AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When he pulls away from my mouth, he presses his lips to my ear. “You will be thoroughly punished for the shit you put me through. But not now. Right now, I want to meet my daughters.”
I nod, tucking strands of hair behind my ears. “Okay. I just—” I take a deep breath as he steps back. “Put the gun away first. No firearms.”
He opens a cupboard and puts it high enough that the girls wouldn’t be able to reach.
“And, um. Wait.” I can’t stop shaking as my mind races.
“Baby, calm down.”
My accelerated breath slows for a second, but my vision narrows.
He presses a soft hand to my cheek, and I look up at his unbelievable eyes. “I need to understand you. Name it.”
“Panic. I’m panicking,” I squeak.
“I won’t do anything. I just want to meet them.”
“Just, be gentle, okay? Don’t, don’t mention you’re their dad yet. They never asked about it. They don’t get it. I don’t think so.”
“Okay.” He nods, waiting for any other information he needs.
“Livie—that’s the one with the tiny scar just below her nose. She doesn’t talk. She’s…she’s taking it slowly. And Lia gets easily excited, so no shocking news or she’ll lose it.”
“Noted.” With a nod, he takes a step toward the door.
“No, wait!” I run my palm over my forehead. “Let me talk to them first. I need… I need to prepare them. Introduce you.”
“Kayla, calm down.”
“Please,” I say on a breath.
I see him hesitate, and to my surprise, he takes me in his arms. He smells exactly the same as usual. God, I love his reassuring scent. He strokes my hair, my back, and puts pressure between my shoulders, helping me regulate my breathing.
“We’re going to do this together, okay?”
“Okay,” I say against his chest.
“Now, please, can I meet my daughters?”
“Okay.” I can’t believe this is happening.
I pull away and take his hand, guiding him to the living room.
“Girls,” I call out as we join them.
Livie is still completely focused on her flower, but she’s barely halfway through. Lia has made a mess of the table and chair. She’s standing up behind her sister and trying to color Livie’s hair with the pens.
“Mommy! Look!”
She shows her arms, where she scribbled over and over again with a black marker. “Like the mister. See? The mister?” She points at Nate, and a huff leaves me.
“This is Celia.” There is no better introduction than the state she is currently in. “Yes, I see, honey. But your arms are not for drawing. We use paper for that. And stop trying to draw on Livie’s hair now.”
I swallow through the dryness in my throat. “And this is Olivia,” I say, pointing at my other daughter. “Girls, this is my friend, Nate. He wants to meet you.”
“Hello,” Lia says as she sprints toward us. She bumps against my legs, hiding her face and pretending to be shy for a second before she pulls away.
“Hi, Celia.” I want to facepalm when I hear the lack of anything in his voice, but that’s just who he is, isn’t it?
