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We get Lucy down to sleep in my bed, and Mercy latches on to a bottle of tequila before going to see her sister. She didn’t want me in the room, but I knew the moment she told her about Lexy.
The sound of heartbreak is universal.
I sit outside the room with my head leaning on the wall. My eyes have drifted close, but I don’t need to open them to know who’s approaching.
“Pa,” I hear him slide down the opposite wall, and his foot bumps mine.
“Aye, how are ya doing, boy?” His accent slips out stronger when he’s stressed out.
I open my eyes and stare at my face, just older.
“Worried about the future,” I answer honestly.
It’s all I’ve been able to think about now that the immediate danger has been settled. I got my girls, and they’re safe, but they still need help that I can’t give them. I sigh and rub the back of my neck.
“Spoke to Bear about them. Him and Zahra are coming up to visit. Have your lasses sit with her.” I nod at him.
Asher’s wife started a therapy group when she retired. She’ll be able to help in ways I can’t.
“Thanks, Pa. Dad and Ma, alright?” He snorts, and I groan.
“Never mind.” He grins at me.
You’d think after all these years I’d stop asking questions I don’t want the answers to. Like when my parents are not all together or worse, when they are. There isn’t anything more traumatic for a teenage boy than to walk in on his parent’s spit roasting your mom.
I will never look at the London Bridge the same again.
“Aye, they’re just fine. Worried about that little girl.” He nods his head at my open door, and I glance over my shoulder to see Lucy sitting up in bed, hugging her lion.
“Daddy?” Every time she calls me, that melts my heart more.
“Come here, baby.” She climbs down and rushes over to me.
I place her on my lap and move her hair out of her eyes.
“Where’s mommy?” I kiss her temple.
“Just next door talking to Auntie Porscha.” She buries herself under my chin.
“This is my Pa. Can you say hi?” Her little hand waves, but she doesn’t speak.
“That makes me your new Grandpa now. You got two, aren’t you lucky?” Lucy looks up at me and then at Pa.
“You both have orange hair.” She giggles as I smile down at her.
“Aye, that’s cause we decent from the fairy folk.” Here we go.
“Don’t be filling her head with all those bollock fairy stories.” He clutches his chest in mock outrage.
“Faries?” Lucy climbs off my lap and scouts over to my father’s side.
“Oh aye, that’s why our hair is as bright as the sun.” I roll my eyes as he tells my daughter stories from our motherland, and that’s when it really hits me.
I get to keep them.
I’ve spent so much time trying to make Mercy believe it that my brain is just now catching up with the memo. They’re really both mine.
