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Not wanting to embarrass myself or make anyone feel uncomfortable, I push away the tears. When she steps back, her hands cup my cheeks.
“How are you feeling? Are you hungry? Would you like something to drink?”
“Stop it, Helen. The girl just walked in the door. Give her a few minutes to collect herself.”
A gruff older man walks up beside Theo’s mom and offers me a sympathetic smile. “Sorry, honey. She plays mother to everyone.” He holds out his hand. “I’m Wyatt.”
I place my hand in his and it engulfs mine. I feel tiny compared to his tall and muscular frame. His hair is longer than socially acceptable, and the full beard gives him a rugged look. The tattoos peeking out of his shirt sleeves make him appear daunting. But his eyes, which are the same crystalline blue as Theo’s, look kind. The eyes aren’t the only thing Theo got from him though. Theo looks like a younger version of his dad.
I stifle a laugh when Theo’s mom elbows him out of the way and takes her place back in front of me.
“You hush,” she says pointedly to Wyatt. Reaching forward, she grabs my hand. “You and Theo come. Let me make you both some lunch. And please, call me Helen.”
I nod and follow her. Not that I really have a choice with her hand still holding mine. My eyes drift to the side, trying to take in as much as I can. I only get a glimpse of an old couch, a couple of scuffed end tables, and a small flat-screen television before we’re entering the kitchen. The décor in this room isn’t much better with its outdated appliances, old cabinets, and old-fashioned linoleum flooring. It’s small, but still big enough to move around in. I try to picture myself in here cooking dinner, but I can’t. According to Theo, I had my own place when we met, so it’s not surprising I can’t see myself in here.
Helen leads me to a small four-seater table in the corner of the room.
“You three, take a seat, and I’ll whip us up some sandwiches. Jules, do you like ham?” she asks, but turns away before I can answer.
“Yes, please,” I tell her back as she starts pulling things from the fridge.
She lifts her head and looks at Theo. “You need to go grocery shopping, son. You’ve got hardly anything in here.”
“I know, Mom,” he sighs. “I plan to go tomorrow.”
“Good.” Her head goes back into the fridge. “Now, what about tomato and cheese, Jules?”
“I’ll take them both, thank you.”
“Sorry,” Theo says quietly, leaning toward me so his mom doesn’t hear.
I pull my eyes away from the humming woman and look at him. “It’s okay,” I tell him truthfully. Her coddling should bother me, since I’ve only known her a few minutes, but it’s oddly comforting.
“Where’s Aria?” Theo asks.
It’s Wyatt who answers. “With Ella. They should be getting back any minute.”
“Who’s Aria?”
Theo’s expression turns guarded at my question and his eyes avoid mine. Helen looks to Wyatt, then to Theo, before looking at me. I, in turn, look at all three of them, waiting for someone to enlighten me. A sinking feeling forms in the pit of my stomach.
Wyatt opens his mouth, but before he can talk, the front door slams and a small pitter-patter can be heard comi
ng toward the kitchen. A moment later, I’m shocked to see a little girl with long dark brown hair come barreling into the room.
“Dad!” she yells. “I’ve got you something!” She slides to a halt in front of Theo, then spots Wyatt, screeches, and jumps onto his lap. “I didn’t know you and Gamma were coming over today!”
Wyatt laughs and grabs both of her pigtails to pull her face toward him. “You didn’t see the car parked in the driveway?” Before she can answer, he demands, “Gimme sugar.”
Giggling, the little girl plants a smacking kiss on Wyatt’s lips. She then jumps down and runs over to Helen, who scoops her up and gives her the same treatment.
“You’re just in time, munchkin. I’m making sandwiches.”
“Yippee!” screeches the girl. “Can you put extra honey on mine?”
Helen pecks the girl’s nose, before pulling back and smiling at her. “You betcha.”
After she’s put down, the girl turns back to Theo. I’m left sitting there in shock, because I have no doubt in my mind who this little girl is. She looks exactly like her father, even having the same beautiful blue eyes. In the weeks Theo’s visited me in the hospital, he’s never mentioned he has a daughter. I have no idea how to feel about this new development.
