Page 30 of York

“Daddy?” she called.

“Yeah, princess?”

“The light.”

“Right,” I agreed, putting the book back in the bookcase and fiddling with the astronaut until he cast brilliant lights across the walls, ceiling, and her bed canopy. Denali gasped. “Purple?” I asked after sorting through all the colors. But when I looked down at her, she was fast asleep, clutching the capybara stuffed animal.

I brushed her dried bangs to the sides of her face, pulled her blanket up over her, but left the light on as I left the room.

It was time to have an important talk with Runa about her bruises, about the man that Denali had seen hurt her.

All the ruminating I’d been doing on what their lives had been like before coming to Florida, and I’d somehow never considered that there might have been another man in Runa’s life. And then, by extension, in Denali’s life. Another possible father figure who got to witness all the things I’d missed: first words, first steps, first Christmas.

There was a burning sensation in my gut as I considered that while walking down the hallway toward the living room.

I expected to find Runa standing in the kitchen, arms crossed, guards up.

But she was sitting on the couch with her legs cocked to one side, her head resting in her hands, dead asleep.

It had been a long day. And she was probably getting the rest of someone who finally didn’t have to be on edge and worried every moment of every day.

There was no way I was going to interrupt that.

I made my way into the kitchen, grabbing a receipt out of my back pocket, then grabbing one of Denali’s crayons and writing my name and number on the receipt before quietly making my way out of the apartment, making sure the door was locked before I headed back to my bike.

Not wanting to startle either of them awake, I walked the damn thing out toward the edge of the lot before turning it over and driving back toward the clubhouse.

I heard the music when I turned down the street and was surprised by the sigh that escaped me.

You’d think after finding out you had a kid for years, getting to know her, then figuring out how to take care of them to try to make up for lost time, I would be chomping at the bit to release some steam, to have some drinks, relax by the pool, maybe even take someone upstairs for some real stress relief.

All I felt as I pulled in the lot, though, was a mild sort of frustration.

It was still early. The party would be going on for hours. I just wanted a single drink, a shower, and an early night. I had plans to see Runa and Denali again soon… and get those answers I needed about the bruises and a man whom Denali saw hurting her mom.

I made my way toward the front door only to find myself in a cloud of weed smoke.

Then there was Maud in a red polka dot bikini and a brand new green-haired dye job.

“You got a medical card?” I asked.

“Nope,” the old woman said, popping the ‘p.’ “Just love me a nice toke. I was a teen in the sixties, you know. Lots of free love and drugs. Then I decided to settle down and be a good wife and mother. Forgot how much I loved grass.”

Grass.

I almost laughed.

“What’s got you looking all hangdog?”

“Not hangdog,” I said, sitting down beside her when she patted the empty chair. “Just a little… overwhelmed.”

“You’re too young and handsome to feel overwhelmed.”

“I just found out a one-night stand I had years ago resulted in a child that I have spent the last few days getting to know.”

“In that case,” she said, passing the joint toward me.

“No, thanks.”