“That’s all you’re getting,” I tell them, shifting my gaze back to tangle with Niomi’s. “For now.”
I’m signingcopies of my book, paraphernalia, sweatshirts—whatever students thrust at me to sign. Niomi has her own lineof people wanting pics and autographs. Celine stands a few feet apart, looking over her shoulder every few minutes like she’s about to make her escape. After a few seconds, she does, heading across the yard and toward the parking lot.
“Celine!” I shout, scribbling my name on one last book and spreading an apologetic smile around. “I need to go.”
“Will you be here all weekend?” one student asks.
“I will. Catch me if you see me,” I say over my shoulder as I jog after my daughter.
“Celine, wait.” I catch up with her and take her elbow gently, turning her to face me. “You’re not leaving are you? I was hoping we could have dinner.”
She gestures toward a float on the other side of the parking lot. “We’re finalizing stuff for the parade tomorrow morning.”
“Maybe after that?”
“After that I have to hit a few parties. You do remember what homecoming’s like, right? The homecoming queen has to make the rounds the night before.”
“And I guess tomorrow is really hectic, huh?”
“Yeah, it is.” She releases an exasperated sigh. “I know what you’re trying to do, Dad.”
“And what’s that?”
“Make up for lost time, but this weekend isn’t for you. It’s for me, and I don’t want to make it about easing your guilt for not being around.”
“That’s not what I’m doing.”
She angles a wry look up at me.
“Okay, maybe that’s a little bit of what I’m doing. I am sorry I was gone so much.”
“It’s fine. I mean, it’s actually not cool. You missed a lot, but I knew you were doing important things.”
I lift her chin, making sure she looks at me when I say what I need to get out. “Nothing is more important than you, Celine. It may not have felt that way sometimes, but I mean that.”
“I guess next thing you’ll say is you did it all for me,” she laughs with a trace of bitterness and not a speck of humor.
“No. Well, yes, especially in the beginning, I took any assignment I could get because I had a kid to support. So, yeah, in that way, a lot of it was with providing for you in mind. But, no. I have the career I wanted. I sacrificed a lot to find and tell stories I thought were important. I’m just sorry if our relationship suffered.” I cup her face and smile ruefully. “I turned around and it feels like you went from a little girl to this beautiful young woman overnight. I want to know you now, Celine.”
After a second of searching my eyes, she nods.
“Okay, but don’t try to stuff it all into two days. I worked hard to be voted homecoming queen, and I want to make the most of it. So maybe tonight you go to the hotel with all the other old folks.”
“Old?” I choke out a laugh.
She gives a smirk that turns into a giggle. “Do the electric slide with your college buddies. Have fun.” She tilts her head toward the float and the students working on it. “I gotta go, but I’ll see you at the parade in the morning.”
“I’ll be at the step show tonight.”
“I know.” She scrunches her nose. “but let’s just pretend we don’t know each other.”
“I can do that. I’m sure I’ll find something to amuse myself with.”
“Or someone,” she says archly. “You think I didn’t pick up on how you looked at Niomi Spencer? You gotta tell me. She was the girl, right?”
“What girl?” I deadpan, playing dumb.
She sucks her teeth, one hand going to her hip. “The one you kissed at the party.”
