Tears glisten in Maggie’s eyes as she continues to look at Mikayla.
“Sweetheart,” I say when Mick makes no move to step forward.
“I…” Mikayla sputters before looking up at me. Her mouth hangs open slightly, and her eyes are pools of glass.
“Did your dad mention he had siblings visiting him today in that dream?” I ask her, quirking a brow in an attempt at levity.
I’d give anything to get her to smile or look at me like I’m a fool.
“What?” she whispers, shaking her head. “I didn’t even know he had siblings. Why didn’t I know he had siblings?”
The tears spill from her eyes. She needs to let her emotions out. As difficult as it is to witnessthis, I need to step back and let things happen.
“We can explain,” Walter says kindly.
“Would you two care to join us for breakfast?” I ask, hoping they’ll accept the invitation.
Something tells me this isn’t going to be a simple or easy conversation. And while I can see how much Mikayla needs this, standing in the middle of the cemetery doesn’t seem to be the place for this.
“We head back to Texas in about two hours,” I tell them. “But we have time for breakfast.”
“Oh,” Maggie whispers. “I’d really like that.”
“Just give me a sec,” I say to Mikayla.
I kiss her brow and walk over to the headstone and kneel down in front of it.
“You’re full of surprises, Mr. Masterson,” I say. “I’m Caine and I just wanted to let you know that I’m the man who’s going to marry your daughter. I hope we have your blessing.” I place my hand on top of the stone. “I love your daughter very much. And I promise to do good by her.”
I don’t know what I’m waiting for, a feeling of some kind, something to indicate he hears me. But all I get is a breeze that blows the leaves around me as I stand.
I walk back over and take Mikayla’s hand and squeeze it. I give her a minute with her dad before we make our way back to the car, her aunt and uncle walking behind us.
“You probably have a lot of questions,” says Walter after we order breakfast.
I had texted Jack to meet us at the hotel restaurant for breakfast when we walked back to the car. Now both Jack and Mikayla sit in shocked silence as they stare at the family they didn’t know they had, seemingly speechless.
“Why do they not know you?” I ask, since neither of them asks anything. They just sit there, staring.
“We don’t want to be disrespectful,” Maggie says. “I’ll just say we had a falling out after Phil got married.”
“My mother,” Mikayla whispers harshly. “She’s the reason you stopped speaking to my dad, isn’t she?”
Maggie and Walter look at each other, then back to Mikayla and Jack. Walter takes a deep breath and says, “We didn’t get along with Heidi.”
“Wedon’t get along with Heidi,” says Jack, movinghis hand between himself and his sister.
“What?” Maggie asks, her eyes darting between the two siblings. “I’m sorry, you don’t have to answer that.” Maggie waves her hand in the air.
“Things with mom… that’s why we’re here, to get our stuff… it’s just better we don’t speak to her,” Mikayla explains without saying anything at all.
“She isn’t kind.” Jesus, now I’m doing it.
“Did you have a relationship with our dad? I’m sorry, I—I’m so confused,” Jack says, massaging his temples. Poor guy looks like he’s in pain.
“I called your dad after he got diagnosed,” Walter says. He swallows, clearly fighting back his emotions. “We reconnected before he passed. I wished we could have spoken sooner. But…” he shrugs. “Your mom hated us. And unfortunately, we weren’t welcome in your house.”
“And Dad just accepted that?” Jack asks. His brows draw and he shakes his head.
