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“This is unbelievable. What a bitch!”
Here’s one instance where we see eye to eye in regards to Lilah.
“I was shocked. As was Lilah when she saw me standing there.”
“Unbelievable. You’re a dad?”
“I’m a dad.” The word is starting to feel more comfortable. Not completely.
“So what’s she like? Tell me about her. I’m assuming you’ve talked to her?”
“Yeah, I had dinner over there last night and I’m going back tonight. She’s amazing, man. You have to meet her. Her name is Monica and she has Lilah’s hair—long, blonde, and wavy—but my brown eyes. And she’s smart. And so happy all the time. When she smiles, her cheeks puff out and her eyes sparkle. She’s the cutest kid ever.”
He chuckles. “She won you over.”
“Can’t lie, she’s going to wrap me around her finger before I know it.”
“No doubt. I remember when her mother had the same effect on you.”
“Whatever.” I act as if there’s no truth to his comment.
“Did you guys ever get to the whole reason you went there in the first place?”
“Nope. Yet one more thing to figure out, along with how I’m going to tell Adelaide about Monica.”
He blows out a stream of air. “Fuck. I don’t want to be you.”
“No shit. I’m gonna break the news to her when she’s home on Friday. Any words of advice?”
“Wear a jockstrap.”
I laugh. This is why Tripp’s my best friend.
“Let me know how it goes. I’ll be back in Cali in a few weeks.”
“For sure. Thanks for listening.”
“Always, man. I gotta roll. My brother’s about to lose it on the waiter.”
“Go.”
Tripp’s brother, who is basically his Lilah, er… who Lilah was six years ago, is always causing problems for the band, but I’m not sure Tripp realizes how toxic he is.
“Hey, you know what I just realized?” he says.
“No, what?”
“I’m an uncle. Uncle Tripp.” He laughs and hangs up before I can form a rebuttal.
I hang up with a smile. That lasts about a second before reality sets in.
* * *
I siton the front porch, waiting for Lilah to put Monica to bed. Another moment when I had to put my wants aside because Monica doesn’t need a strange man tucking her into bed. Once she knows I’m her daddy, all this waiting on the sidelines is over. I’ve missed too many tuck-ins. I’ll know her nightly routine just as well as Lilah.
Lilah was nice after dinner and made herself scarce. Monica and I played outside with chalk. She showed me how she could ride her bike and told me about some friend at school who told her she had baby training wheels. Yeah, we’ll be rectifying that situation immediately. I never wanted to beat up a five-year-old before. That daddy label is starting to saran wrap itself around me.
She really is the happiest child I’ve ever seen—not that I’ve had a lot of experience with kids, except for on set.
