I took the photo from the album and handed it to him. “You keep this.” It seemed like too little way too late, but I hoped he accepted it.
He studied the picture. Anguish and anger mixed in his features and I wished I could console him. He stood, and walked over to the window, looking out but I was sure he didn’t see the view. Finally, he looked at the picture again and then turned to me.
“I want to see her. Now.”
At first, I just looked at him, not sure it was a good idea.
His features darkened. “Seven years is enough, don’t you think, April? Are you really going to deny me any longer?”
I realized I’d been hurting him as much as August had by making him wait. Yes, he was angry, but that wasn’t going to go away any time soon, and would only get worse the longer I made him wait. It was wrong to keep him and Maya apart any longer.
I stood and nodded. “I can get her and meet you at the park.”
He nodded. “Good.”
I wanted to give him a hug, but knew I couldn’t. So, I left, heading back to the bakery to get Maya.
My next issue was in how to tell her what was happening. As I walked into the bakery, I’d decided to tell her about Jude first, before we saw him. I determined it was better for her to know first than to have the shock of it in front of him.
“You’re back sooner than I expected,” Petal said as she and Maya were putting cupcakes in the display case.
“I’m taking Maya to the park.”
Petal arched a brow. “I see. Okay.”
“I’m not done with the decorations,” Maya said.
“You go to the park with your mom. Child labor enforcement might show up if you work too much more,” Petal joked.
I held Maya’s hand as we left the bakery and walked to the park. My brain was a jumble as I tried to figure out the best way to tell her about Jude.
We reached the edge of the park and I stopped. Maya stopped too and looked up at me.
I squatted down to look at her.
“Maya, baby, remember how you said you wished you knew your daddy?”
She nodded. “Yep.”
I blew out a breath. “Well, he’s here.”
Her eyes widened into the proverbial saucers. “Here?”
I nodded. “Yes. He very much wants to meet you.”
She frowned a little bit. “What if he doesn’t like me?”
I couldn’t believe it was possible for my heart to bleed more. “Oh, baby he loves you. He hasn’t met you yet, but he already loves you so much.”
She looked at me blankly. “But, where was he? Why wasn’t he here?”
God, how did I tell her the evil her uncle had done. I decided to stick to the basics. “He didn’t know about you. He never got my letters. He just found out today. He feels so sad at having not been here, Maya. And he might be a little angry—”
“At me?”
“No baby. Not at you. But just like you might be upset that you didn’t get to grow up with him, he’s upset about that too.” I pushed her hair back from her face. “He’s here at the park waiting to meet you. Are you ready?”
She nodded, but I saw apprehension in her eyes that had me second guessing if I was handling this right. Maybe I should have let her meet him first and then told her. It was too late now.