And he doesn’t hate me for it.
“When did she tell you?”
“She called me hours ago. I have no idea where she is. Did you see her? Did she come there? God, she’s twisted! I swear she’s obsessed with you.”
“I saw her. Fable tried to beat her up when she found out Adele had met her younger brother.”
“You’re still with Fable? I thought you two broke up.” He pauses for a moment. “Wait a minute, doessheknow what happened between you and Adele?”
“Yeah.” My voice is a raspy whisper.
He’s silent for a while, as if he needs time to process that bit of information. “Things must be quite serious between you two.”
“She—she figured it out when I brought her home.” Adele had been less than subtle. That my father couldn’t recognize her crazy, possessive behavior showed how oblivious he really was to it.
“I’m an idiot. I hope someday you can forgive me.”
His words take my breath away. “I—I feel the same way.”
“There’s nothing for me to forgive. You were innocent in all of this.” A little sob escapes him again. “I’m so sorry, son. For everything.”
We talk a little bit more and I promise to come see him soon. Hopefully going there without Adele present will remove the ghosts that haunt me in my old house. My dad needs me right now. I need to forget all those ghosts once and for all.
I end the call and go back into the bedroom to find Fable sitting up, leaning against the pillows, the bedside table lamp on its lowest setting. She has the sheet tucked around her, her shoulders bare and gleaming in the soft light, and she’s twirling a strand of long blond hair around her finger, staring at the ends.
She’s beautiful. And so understanding, so accepting of all my secrets, I don’t know what I did to earn her trust and forgiveness. I love that she’s in my life. That she wants to be with me despite it all.
“Is everything okay?” she asks, her voice hushed.
Going to my side of the bed, I settle in beside her. “Thatwas my dad.” I take a deep breath and stare straight ahead. I’m almost afraid to look at her even though she knows everything. “Adele told him what happened.”
“How did he react?”
“He doesn’t hate me. He feels awful for what she did to me.”
“See?” Her voice is quiet. “I told you he would be on your side.”
She did. I hadn’t believed her. “I guess you were right.” I release a deep, shaky breath. “I can’t believe how accepting of me he was.”
“Did she tell him about…Vanessa?”
Frowning, I turn to look at her. How could I have missed that? “He never mentioned it. So I’m assuming no.”
Fable lets the strand of hair she’d been twirling fall from her fingers. “Do you really think it’s true? That she was your daughter?”
I shrug. This is the information that makes me the most uncomfortable. I don’t want to believe it. That I could’ve been a father just…blows my mind. I have a tough time talking about it with anyone, even my therapist. It’s a subject I don’t want to face.
Especially since I haven’t a clue if it’s true or not. There’s no way I can prove it either way. Vanessa’s gone.
“I want to believe she’s lying to me because it’s easier.” Fable moves closer to me, resting her head on my shoulder, and I slip my arm around her. Closing my eyes, I voice what I’ve been unable to say since the day Adele threw that bomb at me. “The day we came back here, after I dropped you off at your apartment, I called Adele. I demanded she tell me thetruth. She said…she said she couldn’t get pregnant with my dad so she decided to try with me. That she poked holes in the condom and she got pregnant. All it took was one time, she insisted. One freaking time. I hate her. I hate that she tricked my father and me. I hate what she’s done to me. I hate that I let what happened between us control me for so long.”
“I’m sorry,” Fable whispers.
I close my eyes and trail my fingers across her shoulder, down her arm. I need to touch her. Having her close anchors me. Reminds me of how far I’ve come in so little time. “So am I. But I can’t remain in the past. I can’t let what she’s done cripple me for the rest of my life. I need to let it go. Let her go, once and for all.”
“Easier said than done.” Fable lifts her head so she can meet my gaze. “It’ll take time, Drew. I’m here, though. Even though I’m getting my own place, and I know you don’t like that, I’ll be here for you. I swear.”
“You don’t have to move—” I start but she cuts me off.
