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If he had known his daughter existed, she wouldn’t have been living with a drug-addicted mother. She certainly wouldn’t have been in the foster care system for a week before he’d gotten to her.
She would have known him.
“When we were dating, your mom decided I wasn’t the man who made her the happiest. So she and I…ended things. She did not, however, tell me that I was Nova’s father. That was a surprise I got this morning.” He leveled a look at Noah. “When I learned you had been separated and that you were out there somewhere, I had them bring you to me. I loved you before, Noah, when you were only four. That hasn’t changed, even though it’s been more than seven years since I’ve seen you. I want you to remember that. This can be your home. I am not going to be a perfect dad. But I’m going to try to be a fair one. To listen to you guys. To make sure you have what you need. And I want you two to know that I am always going to be here when you need me. No matter what.”
He didn’t think Noah believed him. That would just to take time. But Nick meant it.
He ordered the pizza, going with just pepperoni and cheese to be on the safe side. The kids ate like they hadn’t ever had a meal before.
They were both kind of scrawny—a part of him had to wonder if maybe food hadn’t been as available as it should have been.
Linsey had given him the kids’ files, with notes and interviews from neighbors and Selena’s employer. The kids’ pediatrician.
He hadn’t had a chance to look at it yet.
He wanted to know what kind of life they’d had before.
Noah’s clothes were faded and too small. Nova’s hadn’t been in the best of shape, either.
Noah would need new clothes, too.
Nick was going to have to remember to take it one day at a time. It was spring break next week, but a week from Monday, they’d be in school all day. He had to get them prepared for that, too.
“What time did you two usually go to bed?” he asked Noah.
One thing Robin had insisted on—they needed a routine, from the very beginning. Best to go forward as they meant.
He usually worked until six or seven at night. Nick was going to cut that back to five now. Anything needed done beyond that, he’d just do it after they were in bed.
He’d drop the kids off at school, when it started again, then he’d head to the office. He’d have the school bus bring them to him at the office. The school bus went by around three forty-five, he thought.
He was going to take the next week off to spend with Nova and Noah. Get them settled in and avoid needing to hire a babysitter for the week.
Then he had to go back to work, and the kids had to begin their new routine. Including school.
But first…bed.
“Nova goes to bed at eight,” Noah said quietly. “I just go to bed whenever I get tired.”
“No set bedtime? What did your mom say?”
Noah shrugged. “She never said anything. She never really noticed, anyway. I just always put Nova to bed at eight. She’s a little kid, she’s supposed to go to bed early and stuff.”
“Yes, she is. I tend to go to bed around midnight or one. So…how about, on school nights, you’re in bed by ten? During the summer and weekends, as long as you’re in bed by eleven?”
“Whatever.”
Well, at least the kid wasn’t fighting him.
It was almost eight now. Nova had already had a bath. Her hair was braided. “You’ll need to brush your teeth before bed, Nova. Do you want me to read you a story?”
“What?” She looked at him like he’d spoken in an alien language, and looked at her brother.
“Yeah, we don’t ever really do that kind of stuff. I usually just put her on the couch with her blanket and then go to my room to hang out so she can sleep,” Noah said.
Nick almost asked where Selena had been each night. But he didn’t want the kid to think he was being interrogated. “I’ll read her a story and tuck her in bed in a bit. We won’t have television or internet for a couple of days in the living room, but I have a stack of DVDs in there in a duffel bag, if you want to watch something.”
“I can just go to my room or something.”
“It’s up to you.” Maybe it was a mistake, but it was the kids’ first night in the place, after a long and exhausting day for all of them. Nick didn’t want to overwhelm him. “Let me know if you need anything, ok? All you have to do is ask. This is your home now, too. It’ll be my first night here as well. I rented the place from my nephews when I learned about you two. So we can all consider tomorrow a brand-new start.”
