That damned woman.That damned beautiful, sweet woman.I went to that meeting today to tell the world how important she was to me, that I trusted her.
I screwed that up too, apparently.She’s avoided me since.
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly.I need a distraction.Any distraction.A distraction from the truth.
Whatever the fuck that is.
Without thinking, I find myself marching up the stairs.I find Jasmine playing with Barbies in her room.Sitting on the floor with her, I pick up a book and crack it open.
“Have you read this?Harry Potter?”I wave the book.
She frowns at me, suspicious.“Not yet.Why?”
“Oh, look at this sentence,” I say.“What do you think of this sentence?”
I put it under her nose.“I’m busy, Dad.I’m playing Barbie.”
“How about this one?”I pick up an easier book, one about a family of bunnies in a meadow or some shit.
“I’m playing.”
“Jasmine.Please just read this one sentence.It’s important to me.”
She looks down at the floor for a long minute before finally picking up the book.She takes a breath and tries to read, but she stumbles over the words.After a few tries, she closes the book.
“I’m in the middle of playing Barbie.”
“Since when have you had trouble reading?”I make my voice as gentle as possible.
She doesn’t answer, and that’s all the answer I need.“Get over here, Pinkie.”I pull her into my lap.“Do you know you’re my favorite girl in the world?”
She nods.
“Do you know that you’ll never get in trouble with me because of something that challenges you or is hard for you to figure out?That I’ll always have your back and be here to help?That I’ll move heaven and earth for you?”
Jasmine looks sideways at me, but I see a little smile play on her lips.“I know, Daddy.I just never want you to be ashamed of me.”
Talk about a knife to the gut.
I stroke my baby girl’s hair and look right into those pale blue eyes of hers, so much like Amy’s.“Never.I am so proud of you that I want to stand on the mountain and yell out to the whole world that Jasmine MacLaine is my daughter and I am the proudest papa there ever was.”
She rolls her eyes.“That’s kind of dramatic.”
We laugh together.
“Dad?Why is Emma at Grandpa’s house?Is she mad at me?”
“Oh, honey, no.”I pull her tight to my chest.“She’s mad at me.But I’ll get it sorted out.”
Jasmine’s gaze looks right through me.“Promise?”
I sigh.“I promise.”
CHAPTER71
Emma
Phyllis assured me that Finn’s house would be empty today, so I’m back here to get the last of my belongings from my bedroom and bath.
