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“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” my father said. “It’s my fault. I was a little taken aback that you’d already been to the ranch.”
“It’s no big deal.” But it was a big deal. It was one less sunrise I’d see in my lifetime. One fewer thing of beauty I’d witness.
I patted my belly. You and I will watch all the sunrises, little dove. You’ll get me up early anyway, and we’ll mark each new day together.
“I’m going in,” I said.
“We’ll come with you,” Dad said.
“Sure. I could use another cup of coffee,” Brad agreed.
“Don’t bother.” I sighed. “I’m going to take a shower.”
I left them on the deck and went upstairs to the bathroom. One bathroom for all three bedrooms. Certainly different from what Brad was used to. In the ranch house, all the bedrooms had their own private bath. Plus, this one bathroom was tiny. We had a small powder room on the main level, but it only housed a toilet and a sink. If you wanted a bath or shower in this house, the bathroom upstairs was your only choice. I turned on the shower and shed my gown.
Soon I’d go to the hospital to see my mother, and then Brad and I would drive back to campus.
Where I’d have to act like nothing was the matter.
I could do that. I was used to it.
Chapter Eleven
Brad
“Is she okay?” I asked Jonathan.
He nodded. “She gets a little distant sometimes. Surely you’ve noticed that.”
“Honestly, I haven’t. She’s always happy at school, always looking on the bright side of things.”
“Oh? That’s good to hear.” Jonathan smiled. “She’s probably worried about her mother, then.”
“Of course. That makes sense.”
“When Daphne’s done in the shower, I’ll take mine.”
“Yeah, I should do that as well.”
“Sure. After I’m done.”
“Oh. Yeah, of course,” I said. They only had one shower in the house? It was a small suburban residence, but surely…
Daphne and I had certainly grown up differently. I had taken so much for granted in my own life.
“Daphne will want to go to the hospital to see her mom. Then we’ll head back to campus.”
Jonathan nodded. “I hope you were serious about wanting to take care of Daphne and the baby.”
“You know I am.”
“Good. It’s important. Especially now.”
“Especially now?”
“I’ve neglected Lucy. I see that now. I should have seen this coming and prevented it. I’ve been so focused on Daphne that I didn’t see what was right in front of my face. Lucy needs me.”
“She’s going to be fine, Jonathan,” I said. “She’ll need some therapy, but—”
“Yes, and I’ll see that she gets everything she needs. She will be my primary focus. That’s where you come in.”
I lifted my eyebrows.
“I meant it when I said Lucy and I would take care of Daphne and the child, but right now, I must see to Lucy’s needs. I’m depending on you, Brad. I’m depending on you to take care of my daughter.”
His blue eyes held emotion I couldn’t identify. Was he abandoning his daughter? I couldn’t believe it, but that seemed to be what his words indicated.
“Of course I’ll take care of her.”
“She’s your responsibility now,” he said. “Yours. Just like Lucy is mine.”
“She’s a grown woman,” I said.
“I know that. So is Lucy. But my wife needs me. She deserves my undivided attention. I haven’t been giving it to her, and that’s changing as of today.”
“I understand.”
“I’ve told you Daphne’s history,” he said, “but I haven’t told you everything.”
Right. We’d been interrupted at the bar last night when Daphne had called about her mother.
Did I want to hear this?
Didn’t really matter. I needed to hear it. I’d just promised this man I’d take care of his daughter. I would, anyway, but it would be better to know everything I was dealing with.
“Go ahead.”
“It’s not pretty.”
“Can it possibly be any worse than what you’ve already told me?”
“Nothing is worse than the incident itself, but you need to know how Daphne ended up in the hospital for so long.”
I nodded. “I need more coffee. And won’t Daphne be down soon?”
“Are you kidding? It takes her an hour to get ready.”
“Really? She doesn’t wear much makeup.”
“No, but her hair takes a long time to dry, even here in Colorado, because it’s so long and thick.”
“Oh. Okay.” I drew in a breath. “Let me have it, then.”
“Daphne was partially right when she told you she had severe anxiety and depression. When she was released from the hospital and came home, the school year was about to begin. Daphne had always loved school and done well. She was a straight-A student, so when the first day of her junior year rolled around, Lucy and I were surprised when she froze.”
“Froze?”
“Yeah. She completely froze. Wouldn’t get out of bed. Wouldn’t speak. Nothing.”
“What happened then?”
“We called the doctor, of course. We originally thought she was missing Sage, but it was more than that. She’d had a psychiatric evaluation in the hospital, and the doctor warned us to watch for symptoms of PTSD.”
