivia’s face softens. “One step at a time,” she says quietly. “You got this.”
39
REESE
Olivia is a beast at taking care of Violet.
I’ve never paid close enough attention. I figured that my hands-off approach meant that I’d avoid doing something stupid and fucking Violet up for life. I don’t want to do to her the things that were done to me.
I come to realize something important, though: I’ve missed out on so much shit by trying not to be like my father.
Olivia starts with making me pick out something for Violet to wear. Sounds easy, but it’s anything but that. Lots of pink and lace and little shirts with cartoon characters on them I couldn’t name even if I had a gun held to my head.
Not wanting to give into the overwhelm, I snatch out a flowery, purply onesie thing. Then another flowery piece of clothing. A white pair of teeny tiny baby pants.
