Violet plopped down in a chair at the table. “He’ll be here in a little bit. He’s stopping to pick up pizza.”
“Pizza!” all the kids said in unison and cheered.
“I’m going to go see Jessa for a couple of minutes,” he said as he stood up. “Or did you need me to do anything?”
“Nope. Go keep her company,” Laurel said.
Upstairs, Will walked through the open door of the suite and then knocked lightly on the bedroom door.
“Come in.”
Will pushed open the door and stepped into the bedroom. The curtains were all wide open and lots of light spilled into the room.
“Hey, sis. How’re you doing?” Will asked as he sank down on a chair near the bed.
Jessa set down the book in her hands and turned over on her side, so they faced each other. “For someone who can’t get out of bed, I’m doing pretty well. How about you?”
“I’m doing good.” Will stretched out his legs and laced his fingers over his stomach. “Being replaced in my daughter’s life, but otherwise, doing good.”
Jessa’s eyebrows rose. “Amy?”
“Yep. They just got back from swimming, and Isabella couldn’t have cared less that I was here. All she wanted to do was tell Amy every detail about their time swimming.”
“I love you dearly, Will, but honestly, you have no one to blame but yourself. She’s hungry for someone to be with her the way Amy is. Someone who makes her feel special and that what she has to share is important. Don’t you remember wanting that as a kid? How you felt when your mom or dad didn’t have time for you for some reason? I’m guessing Isabella feels that way more often than not.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Will’s breath caught in his lungs at the harsh words spoken in Jessa’s gentle voice. He did remember how it felt to not be able to share something super important with his mom or dad because something—or someone—had demanded their attention first. Despite what Jessa said, hedidlisten to Isabella, just not with the enthusiasm and excitement Amy had shown her. And apparently to a six-year-old, that made all the difference in the world.
Before he could say anything in his defense, Jessa continued, “She knows that Laurel has her own kids and so does Violet, but Isabella discovered that Amy doesn’t,and she’s claimed her. That should have been you, but while you may have given her everything in the world, what she really wants is someone to give her their undivided attention.” Jessa paused as if waiting for him to argue with her. He didn’t because he knew that everything she said was true. “I’ve seen them together a bit, but Lance has seen it more. He’s mentioned how Amy treats Isabella like she’s the most special little girl in the world. And you should see how Amy gets her to behave. It’s like she’d do anything to make Amy happy. She loves her. Of course, Amy is very lovable. She’sbeen a real answer to prayer for me.”
“And what happens to Isabella when Amy leaves?” Will asked. “It’s going to break her heart.”
“Yes, I know.” Jessa stared at him for a moment. “At the risk of upsetting you, Will, I’m going to put it right out there. You need to man up.”
“Man up?”
“Have you heard the saying that anyone can be a father, but that it takes a real man to be a daddy?”
Will shifted in his seat, his gaze sliding from Jessa’s for a moment.
“You need to man up and become the daddy Isabella needs. You need to put aside whatever grief, guilt and anger you’re feeling about everything involving Delia. I know it’s not easy when Isabella looks so much like her, but you need to start seeing her for who she is. She’s not responsible for the circumstances of her birth. She can’t help how she looks. She’s a little girl who needs a daddy,especially because she doesn’t have a mommy. Especially because the woman she loves will be leaving her in the months ahead.”
Swallowing hard, Will pressed his chin to his chest and stared at his hands. “Why are you saying this to me now? I’m sure you’ve been thinking about it before.”
“Yes. I have, and I’ve tried to subtly bring it to your attention, but either you didn’t pick up on it or you just didn’t want to listen.”
Will knew it was probably the latter. “And now?”
“And now I’m a mother doing what she can to save her baby. I don’t think I can handle another loss. I need you to see Isabella for the gift she is and be thankful for her.” Jessa pressed a hand to her stomach. “Don’t take her for granted. It can all change in the blink of an eye. You should know that more than anyone. You have something that people the world over are struggling to have. She deserves to be loved and cherished just because she is. Follow Amy’s lead. I’ll betyou’ll see changes in Isabella you never imagined, and maybe even in yourself. It’s time to move forward, Will.”
Everything Jessa said was like a stab in the heart. He knew she was right, and though he wasn’t sure how to change things, he knew that he needed to. A child was what he’d wanted and now that he had one, he wasn’t taking care of her the way he should. “Thank you.”
“Come here,” Jessa said with a wave of her hand.
Will slid from the chair to his knees next to the bed. Jessa wrapped an arm around his neck. “I love you. I wasn’t sure I would when we first met. I resented that you’d been blessed with a great family while us girls had to struggle with Gran, but in the end I couldn’t help but love you. And now I hurt for you. I want to see you happy, and I think the first step to that happiness is with Isabella.”
“You’re right. And I love you, too.” He sat back a bit when she loosened her arm and grinned at her. “You were the prickliest of the bunch, but I knew I would win you over sooner or later.”
