AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He reached for the remote, tuned the TV to Sports Center merely so he could hear another human voice, and then he went to the kitchen to find last night’s leftover takeout.
His phone jittered on the bar.
Emily.
His heart brightened.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he said.
“Daddy!” she cried, a smile in her voice.
“What are you doing?”
“I had homework today,” she said excitedly.
“Wow, you’re already doing homework in second grade?”
“Dad,” she said, using a teenage voice. “Of course. Most kids don’t like homework, but I do.”
“That’s because you’re a smarty pants.”
She giggled, and he tucked that laughter into his soul. He’d screwed up a lot of things in life, but Emily had been the one perfect example of how an emotionally infantile man could grow into something better than his own father. Graham had made being a good father a vow… Another reason he’d been adamant about returning to New Orleans. “I can’t wait to come to your house. There’s a pool there, right?”
“Yep, and a tennis court.”
“I don’t know how to play tennis,” she said, her voice a little breathless. He could hear the rattle of cabinets in the background.
“Maybe you can take lessons? That would be fun, right?”
“Maybe,” she said, chewing something. “I’m not good at sports stuff.”
“You don’t have to be good. It will be fun just to be out in the sun, moving around.” Graham had noticed Emily had started putting on some unhealthy weight. Monique had laughed it off, talking about Christmas cookies and king cake, but Graham suspected Emily was left too often to her own devices after school, snacking and sitting in front of the TV glued to the Disney channel. Being here would give him a better handle on her health… a better handle on building a stronger relationship with his daughter. “Where’s your mom?”
“She’s with Josh. They’re in a meeting or something. I’m in her office. I did my homework, and now I’m eating a snack and watchingSaved by the Bell.”
Saved by the Bell?
“It’s an old show. Mom said she watched it when she was little. Isn’t that funny?”
“Yeah, princess, it is. Look, I’m going to pick you up on Thursday, okay?”
“Cool,” she said, her attention waning, most likely caught by the campy sitcom. He thought he heard the sound of Screech’s voice.
“Tell your mom to call me later, okay?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“Emily? What did I just say?”
“Uh—” She paused. “I don’t remember.”
“Tell your mother to call me.”
“Oh, right. Bye, Daddy,” Emily said, still distracted, but Graham would take it. He loved every minute of hearing her breathless little girl voice. Something about her innocence buffered the guilt floating inside him… made his day not so crappy if only for a few minutes.
God, he wanted to do better by her.
And he would.
