“Okay, well, it’s me and you for the rest of the day,” I tell her. I was going to catch up on errands, but it will have to wait. It’s clear I need to spend some time with my kid.
“Really?” she asks.
I nod. “We’re going to have dinner at the main house, but yes.”
“Can I paint your nails?” she asks.
I snort and look at June as she flashes me her terrible manicure. “Sure, but I've gotta wash my hands first.”
“Okay!” she says excitedly.
“Naomi, we should practice roping today too!” I holler as she bolts to her room.
When she disappears, I look at June. “What’s going on?” I ask June.
She sighs. “Honestly, I think it’s just kid stuff. She woke up grumpy and was looking for you. But found me instead. She uh…” June trails off as if she’s trying to come up with the words.
I glance at the hall, and Naomi still isn’t back.
“She asked about Rebekah today,” June says.
“What did you say?” I ask her.
“She asked where she was, and I’m sorry, Coop, I know she seems to ask about her when she’s super tired, but I was truthful with her. I said I didn’t know, but I’m sure she’s okay, and then she burst into tears.”
I blink, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. These moments don’t happen often anymore, but they were common when Naomi was younger. As she gets older, I assume they’ll become more frequent again, and I’m struggling with how to respond to any of it. Other than, she didn’t want you. I won’t say that, but it is the truth.
“That’s all we can do. I want to be honest with her,” I rasp.
“I know you do, so that’s why I said it. She was really wanting you after that.”
“Why didn’t you call me?” I ask.
June lifts a shoulder. “Because I felt like I could handle it, I’m her family, Coop. I will care for her when you can’t or if you’re not there because you’re working. I love that little girl so much I’d give anything to help her. So I held her while she cried and told her how much her family loves her because that’s what she needed.”
“Thank you,” I croak. June is right. That’s what I would have done.
Naomi comes running back into the kitchen with her box full of nail polish, and I internally cringe, but I’ll let her paint my nails. The guys will give me hell for it, but I don’t care. I’m plenty secure in my masculinity to let my daughter paint my nails. Plus, it comes off in about a day with all the work.
“Alrighty, you two, I’ll see you up at the house later,” June says, setting a dish to dry in the rack.
“Thanks, June.” I tell her as she walks past.
June looks at Naomi setting up her nail polish with far too many colors for the amount of fingers I have.
“You smell, and you’re welcome,” June quips as the door closes behind her.
Naomi and I spend the rest of the day painting nails, coloring, practicing her roping, and mutton busting. She held on for seven seconds, which is her best time. Then she passed out for a nap about five minutes after I put the originalCinderellaon. It’s been a good day.
I pull a blanket over her and leave the movie to play while I get my paperwork out.
If today wasn’t confirmation enough, it’s time to start the process to get full custody of Naomi.
There’s a list of legal terms listed under the heading, “terms you should know” that make my head hurt. I have to request a hearing at the courthouse, and as part of that process, they have to find Rebekah and serve her. If she doesn’t appear, then it will be uncontested. I’ve already decided Naomi doesn’t need to be there. It could get ugly if Rebekah does show up, and Naomi doesn’t need to see that.
I am here to carry that burden for her. I always will.
Surprisingly, the form isn’t complicated, but tedious. After that, I start the paperwork to fully adopt Naomi. After some internet searches, I found the process can be fast or slow. It all depends, and part of that equation is one of the parents.
