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27
JOHN
“Dad. Daaaad. Dad. DAD!”
I turn at the dinner table to find Nora staring at me intently. “Did you say something, honey?”
“I was trying to,” she replies, begrudgingly shifting the vegetables on her plate with her fork. “But you were miles away.”
I pass a hand over my forehead and try to wipe off the million thoughts that have been swirling incessantly in my head since finding out Marissa is pregnant. “I’m present now. What was it you wanted to talk about?”
“What were you thinking about?”
“Nothing important, sweetheart. We can discuss whatever you want.”
She zeroes in on me. “Dad, after Mom left, you promised you wouldn’t keep secrets from me, ever.”
How do I explain to her about the accidental baby? I can’t. I don’t even know who Marissa has told. If she’s ready to share the news, especially that I’m the father.
But it’s true I promised my daughter honesty. “I was thinking about an old friend, well, not exactly a friend-friend.”
“You mean a lady friend, Dad?”
“Yes, Marissa is a woman, but she’s not… that kind of friend at the moment…”
“Do you like her?”
“Yes, but—”
“And were you worried I’d get mad about it? Don’t worry, Dad, I want you to be happy.” She shrugs. “I’m okay with you dating.”
The maturity of the speech surprises me. “Thank you, darling.” Touched, I take Nora’s hand across the table. “But I’m not dating Marissa.”
“Why not?”
“It’s complicated.”
She stabs the last piece of carrot on the plate and says, “I’m all ears.”
“Well, Marissa used to be my girlfriend a long time ago, before I met your mom, but I broke up with her, and she’s still kind of upset about it.”
“Why did you break up with her?”
“We were moving to different cities, and I didn’t want to do the long distance.”
“Like you and Mom now?”
“Not exactly. We weren’t married, and we didn’t have children.”
Nora shrugs. “Don’t worry, Dad, as long as you didn’t act like Daniel Thomas, you’re fine.”
I blink. “Daniel who?”
“Daniel Thomas, a boy in my class. He held hands with Polly Craig at recess for two days in a row and then totally ignored her in the cafeteria for the rest of the week. What a hobknocker. But as long as you weren’t too mean like Daniel and say sorry for what happened before, I’m sure she’ll forgive you.”
“Ah, well, I…”
“No, Dad, don’t tell me you ghosted her?”
