Inch by inch, my feet backed away, taking me to the easier escape route. The back door was right there, easy to slip out of. My wide eyes were glued to the three.
I didn’t stay longer in the kitchen, slipping out the back door. Once the fresh warm hit my back, my feet took me straight towards my swing.
Out here, I couldn’t hear the raised voices. I couldn’t hear the mean things spoken about a woman who gave birth to me. And most of all, I didn’t have to deal with the fact that my own grandparents hadn’t wanted a single thing of me.
To them, I really didn’t exist.
I shouldn’t be surprised. Dawn had mentioned before that her parents weren’t really parent material. They were there when they wanted something, and they each had their own differences in life and how to live it.
Swiping a tear from my cheek, I breathed in deep.
I hoped that those two people never came back. Dawn was right. They didn’t deserve to get to know who I truly was.
“Nice set up Dawn’s got here.”
I jerked, body almost falling backwards off the swing at the voice. Only my grip on one of the ropes saved me.
“Didn’t mean to scare you.”
I eyed the man, the same one that had been inside moments ago. How had I not noticed he came out here? Did he follow me? Did he think I’d serve him?
“I mean no harm.” He held up both hands, palms facing me, as he spoke the words. “Truly. I didn’t come out here to…. Well, I came out here to get away from all that crap in there.” He pointed a thumb over his shoulder back towards the house behind him.
I blinked, not daring to turn my gaze away from him. My heart that had just started to settle was now beating way too quickly once more. My hand gripped the ropes to the swing in a tight fist on each side of me.
“My daughter sure has taken a liking to you,” he went on, shoving his hands into his front pockets. “She always had too much of a big heart. That hasn’t changed.” I still had nothing to say to that. I didn’t know damn well enough to know if she had changed over the years. So far, she was the kindest person I had ever met, and that was saying a lot. “When…uh…the other daughter passed away, things hadn’t been that easy between us. Stella was something different, always testing rules and that never changed. Not even when she had her own child. I do regret not being there for her kid, but Darla didn’t want anything to do with the boy. It’s my own fault for letting that woman decide things. I wasn’t in the best mindset at that point in time. But still, that’s no excuse.”
“No, it certainly isn’t an excuse,” Dawn huffed, walking and standing in between me and the man. “Your wife is in the car.”
His eyes bounced from Dawn to me, and it seemed like he understood something that I didn’t. His squinted eyes softened as he addressed Dawn once more. “I’m sorry. For everything Dawn. I know you’ll never understand my side of things, but I do know it’s too late to do much now about any of that.”
“Damn right,” Dawn stood taller, although it wasn’t like she could grow any taller than she was. But the way her shoulders stiffened and he held her head higher spoke more than words ever could. “Nothing can change the past. And after today, I’m done with both of you.”
“Fair enough,” he dipped his chin. “One thing before I go. Expect a letter in the mail from the bank in the next few weeks. Stella’s son,” his eyes bounced to me for a moment before returning to Dawn, “has a savings account that I started when he was born. I’ll keep adding to it every month until I die, or until your mother finds out, which at this point is unlikely. There’s more than enough money in there for his college education. Or whateverelse he needs. He won’t get access to it until he’s eighteen, but it’s all his.”
“We don’t need your money.”
“No, I know. But I had a tiny bit of hope that he’d get to have it someday. He was supposed to be adopted by a great family. He was young, and that’s what the social services had said would happen. I didn’t doubt them when I should have. But even then, I hoped that when he turned old enough, he’d track us down and I could say I always wanted to help him. So, the money is his either way.”
The man’s eyes went back to me again. “I’m sorry. Truly I am. Dawn always wanted you, and I’m glad she found you. Your secret’s safe with me, though. I promise.” With that, he took his hands out of his pockets before turning his back on us, walking away the way he had come.
Dawn watched him disappear around the corner, and only then did her shoulders drop and she blew out a gust of air.
“Well, that could have been worse.”
I wasn’t sure that was possible, but at least my heart was back to its normal rhythm again. My hands hurt from gripping the ropes so tightly, so I let go and shook them out.
“I think after all that, ice cream is in order. Whatcha you say?”
I’d never say no to that.
Chapter 15
“There’s no need to pout.” Dawn’s remark wasn’t mean, but I still shot a glare at her before returning said look to the crappy weather outside.
It’d been raining all day, thunder rumbling in the distance off and on during the afternoon hours. The sky was dark and gray, which wasn’t helping my mood at all.
I wanted the sun. I wanted to be outside instead of being stuck inside with a blanket wrapped around my shoulders, trying to ward off the chill that wouldn’t leave my bones.
