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“I’d love to, Stan. You lead the way.”
Cara pulled on my arm before I followed Stan inside. “We’ll be in the living room if you need anything.”
I smiled and kissed her cheek. In these few weeks together, I’d realized that Cara and I were more similar than different. She was a protector like me. She just did it differently. Softly with her words and her love. I would have to take some notes from her book on that.
I followed Stan through the kitchen and onto the glass enclosed porch. It was a sunny, early spring day. The porch was filled with greenery that was happy to be soaking in some rays.
“Take a seat.”
I did as I was told, sitting on the wicker loveseat across from Stan.
“We’re not…pleased, you know. Linda is better at hiding it than me, but this whole situation is not how we would have wanted it to go.”
I nodded. “I’m sorry to hear that. But as a father myself, I understand why you feel that way.” I had resolved before coming here to be as agreeable as possible. I would take any of his abuses for Cara’s sake.
It didn’t mean it was easy, though.
“Yes, and now that you two are having a child…” Stan cleared his throat. “I am happy to know that Cara isn’t doing it without the father. And I’ll admit we were very impulsive the last time we saw you. I’m not proud of how I handled myself. My daughters are my world. You understand that.”
“Of course.”
“And just because Cara loves who she loves…” Stan nearly rolled his eyes as he said that, unsure how I could possibly be the man for her. “I’m not going to sever ties with her or my grandchild. But I’m still not sure about you.”
“Is there anything that would make you sure of me?”
Stan held his hands out. “Maybe. Maybe not. Jury’s out.”
Maybe.I could live with maybe. That meant there was a chance that one day, they might be sure of me. “Well, Stan, you don’t have to like me. I wish you did, but you don’t have to. That’s your prerogative.” I cleared my throat. “However, I’m committed to Cara. To her well-being. To her goals. To our child. I have no question that I can support her however she needs. Financially and emotionally.”
“But what about your daughter? She’ll always come first, won’t she?”
“Yes.” No question. “But that’s a mutual feeling. I know Cara would put Lucy before me if she had to. That’s just something we both have come to understand.”
Stan frowned. “Hmm.”
“Stan, I love her very much.”
“So will you be marrying her? You have a child on the way, after all.”
I held back a laugh. “I’ve offered. Cara doesn’t want to rush. You can ask her yourself.”
“It’s good to know you’re willing to step up.”
“I am. I’ve never been one to back down from what I want.”
Stan smiled.A smile! I’ve done it!“Okay. I respect that. I still want to get to know you some more, of course. I’m not sure about you, but this conversation has given me a bit more confidence in what you can offer my daughter.”
“Of course.”
“Cara’s a special girl.”
“Trust me, I know.”
Stan was silent for a moment, his lips tightening. “I admit, I don’t think I was ready to have her find someone so soon and move on from me being the man in her life.”
I smiled softly. We both had daughters and understood how precious they are, but we were of different schools of parenting. Stan had beliefs that his daughters would eventually grow up and find husbands and he would need to pass the baton. It was protectiveness. I could understand that. But in that moment, I resolved that I would never make Lucy feel she owed me her allegiance that way. Besides, who knew who she would grow up to be? “Having girls is scary, isn’t it?”
Stan’s eyebrows jumped. “Now that you mention it, yeah. Yes, it is. I thought that feeling would go away one day, but it doesn’t. Something to think about.”
