AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jack stood there, waiting for her to notice him.
When she finally looked up, her smile faded. In that moment, across the crowded room, everything blurred and fell away. Only the two of them were left.
He was the first to move. He closed the distance between them, mentally preparing for her anger. God knew, it could hit you like a hammerblow. Sometimes, you had to duck fast. "Hey, Jamie. Good race. "
She crossed her arms and jutted out her chin, but there was a softness in her eyes that gave him hope. "I came in third. "
"You swam your heart out. I was proud of you. "
She immediately looked down. "Why are you here? Business in town?"
"I came to watch you swim. "
Slowly, she looked up. "Its been a long time. " She obviously meant to sound tough, but her voice cracked.
"Too long. "
In her eyes, he saw a flash of the girl whod once followed him everywhere, afraid hed get lonely without her. "Well. Thanks for coming. Ill tell Stephie you were here. Shes finishing a big paper. " She turned and walked away.
For a minute, he was so shocked he just stood there. Then he called out, "Wait!"
She stopped, but didnt turn around.
He came up behind her. "Forgive me," he whispered, hearing the desperate harshness in his voice. "I spent too much time looking at my own life. "
"Forgive you?"
His voice fell to an intimate whisper, "Remember when you had that bad start at the state meet when you were a junior in high school? I took you aside and told you youd had your stance wrong. But you knew that, didnt you?"
"Of course. "
He stared at her back, wondering if he dared touch her. "I should have hugged you and told you it didnt matter. What you do is nothing compared to who you are. It took me too long to figure that out. Im sorry, Jamie. I let you down. "
Slowly, she turned around. Her eyes were moist.
"Please dont cry. "
"Im not. What about you and Mom?"
"I dont know. "
"What happened? I dont get it. "
"Think about you and your boyfriend, Mark. "
"Michael," she said.
Damn. "Sorry. Anyway, imagine marrying him. You live with him for twenty-four years. Day in and day out, youre together. You raise children together and change jobs and move from town to town. Along the years, you bury parents and watch your friends divorce and say good-bye to your daughters. Its easy, in all that time, to forget why you fell in love in the first place. " He took a step toward her. "But you know what I found out?"
"What?"
"You can remember if you want to. "
"Do you still love her?"
"Ill always love her. Just like Ill always love you and Stephanie. Were a family. " He said the word gently, with a newfound reverence. "I dont know whats going to happen with me and your mom, but I know this: Youre my heart, Jaybird. Always. "
She looked at him then, her eyes watery with tears that didnt fall. "I love you, Daddy. "
