Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76381 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76381 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
She sniffled against my chest as her arms went around me, squeezing tight.
“When you adopt me,” she said, voice small, made smaller still by how she was muffling it against my shirt. “Can I call you Dad?”
My heart always seemed close to bursting these days.
But, somehow, it just kept getting bigger, making room for all these new, amazing, unexpected, big feelings that kept coming my way thanks to Sabrina and Daphne.
“I would love that. But you can call me that anytime, kid. Don’t have to wait for the paperwork to be official.”
She squeezed me a little tighter for a moment before pulling away and sliding back into her seat.
“Okay then. And Mom is gonna love that ring,” she told me, plunging another fry into her milkshake.
She was right about that.
And by the end of that year, I had a wife and a daughter.
Sabrina - 4 years
“Mom! Where are you?” Daphne yelled into the phone, but I could barely hear her over the band playing their hearts out.
“Concert,” I called, walking further away from the speakers. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Calling to check in,” she said.
“Baby, it’s a Friday night,” I said as I moved outside, Callow at my heels. “Why the hell are you calling your mother? Isn’t there some party you should be at, doing things you know I would not approve of?”
Though, considering I was four drinks and a few hits in, I would be a real hypocrite if I took issue with any of her college antics.
What can I say? I spent my twenties changing diapers and crying over bills. Now that my kid was grown and out on her own, I was maybe making up a little bit for lost time.
“Some of us have finals to worry about,” she said, sounding hilariously prim and proper.
“Nerd,” I accused, getting a small laugh out of her.
“What concert are you at?”
“Oh, one of those bands that you call ‘classic rock’ even though they are from just, you know, twenty years ago.”
“That is classic rock, Mom,” she reminded me.
“So, how are things? Are you still seeing that pre-med guy?”
“The one Dad called… oh, what was it?”
“The product of too much tequila and a drugstore condom,” I said, having to hold back a laugh. That wasn’t even the funniest thing he’d had to say about that particular love prospect of our daughter. It was still not quite as mean as what Callow used to call Daph’s first boyfriend who had an unfortunately large head, making Callow once say was a ‘sniper’s dream.’
What can I say?
Callow hated every guy who looked Daphne’s way. He was so certain in his belief that no man would ever deserve her.
He stayed true to that thing she told me he said to her the night he saved her at the bar.
That boys ain’t shit.
“That’s over. Long over,” she clarified.
Long over? I was pretty sure she’d still been dating him when I talked to her seven or eight days ago. But, I guess, when you were that age, time seemed a lot more endless than it actually was.
“Uh-oh. What did he do?”
“He’s just not right,” Daphne said. “You and Dad ruined me,” she declared with a dramatic sigh.
“I’m sure we did. But how, exactly, in this way did we fuck you up?”
“Are you drunk?” Daphne asked.
“Yes. Answer the question.”
To that, she sighed.
“I’m not interested in anything that’s not what you guys have,” she said.
Well, of all the things we could have passed down to Daphne, our very high standard of love was the best possible thing for her to have taken to heart.
“You’ll find the right guy, baby,” I assured her.
“It’s not too late to become a nun,” Callow called, making Daphne snort.
“Maybe I should come back to Navesink Bank after I finish college and find myself my very own arms-dealing biker.”
“Oh, honey, don’t narrow your prospects that much. You could also nab yourself a loanshark enforcer, mafia capo, hacker, or cartel lieutenant.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Daphne said, sounding like she was smiling. “Go back to your concert. I’ll see you next weekend.”
“Okay, kid. Don’t study too hard. There is beer that needs drinking.”
“You’re a terrible influence,” Callow grumbled.
“Your father wants me to remind you to keep your location turned on and always have condoms on you.”
“I didn’t say that,” Callow called over my shoulder.
“Do you want her to be having unprotected sex?” I asked, loving screwing with him when it came to our kid.
“I’d rather she become a nun,” he reiterated.
“Love you guys,” Daphne said.
“We love you too,” I said before hanging up.
“You’re a terrible influence,” Callow said as I tucked my phone away.