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“Cadence, this is my brother, Trevin. Trev, this is Cadence, and that’s her little girl you’re holding,” Thea introduces.
Cadence, also known as my dream girl, the one who has consumed my every other memory for over a year is standing before me. My breath stalls in my chest as her eyes widen. She looks from me to her daughter and back again.
My wheels start to turn. Her daughter. I look down at the tiny human in my arms, and that tight feeling in my chest intensifies. “H-How old is she?” I ask, my eyes laser-focused on Cadence.
“Three months,” she whispers.
I nod as I count the time in my mind. It’s been exactly thirteen months tomorrow from the night we shared together. A night I’ll never for the rest of my life forget. “What’s her name?” I ask. My voice is gritty like I’ve swallowed sandpaper.
“H-Hazel.” She clears her throat. “Her name is Hazel.”
“Hazel,” I repeat softly. My lips find the top of my daughter’s head as I close my eyes and breathe her in.
My daughter.
There isn’t a single doubt in my mind that she’s mine. The look in her mother’s eyes tells me all that I need to know.
I’m a father.
“Um, what’s going on here?”
“Thea,” Cadence says, her voice breaking. “He’s, I mean Trevin, your brother, he’s Hazel Eyes,” she says, her voice barely audible over the thunderous beat of my heart.
“Oh my God,” Thea murmurs.
“I didn’t know your name. I didn’t know how to find you. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Cadence says as tears begin to race down her cheeks.
Carefully, I stand with our daughter in my arms. I don’t stop until I’m close enough to snake my arm around her waist and pull her into me. A sob breaks free from her chest, and I find myself fighting back the emotions of the moment. She’s here in my arms, and she’s not alone. I have a daughter. We have a daughter.
Clint lets out a whimper that has me lifting my head to catch my sister's eye. She’s smiling and crying as she tries to soothe her son. I never told a single soul about that night. No one except for Scott, my best friend, and I know from the look on my sister's face, he told his wife.
“Can we go somewhere and talk?” I ask Cadence. Such a beautiful name. It suits her. I also need to know everything. I want to hold her, hold both of them, and just… hell, I don’t even know. I’m mad that she ran out on me that night, but I’m also mad at myself for spouting all that spontaneity bullshit. I’d known the minute I got my hands on her she was different. That was confirmed when I pushed inside her for the first time. I should have told her then that I wanted more than just one night with her. I should have insisted I get her name. There are so many could haves… should haves. But she’s here. They’re here, and we need to figure this out.
“I-I live across the hall,” she tells me, reaching for Hazel.
“Can I? I’m not ready to let her go yet.” Fuck me, but I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to let her go. This tiny little angel is a part of me. How do I walk away from that?
“O-Okay. Let me just grab her bag.” She tugs out of my arms, and I miss her warmth. I want nothing more than to pull her back into my arms and kiss the hell out of her, but there are things that need to be said.
“Trev?” Thea says. I turn to look at her. “You good?” There are tears in her eyes, and a smile on her lips. Her husband, my best friend, definitely cannot keep a secret.
I nod because I don’t really know what I am. I’m angry. So damn angry that I missed too much time with my daughter. With Cadence. With my family. There is so much swirling in my mind right now, I can’t really determine which is stronger—anger for what I’ve missed. Hurt for the memories we’ve lost. Relief that she’s here, that Cadence is within my reach, something I never thought would be a possibility. Disbelief that she’s been living next door to my sister, for I don’t know how long.
I’ve heard Thea talk about her friend next door who was unexpectedly a single mom, and she was helping her out, and it gave her some extra spending money. All this time, it was my dream girl and my daughter. My dumbass let fear keep me away when I could have been with them.
“Thea, do you need me? Need anything?” Cadence asks. There’s a tremble in her voice.
“No. You two go ahead. But call me later.” Thea gives no room for argument in her response.
