He takes a moment before heeven turns around to face me, like he needs it to compose himself,but when he does, he's utterly conflicted.He licks his lips."Ror,it's… your dad."
I gasp.Out loud.Like anoverdramatic movie character.
It doesn't seem possible.My father belongs in Linton.Not New York.It's as if anothercharacter, from a different movie set in another time and place,jumped out of a screen and found his way into the wrong story.Itjust doesn't fit.He's been to Port Woodmere before, of course.Heused to visit my Grandma Mimi with us.But he was a different manthen.I was a different girl then.
Everything was differentthen.
The bell rings again, butI'm still frozen.
"I could tell him toleave," Sam offers, but he's obviously waiting for me to give himsome direction.
Part of me wants Sam totell him to leave.Who am I kidding?Most of me does.
But it's the coward part.The one I promised myself I wouldn't let rule my lifeanymore.
"No.I want to see what hewants," I tell him.
Sam nods, his gaze full ofsupport, of fierce protectiveness, giving me the strength I need toopen the door.
My father stands therelooking like himself in khakis and a golf shirt, but also not likehimself.He looks almost haggard.His hair, usually perfectlycombed in place, is a bit unkempt, and dark circles underline hisfamiliar dark eyes.I don't even think he shaved today.I don'tremember him ever going a single day without shaving.
He startles when he seesme, even though he's the one who came to my doorstep.He must knowmy mother would be at work at ten o'clock on a Monday morning.Hemust be here to see me.
But why?
Sam is at my side, hismuscles tense and ready to act.
My father's eyes jump fromme to Sam and take in his stance.I expect a sneer, or at leastsomething resembling the unadulterated hostility he cast Sam's waythe other two times they met, but there's only a vague sense ofdisapproval.
"Aurora," hegreets.
Rory, I almost automatically correct him.But I stop myself.Ican be Aurora.It is my name after all.But not the Sleeping Beautyversion.No, I can be the Aurora Sam told me about—the goddess ofthe dawn, the one who renews herself.
"What are you doing here?"My voice comes out firm.Far stronger than I actuallyfeel.
He pats his hair as ifhe's only just realized it's all out of place."I was hopin' totalk to you."
I stare at him.Okay, then talk.
"Maybe we could have a fewminutes?"he's asking me but he's looking at Sam.Strangely enough,the disapproval is gone.He looks at him almostbeseechingly.
I can tell Sam wants torefuse.But he looks to me instead, waiting for me to decide what Iwant him to do.I nod, telling him it's okay.My father may havebetrayed me, but he wouldn't hurt me.Not physically.
Sam's not happy.Hedoesn't want to leave me alone, but he will.
"I'll be right inside,okay?"he says purposefully.
I nod.I know hewill.
Then he turns back to myfather."You keep your goddamned hands to yourself," he says inwarning.
I'm suddenly hit with astrange sense of deja vu.Of Robin on Cam's front porch the morningafter I heard he'd been cheating on me.It's eerie and unsettlingand I do my best to shake it off.
Sam presses a chaste kissto my temple, something about it equally possessive andchallenging, before he goes back inside the house.
My father watches himleave and then stares at the door."He sleep here?"heasks.
I resent the question.Hehad no problem letting me sleep at Robin's when we were dating.Infact, he was the one who insisted on it.But even so, that wasthen.This man has no right to disapprove of anything Ido.
