“How are you holding up?” she asks after we close the door.
“I’m hanging in there.”
Demi runs her palms up my shirt, cupping one side of my face. “I love you.”
“Love you too.” I bundle her in my arms, closing my eyes and just drinking her in. I couldn’t have gotten through these past few days without her. She’s my rock in every conceivable way.
“Dad.”
My eyes pop open at the sound of Jane’s voice.
“Yes, honey?” I ask as Demi slips out of my arms.
“Are you okay?” Worry lines crease Jane’s brow.
“I’m okay.” I open my arms wide. “Can I have a hug?”
Jane flings her arms around me and nestles her head against my chest. “Always, Daddy. Always.”
Demi smiles adoringly as I hug our eldest child and only daughter. I love all our kids but Jane was the first and the bond between us is that little bit extra special.
“How areyoudoing?” I ask. Jane was the closest of our kids to her grandma because Mom lived in Rydeville for the first six years of her life before moving to Florida to live with her eldest sister.
“I’m sad, and it hurts I didn’t get to say goodbye.”
My hand treks up and down her back. “Yeah, it does.”
“What’s going on?” Henry asks, appearing at the end of the hallway.
“Nothing, love.” Demi smiles at our eldest son. He towers over her at two inches taller than me. “We were just saying goodbye to Jackson, Nessa, and Shandra.”
“Felix is looking for you,” Henry tells his sister.
“’Kay.” She gives me one last squeeze before slipping from our embrace. “I better go protect him. He’s kinda shy around so many strangers.”
“He’s a nice boy,” Demi says, her approval clear.
“Man, Mom. Felix is a twenty-year-oldman. Stop referring to him as a boy. It’s insulting,” Jane replies.
I’m reserving judgment. Nice boys instantly raise my suspicions, usually for good reason. Though he passed the background checks I ordered, I still don’t trust Felix with my princess. And who the fuck names their kid a cat’s name anyway? Instant fucking red flag if you ask me.
“Daddy.” Jane narrows her eyes. “You need to stop that.”
I feign innocence. “Stop what?”
“Stop with the look!” She waves her hands around. “And stop glaring daggers at my boyfriend every chance you get. He’s good to me, and you need to knock it off before you scarethis oneaway.”
Demi cocks her head to one side sending me one of her “I told you so” looks.
“I’m not apologizing for protecting my daughter or for wanting the right man for you. News flash, honey, that one waiting in the kitchen is not the right man.”
“Ugh.” She tosses strands of black hair over her shoulders. “I won’t argue with you the day of Grandma Elizabeth’s funeral, but wearegonna argue about this again. You’ve got to let me live my life, Daddy. That includes letting me make my own decisions and mistakes. How else will I learn?” Spinning on her heel, she storms off to comfort her pathetic man-child of a boyfriend.
“You just got schooled, Dad.” Henry grins. “But you’re not wrong,” he adds. “That guy is a pussy.”
Demi sighs, but she doesn’t reprimand our son for his language. It’s literally a waste of time and lung capacity.
Henry thumps me in the upper arm. “She’ll ditch him quicker if you keep out of it. Butting heads will just make Jane hold on to the relationship for longer to piss you off.”
