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“You’re the only woman I’m hanging out with. Hell, other than my sister and mother, you’re the only woman I even talk to. So, now that that’s done, when do you want me to pick you up forshopping?”
“We’re not going anywhere in town, arewe?”
“No. I figured we could take a trip into the city. She asked for an American Girl doll?” He says it like he’s unsure if that’s the rightname.
“Oh, I had one of those, growing up. Which one does shewant?”
“Uh … one that looks like her? They have a store in the mall near theairport.”
“Another road trip,huh?”
“Seems to be our thing. My mom is taking Maven to her bake sale, and then they’re going shopping for her party decor on Saturday. Thatokay?”
“My Saturday looks open.” Like almost everyday.
Stella is on break from filming and hasn’t been asking much of me, so getting out of my apartment soundsrefreshing.
“Then, it’s adate.”
I grin. “It’s adate.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Dallas
“Doyou remember the doll I want, Daddy?” Maven asks for the umpteenthtime.
I tap my finger on the side of my head. “Sure do.” I have it written in my phone notes. I pulled up the doll website last night, and there’s a shit-ton of options. I pause and cock my head to the side. “And you don’t even know if you’re getting adoll.”
Yes, shedoes.
She bounces from foot to foot. “Ireally,really, reallyhope so.” She skips up the steps to my parents’ porch to meet my mom standing outside. “Grammy, don’t I need an American Girldoll?”
My mom draws her into her side. “Of course you do,sweetie.”
Maven wags her finger my way with a smile on her lips. “You have to listen to your parents, just like you tellme.”
“Oh, honey, your daddy was not a good listener when he was your age,” my mom replies with a laugh. She squeezes Maven’s shoulders. “Now, go wash up for lunch, and we’ll go to the bake sale and then shopping for your partydecorations.”
“Yay! Princess Jasmine all the way!” she shrieks. She pulls the door open and disappears into thehouse.
“Thank you for watching her, Ma,” Isay.
She nods. “Anytime. You going to the city to get thedoll?”
I scrape my boot against the steps. “It’s what shewants.”
She can’t contain her loving smile “And her daddy always gets her what shewants.”
“It’s the least I can do. She lost her mother. She deserves theworld.”
Her smile drops. “You’re getting her a doll in the hopes that she won’t be sad everyday?”
I grew up with parents who refused to sweep shit under the rug. If there was a problem, we talked about it. If they wanted to know something, they asked and expected honest answers. I grew up, facing my challenges, but this isn’t a problem easily fixed. No amount of parenting or life lessons could’ve prepped me for losingLucy.
“That’s not the ultimate reason, but it has something to do with it,” I answer. “I want her to heal and enjoy her childhood. If that means spoiling her right now, then that’s what I’ll do. Whatever my daughter needs to put a smile on her face, I’m willing to doit.”
A tear slips down her cheek. I hate seeing my mother upset. I take the few steps up to wrap her in my arms. She sniffles for a second before she continues her impendinglecture.
