Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 95816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
I scrubbed my face. “Listen, I know this is out of left field. I hated telling you on a Zoom call. I hated to have to tell you something like this at all. I’m not proud of the man I was before, but I can’t change that. And you have the right to feel however you want to feel. Be angry at me. God knows your sister is.”
“Gracie?” Penny asked.
I nodded. “Furious. She won’t speak to me.”
“I’m sorry, Daddy,” Penny murmured. “I know that must hurt.”
I nodded, unable to speak for a minute. In the hours since I’d told her, the urge to go see her had been strong, but Jaxson cautioned me against it. He brought Kylie around for a visit, and although not surprising, Gracie’s absence felt huge.
“Leave her for a couple of days, Richard,” he advised. “A lot of angry words were said, and she needs to sort it through in her head.” He paused. “She will figure it out. She loves you too much not to.”
I could only hope he was right.
“I’m not angry,” Penny added, bringing me back to the present. “We have such an eclectic family, what’s another one? If Luc is in love with her, she must be great. You said Heather liked her too, so I’ll withhold my judgment and make up my own mind.” She smiled at me. “Gracie will come around, Daddy. You know she gets emotional. And now she has to share you with someone else. She won’t like that.” She laughed.
I smiled at her, wishing I could hug her. She was right—Gracie and I had a bond that was unique and special. And until now, one I thought unbreakable. I had to trust in that fact.
Gavin spoke. “I’m not mad either, Dad. Surprised, yes. But like Lady P, I’ll make up my own mind if she decides to get to know us. She’s right—what’s another one in the mix?” He paused. “How do you feel about this?”
I rolled my head on my shoulders, releasing some tension. “Confused. Frustrated. Worried. I understand why she is so angry, but I have no idea how to convince her I didn’t desert or ignore her. I simply didn’t know.”
“Do you want a relationship with her?” he asked.
“She’s my child, Gavin. I can’t ignore that, nor do I want to. I would hope that we could at least be civil and stay in touch. But part of me hopes that, yes, perhaps she can find a place in our world. That she’ll realize she has some family now.”
Penny hummed and Gavin nodded. Katy drew comforting circles on the back of my hand, her touch warm and caring.
Everyone’s gaze focused on Matthew. He was always the quiet one in the group, no matter what, but today his silence weighed heavily on me. His angry remark earlier set me on edge, and I wondered if I was about to have another child furious with me.
“Matthew,” I prompted. “Say what you’re thinking.”
“I’m thinking I have been incredibly lucky to have you and Mom as my parents. From what you’ve told us, Ashley didn’t have that. So, if she’s a decent person and gets to share in that love we were so richly blessed with, I think I’m okay. I’m open to meeting her one day.” He cleared his throat. “As a doctor, I see how important family is. I see too many people who have no one. Family is essential. And ours is pretty great.”
His words stunned me, and I heard Katy’s muffled sob. I had to blink away the moisture in my eyes and refocus on the screen. “Thanks, my boy.”
He nodded. “And, Dad? Gracie will ease off. I’ll talk to her later.”
“Me too,” Penny added.
“Don’t push her. She’s not herself,” I responded. “If you all gang up on her, she’ll only dig in her heels.”
“Sound familiar, Dad?” Gavin teased. “Like father, like daughter?”
I had to laugh. All my kids got my stubborn streak. Luckily, only Gracie seemed to have my temper. The rest of them took after Katy. Thank God. I couldn’t deal with a bunch of kids with attitudes like mine.
“I’ll let you know what happens next.”
Matthew suddenly looked down. “I’m being paged. I gotta go. I’ll call later.” Then he was gone.
Gavin chuckled. “The life of a doctor. I’ll call you later, Dad, okay? I do have some questions, but nothing major. We’ll talk.”
“Sure. Give our love to Amanda.”
“I will. Love you both,” he said, looking between us. “Always.”
Then there were only Katy, me, and Penny.
“How are you feeling?” Katy asked Penny. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come over now?”
“No, I’m fine. Philip is driving me crazy. He never lets me put my feet down. I’m allowed some time up, but he fusses around the clock. I’m okay—honest. I sleep, eat, and read. Philip’s mother and sisters are here all the time, so I’m never bored.”