A slow, gentle smile stretches across his face. Something steadier settling between us now.
“I want you to know that I’m going to handle Aaron,” I say firmly. Not wanting the issue to linger over us.
“You’re not doing it alone.”
“Okay.” I nod.
A pause.
“Are we okay?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
He closes his eyes briefly.
“I love you,” I say, emotion thick in my voice.
“I love you too,” he replies immediately.
“Mommy, that Daddy?”
“Where’s my girl?” Liam calls out.
“Daddy!” She knocks her stroller down on her way over to me.
“Hi, sweetheart,” he says, beaming.
“Doing Daddy?” She grabs my phone out of my hand.
“I’m at camp, working,” he explains. “Tell me what you did today.”
As Sera rattles on about her day, I watch him watching her.
Pure love radiates between them. And I’m angry with myself that I could have even entertained Aaron’s lies for a single minute.
After a few minutes, Sera starts to yawn.
“You’d better get some rest, so you can have fun at school tomorrow,” he says.
“Okay, Daddy. Wuv you. Bye.” She hands me my phone and scoots off my lap to grab her Stallion.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow?” I ask.
“You know it.” He winks. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
After we disconnect, I take Sera to her room and tuck her in. She clutches her football in one arm and her Stallion in the other.
“Daddy call,” she reminds me, even though it was just a few minutes ago that we hung up.
“Yes, baby. Daddy called.”
She smiles and snuggles her Stallion closer.
“He come home.”
I brush her hair back off her face.
