Her arms tightened around his neck as she clung to him.“I love you, Dad.”
His heart filled with gratitude.“I love you, too.”
As he spoke the words, he knew they were true.She was his daughter; how could he not love her?He kissed her forehead and waited for the wave of fear.He’d said the words; now it was just a matter of time until she left him.
He held her until she fell asleep, then he picked her up and carried her back to her bed.After tucking the worn teddy bear under her arm, he pulled up the covers and whispered, “Good night.”She didn’t even stir.On his way out, he passed by Jane’s door.He thought about knocking, but she might be asleep as well.Certainly she wouldn’t want to see him.He crept down the stairs and out the front.
It wasn’t until he reached his own house that he realized there was no fear.He felt wonder that this child was his, and gratitude that he had the chance to be with her now.But no fear.
He stared up at the sky.Clouds drifted by, exposing the beauty of a starry night.He held on to Billie’s words, repeating them over and over like a prayer.“I love you, Dad,” she’d said with the sincerity of one who still believes.It gave him hope, he realized.Hope that there might be a way out of this after all.
* * *
Jane stared blurrily at the coffeepot and begged it to hurry.Her night had been long and sleepless.She’d dozed off for a short time, then had spent the rest of the predawn hours staring at the ceiling.
Had she pushed him too far?Was she asking more of Adam than he could give?Could she settle for less?She shook her head.No.Not for herself or for Billie.She could handle his fears if he would meet her halfway.All she wanted was to know that he loved her.Easy enough.Why didn’t she just go ahead and change the tide while she was at it?
Billie came bouncing into the kitchen.She’d already dressed herself.Her softball bulged from its usual pocket.
“How are you?”she asked, remembering what Adam had told her about the previous night.
“Fine.”
She bent down to receive Billie’s kiss.“Fine?That’s it.What about the vase?”
“Oh, that.”
“Yes, that.”
Billie shrugged.“I’ve already been punished.”She grinned.“And I wrote a letter.”She thrust it at her mother.
“What about Adam?I understand that the two of you had some words.”
Billie laughed.“He’s fine.I talked to him last night.”
“When?”
“After I’d been asleep.I had a bad dream that he went away because I told him to.”Her smile faded as she remembered.“I was sad when I woke up, so I went to find him.”
Jane frowned.“You left the house in the middle of the night?”
“No.He was outside.On the porch.”She put her baseball cap on her head.“You know, on the chair out front.We talked.”
“And?”
“I ‘pologized.”She wrinkled her nose.“He said he’d always be my dad.I told him I love him.Is that okay?”
“Yes, honey, that’s fine.”Billie was growing up so fast, Jane thought sadly.
“Good, ’cause he loves me, too.”
“I know he does, Billie, but sometimes people aren’t comfortable saying the words.”
“What words?”
“I love you.”
She shook her head and skipped toward the door.“He said ’em.I’m going over to see Adam for breakfast.Bye.”With that, she slipped through the back door and headed toward the hedge that separated their property.
