Still with an attitude and a pout to match, she looked me over.
“How can you think I don’t care about you?” I asked, making her scoff and her eyes fell to the ground. “You’re my child. I love you more than anything in this world.”
“I’ve been here for months, daddy. We haven’t gotten around to doing any of that stuff you said we would. If you aren’t working, you just don’t have time for me.” Ivy conveyed. “I spend more time with Harbor and Celine than you.”
“I’m sorry if that’s how you really feel.” Harbor spoke up. “I thought we were getting to know each other and building our own relationship. I wasn’t sure until last night that I even wanted to pursue something with your father. The idea was paralyzing, and I thought a lot about you in the process. I don’t want to come between you two or anything like that. Maybe Ishould just… leave.” She suggested and a nigga felt like he had been punched in the fucking gut.
The thought of her not being around regularly was not something to look forward to. Ivy would have to figure out a way to work through her feelings. I was in no way putting her before my daughter, but my happiness was something I rarely took into consideration. At this stage in the game, if the big God wanted to bless me with Harbor, there was no way I was turning that away.
“No, that’s not what you’re doing.” I interjected, looking at them. “You both mean a lot to me. This ain’t a competition for me or your place in my life either. I have room for both. Ivy, I been fucking up, baby girl. That’s not on you, that’s on me. I’ve been distracted by work, and yes, by Harbor. But it’s not her fault either.”
Ivy didn’t seem convinced. She continued to grill me with her arms folded over her chest.
“It was hard, having you here, and having her here. I was trying to work through my feelings about everything, and… shit wasn’t easy. You are my child. Nobody can take your place in my life. I thought your mama was my one and only shot at me being happy.” My gaze drifted over to Harbor on its own.
Ivy peeped my fixation on Harbor. There wasn’t a woman alive that could captivate me like she had. She was it. She didn’t even know the power she held over me. Shit was even left me shook most of the time. What we stumbled on and had been building up was something I decided was worth it.
“Do you still even love her?” Ivy croaked out painfully.
“Baby girl, your mother will hold a piece of my heart as long as I am living and breathing. So will you. Harbor just showed me how to open up that closed off space and make a little more room.” I acknowledged. “Do you think that’s something you can do?” I questioned, damned near holding my breath for a response.
Ivy wasn’t agreeable. Her big, round orbs bounced from me to Harbor and back again.
“I don’t hate you,” she finally admitted reluctantly to Harbor. “I just don’t want to betray my mama’s memory,” she whispered, breaking my heart.
Harbor’s face fell empathetically. If anyone could relate to Ivy, it was her.
“I would never ask you to. I am not her. But I would love to have my own relationship with you. I care about your daddy. I care about you. Accepting him is accepting you, Ivy. I can’t take one without the other. No matter how much of abratyou are.” Harbor teased.
Surprisingly, Ivy fell over laughing. They embraced one another, and my heart swelled. To see my daughter latch on to a woman outside of her blood was comforting as fuck. We both had someone to lean on, and it was organic, not something forced on either of us. Harbor held Ivy against her, and she smiled over at me while holding her. Shit was good in my world. What I was witnessing was something I never thought would come to pass. But when things went right, something typically went wrong somewhere else. I had unfinished business out there that needed to be handled swiftly.
“Celine isn’t back yet? I was hoping lunch was done or something.” Harbor complained.
“Come here.” I grabbed her arm, tugging her closer to me.
She was staring back quizzically. I guided her to the doorway.
“What are you up to?” She squinted, suspicious as fuck.
“Just got you something I thought you could use. Unless you like Deviance driving you everywhere.” I led her to the path and nodded toward the driveway.
“He’s not so bad.” She kidded with a coy grin.
Harbor was so caught up in me that she was hardly paying attention to anything else around us. I knew that fucking feeling.Finally, her head turned, and I watched her eyes light up. Behind us, Ivy had whipped her phone out to record her reaction.
“Free! You bought me a car!” She squealed, holding on to me for support.
“You like it?” I asked.
“It’s gorgeous! Shit!” She began jumping up and down while holding on to me. “Are you serious right now! This is me!”
“This is all you.” I assured her, and she hugged me, then stood on her toes to kiss me feverishly.
“Mmm, thank you! It’s perfect, it’s everything!”
I went into my pants pocket and retrieved the fob that the delivery dude had dropped in my hand. I passed it along to her and she grinned so fucking big it was brighter than the sun shining.
“I want to see the interior. Shotgun!” Ivy was still recording as she and Harbor did a sprint to the waiting ride.
