Lola picked up on the first ring. She’d gone back to her hotel while I spent time with my family.
My family.
“I need some things delivered by morning,” I said, keeping my voice low. “She’s six. She lost a tooth last night. I need the full fairy setup. Whatever that looks like. Coins, sparkly shit, a note. Can you get her a Chanel bag by morning?”
“Ducane, be serious. But she’s so cute, so I’ll see what I can do,” Lola laughed with a sigh.
“I know, man, but can you make it happen?”
“I can call Icy Co Events. Coco can do it.”
“I don’t care about the cost. Also, she likes purple, cloud things, and she wears glasses. Look into getting her a diamond chain for them. And stuffed animals, she loves them.”
“I’ll have it there by seven.”
“Six thirty.”
“I want double pay. Six thirty. I hate to bring her up but Devon is working on containing the mess with Bianca. She’s insufferable, you know. Always has been.”
“I know, Lo. Look, I’ll be busy the rest of the night. Let’s meet tomorrow to debrief.”
“See ya tomorrow. And congratulations, boss.”
I hung up and turned around. Skye was leaning against the wall at the end of the hallway with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face.
“Lola is earning her check tonight,” I said.
“You are already doing too much. Did you see her room? She has no room for more stuffies.”
“Yeah, well, the princess ain’t got nothing from me yet, so I gotta do my big one. She’s excited about that tooth.”
“A hug and your face was all she needed.” Skye’s voice softened. “But she’s going to love it. Sugar loves surprises and gifts. Sugar just loves. She’s so perfect, Ducane.”
“She is Skye.”
“Uh, well, meet me in the kitchen whenever you get finished. I made some tea.”
She turned and headed downstairs.
I followed her down to the kitchen table. We sat without saying anything for a while. Although tea wasn’t my thing, I needed something to do with my hands. I had too much energy and had nowhere to put it.
I was a father.
I shook my head and looked at Skye. The love of my entire life. My forever. I had dreamed about being back in her space but never imagined it would look like this.
She had her hands wrapped around her mug, staring into it like it was a magic eight ball with the answers at the bottom.
I waited.
She looked up.
“I found out I was pregnant two days before Christmas. I hadn’t told anyone. I was still figuring out what I was feeling about it myself.” She looked at me without cowering. “And then I stood there pregnant with your child while your father called me nothing and said I had no business carrying your name. Whether he said it to my face or not, I heard it loud and clear.”
I didn’t say anything.
“I made a decision that night. I decided the safest thing for her was to take her and disappear. Away from your father. Away from all of it. Where he couldn’t touch her, and you’d never have to choose between her and everything he held over you.” She looked up. “That’s the short version. You’ll get the rest. But not tonight. I don’t want to do anything to ruin such a beautiful night.”
I looked at her for a second. She had been carrying the idea that I might not choose her. She had looked at everything we were to each other and still believed there was a version of events where I picked my father over her.
