“I don’t think you know how much that means to me,” Melanie mumbled into my chest.
“I do, love.” I kissed the top of her head as I sat there holding her. “Can I ask you something though?”
“Anything!” Melanie pushed away from me to stand up straight. She looked ready to answer whatever question it was that I had to ask.
“What bought all of this on? Was it me not answering my phone or was there something else that happened, too? I want to make sure if it was anything else, that I make sure it doesn't happen. I don’t want to put you through any kind of pain like that ever again. Especially where you are second guessing every second of the day as to what is going on.”
“It started this morning and it isn’t anything you could have prevented.”
“What was it?”
“Amelia got a notice at school yesterday about an event happening tomorrow.” Melanie looked me directly in the eye before she said the next part. “It’s the father/daughter day at Amelia’s school. She asked me if you could come with her.”
I sat there in front of Melanie, stunned at the honesty of what had set her off today. My actions of not answering my phone only projected the feelings she was having about Amelia asking me to come to her father/daughter day at school.
“She said that she knew you weren’t her dad but she likes you and she knows I like you so she thought that you would be a good substitute.”
I watched as Melanie’s face changed from worried to excited to worried again. I had no idea if she was asking if I wanted to go or if she’d already told Amelia that I couldn’t go. I wanted to go, with every fiber of my being. I wanted to be there for Amelia because I knew if I did that, Melanie would see how serious I was about this. Like Melanie and Max had both said, they were a package deal.
“If she’ll have me, then I would love to go with her.” Melanie placed a hand against my cheek and leaned in to kiss me on the lips. “I just want to make sure you’re okay with me going.”
“I was so scared to ask you. I kept thinking about what if you said no and how it wouldn’t just hurt me but how it would hurt Amelia. Then I tried to call you and it was a tailspin of emotions that got out of control today.”
“They didn’t get out of control, love. You’re allowed to have emotions and they are justified.”
“I really don’t deserve you.”
“And I don’t deserve you. You opened up to me. You’re letting me take Amelia to her father/daughter day. I’m pretty sure I’m the lucky one in all of this.”
“He said he’s going?” Amelia’s screech came from the open door. Melanie and I both turned to see her standing there in her nightgown with a teddy in her arms.
“Shouldn’t you be in bed, little miss?” Melanie pushed from my arms and walked toward Amelia, giving her a light scolding. It was almost midnight now and Amelia should have been in bed but I was grateful that she was awake to hear me tell Melanie that I was going to her father/daughter day.
“Shhhh, mommy. Jack said he’s going to go to school with me!” Melanie laughed and picked Amelia up, turning back toward me. They stood in the doorway, looking like the future I knew I wanted to have in my life.
“I am.” The smile on my face grew wide as I stood and walked over to them, placing a kiss on Amelia’s head and then on Melanie’s. I looked down at both of them, finally understanding exactly where I stood with both of these women.
Melanie was scared but because she knew that this was inevitable. We were already happening. Even if she hadn’t said it aloud, she knew that there was a future between us and that started with me being a part of Amelia’s life more and being there for her when Melanie wasn’t around.
We weren't quite a family yet but looking down at both of them, I knew we’d be a family soon enough.
Fifteen
“This ismy cubby and that’s my desk.” Amelia had my hand in a death grip as she tried to show me around her classroom while it was filled with twenty students and all of the parents. I appreciated the fact that even though it was a father/daughter day, there were moms who were here with their daughters as well.
It was saying one sorry after another as at least ten of us bumped into each other. It was clear the parents who had been to the classroom before because those girls had ditched their mom or dad and went to hang out with their other friends.
Amelia though, had no interest in anyone but me. She was showing me the artwork that she had done the other day that was hanging on the wall. That’s when her teacher walked up.
“You must be Jack. I’m Miss. White.”
“Nice to meet you,” I reached out to shake her hand but Amelia only let it go for a second before she was reaching for it again.
“Melanie let me know that you were coming but weren’t quite Amelia’s dad.”
“He’s as close as I could get.” I heard her little voice and looked down to Amelia who had a pout on her face. She stomped her foot.
“I was glad to come and be a part of this day for Amelia. I know it means a lot to her, since her dad isn’t able to be here with her.” I squeezed Amelia’s hand before looking back up to Miss. White, who had a stunned look on her face. Amelia squeezed back twice and then pulled me on to the next wall that had her class photo on it.
