The two of them only locked eyes for a second, but her heart burned for minutes after.
CHAPTER 29
Luke
The Capital
Kallum, Ciondo
833 P.C. [Post-Collapse]
For the first time in a month, Luke snuck away from work for lunch at home, something he tried to do every few weeks. He pushed the front door open, and before his boot landed on the hardwood floor, a squeal erupted down the hall.
“Daddy!” His daughter ran to him with little bare feet slapping against the hardwood and her arms outstretched. What had he ever done to deserve such pure love? Nothing. He knew that.
Luke caught her when she ran right into him.
“Daddy, you're home!”
He picked her up and nuzzled his face against her cheek. “I missed you, darling.” He sniffed. “You haven't had your bath, Ainsley?”
Her sweet face dropped into a mask of shock at being caught. “I was busy.”
“Were you?Busy doing what?”
“Well…” Ainsley leaned back against his arms and looked up at the ceiling in serious thought. “My dollies went to school. School's important. Mommy says that.”
“True. School is important.”
“And I got hungry. I ate oatmeal.”
“You could have taken your bath after your oatmeal.”
Her head lowered. “I'm sorry, Daddy.”
Luke couldn't pretend to be upset with her. “I forgive you, darling, but you have to take your bath tonight before you have dessert.”
Her mouth opened like she would argue and then she seemed to think better of it, because she closed it before nodding.
Luke passed the nanny on his way to the kitchen.
“My apologies about the bath, Captain.”
“It's no trouble.” Although it was some trouble. Luke wanted his daughter to know his words meant something. If he said she needed a bath, then she needed a bath. But Ms. Dalia had been a professional and caring nanny who rarely made mistakes. A great improvement over their last caregiver. So, Luke said nothing. It was his fault, after all, that her mother wasn't home with her. He couldn't complain about a mess he made.
Luke placed his daughter on the counter while he prepared sandwiches for them. Ms. Dalia offered to make it, followed minutes later by one of the maids rushing to take over. He sent them both away. Rarely did he have time to come home during the day, and he wanted to make lunch for his child for once.
“Is sissy coming home?” Ainsley asked.
“No. She's staying in school. It's just the two of us today.”
As much as she loved her older sister, she giggled at the rare treat of having him to herself.
If things had been different, would Nadia be here with them today? No. She didn't dream of staying home with the children like his ex-wife did. Nadia would be as busy as he was, determined to become the best surgeon in Kallum. They would squeeze in time to see the girls early whenever possible.
Foolish, foolish thoughts. It didn't matter that he loved Nadia. Would have burned his whole world down for her—did burn it all down, when his fool of a brother left her feeling abandoned. He'd betrayed two people he owed the most loyalty to. In the end, even betrayed his own two daughters. They didn'tlike splitting time between two houses. They wanted mommy and daddy home together.
The house felt too quiet as they finished their lunch.
