respond, her eyes glued to the mug.
I place my hand on hers. “Please, Mom.”
She finally turns to me. “I don’t think contacting your dad is a good idea. He left me alone with two little girls. He hasn’t made an effort to be part of your life.” She plays with my curls. “I just don’t want you to get hurt by his rejection.”
I understand her concern. If I would discover that my father left us and started a new family, it would sting. But not as much, I don’t think. Because I never met the guy. Sure I’d love to have a relationship with him, but if he chooses not to, I’ll be fine with it. I went eighteen years without a dad and I think I turned out okay. “I’m just curious what he looks like. You never showed me pictures.”
“Because I threw them out. I didn’t want you girls to see what a jerk your dad was.”
“Was he really that bad?”
She sighs, shaking her head. “He wasn’t like that when we first met. I had just finished college and was working in an office. We had a party and he delivered the food. We caught each other’s eyes. He had such a nice smile.” She smiles sadly. “I was hoping he’d talk to me, maybe ask for my number, but he left and I never saw him again. Until we had another party and he once again delivered the food. This time, before he left, he asked me for my number. A year and a half later, we got married, and a year after that, Daisy was born.”
I wait for her to go on, but she doesn’t.
“Then what? Did something go wrong?”
“No. Things were great. He was a good husband and a good father. But after you were born, he left. I haven’t seen or heard from him since.”
From the look in her eyes, I can tell she loved my dad very much. Maybe she never got over him.
“You never looked him up online?” I ask.
“I tried, but nothing came up. It’s like he doesn’t exist.” She shrugs. “It doesn’t matter anymore. I spent many nights crying over him until one day I decided that was it. I had two little girls who needed me to be strong for them. I didn’t need a man in my life. I was fine on my own.”
I rub her arm. “But maybe you can use a man in your life now. I don’t know anything about this George guy, but if he’s interested in you, don’t you want to see if it can turn into something?” Maybe she can find happiness, too.
“I don’t know, Lily.”
“Just think about it, okay?”
She nods and is about to say something when footsteps sound from the doorway. Our heads snap up. Sebastian is there, his hair disheveled and eyes sleepy. He looks really hot, and all I want to do is jump into his arms and run my hands through his messy hair.
“Good morning,” he greets.
“Good morning,” Mom says. “Did you sleep well?”
He rubs his eyes. “Sleeping on the couch is very different from sleeping on a bed, but yes, I slept well. Thank you.” He looks at us, then at the time. “Did I oversleep?”
“No, that’s okay,” Mom says. “Lily and I were just having a heart to heart.” She pulls out a chair. “Please sit down and eat something.”
He lowers himself in the chair next to me and gives me a warm smile. I’ve missed him, even though we’ve only been apart for a few hours. Last night in my childhood bedroom, I felt odd. Being back home and remembering everything that happened here. I don’t know how Mom manages it. Daisy’s room is across the hall from mine, the door always shut. I used to peek in after her death to see if anything had changed, but everything was the same. Mom has kept it as it was, as though Daisy would come home any minute.
After we’ve eaten, we spend the rest of the day together, squeezing in as much time as possible. Sebastian and Mom are getting to know each other well, and I can tell she’s pleased with the guy I’ve chosen as my boyfriend. Not that I really chose him. Fate brought us together. Anyone could have fished his lamp out of the dumpster that day, but it was me. And after he was
I place my hand on hers. “Please, Mom.”
She finally turns to me. “I don’t think contacting your dad is a good idea. He left me alone with two little girls. He hasn’t made an effort to be part of your life.” She plays with my curls. “I just don’t want you to get hurt by his rejection.”
I understand her concern. If I would discover that my father left us and started a new family, it would sting. But not as much, I don’t think. Because I never met the guy. Sure I’d love to have a relationship with him, but if he chooses not to, I’ll be fine with it. I went eighteen years without a dad and I think I turned out okay. “I’m just curious what he looks like. You never showed me pictures.”
“Because I threw them out. I didn’t want you girls to see what a jerk your dad was.”
“Was he really that bad?”
She sighs, shaking her head. “He wasn’t like that when we first met. I had just finished college and was working in an office. We had a party and he delivered the food. We caught each other’s eyes. He had such a nice smile.” She smiles sadly. “I was hoping he’d talk to me, maybe ask for my number, but he left and I never saw him again. Until we had another party and he once again delivered the food. This time, before he left, he asked me for my number. A year and a half later, we got married, and a year after that, Daisy was born.”
I wait for her to go on, but she doesn’t.
“Then what? Did something go wrong?”
“No. Things were great. He was a good husband and a good father. But after you were born, he left. I haven’t seen or heard from him since.”
From the look in her eyes, I can tell she loved my dad very much. Maybe she never got over him.
“You never looked him up online?” I ask.
“I tried, but nothing came up. It’s like he doesn’t exist.” She shrugs. “It doesn’t matter anymore. I spent many nights crying over him until one day I decided that was it. I had two little girls who needed me to be strong for them. I didn’t need a man in my life. I was fine on my own.”
I rub her arm. “But maybe you can use a man in your life now. I don’t know anything about this George guy, but if he’s interested in you, don’t you want to see if it can turn into something?” Maybe she can find happiness, too.
“I don’t know, Lily.”
“Just think about it, okay?”
She nods and is about to say something when footsteps sound from the doorway. Our heads snap up. Sebastian is there, his hair disheveled and eyes sleepy. He looks really hot, and all I want to do is jump into his arms and run my hands through his messy hair.
“Good morning,” he greets.
“Good morning,” Mom says. “Did you sleep well?”
He rubs his eyes. “Sleeping on the couch is very different from sleeping on a bed, but yes, I slept well. Thank you.” He looks at us, then at the time. “Did I oversleep?”
“No, that’s okay,” Mom says. “Lily and I were just having a heart to heart.” She pulls out a chair. “Please sit down and eat something.”
He lowers himself in the chair next to me and gives me a warm smile. I’ve missed him, even though we’ve only been apart for a few hours. Last night in my childhood bedroom, I felt odd. Being back home and remembering everything that happened here. I don’t know how Mom manages it. Daisy’s room is across the hall from mine, the door always shut. I used to peek in after her death to see if anything had changed, but everything was the same. Mom has kept it as it was, as though Daisy would come home any minute.
After we’ve eaten, we spend the rest of the day together, squeezing in as much time as possible. Sebastian and Mom are getting to know each other well, and I can tell she’s pleased with the guy I’ve chosen as my boyfriend. Not that I really chose him. Fate brought us together. Anyone could have fished his lamp out of the dumpster that day, but it was me. And after he was
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