Only Her

“No, I’m not happy. I can fix that part. I believe I can go to the courthouse and file a new birth certificate with your name. If not, I’ll do what I need to get your name on it.”

He shook his head. He didn’t feel any better. Skylar could see that. “Your mom suggested we talk to Ava about her name if she wants to be a Shaw then I’ll change that too.”

“I want her to be a Shaw.”

“It isn’t about what you or I want Luka. It is about what Ava wants and right now she’s afraid that you will leave her.”

His eyes flashed with something that she wasn’t sure whether it was anger or hurt. “I would never leave her. I would have been here had I known about her and I wouldn’t have resented either of you.”

She sighed. “I’m sorry Luka.”

“You should be.”

She was getting irritated. She rose from the stool. “We need to talk when you are calmer.”

“About what?” He snapped.

Skylar turned to him.

“Dammit Luka, things I never thought about until today. Things that I should have thought about considering I lost my own parents before I turned eighteen. I never wanted to think about but you not being on her birth certificate but I was reminded that my parents died before any of us were eighteen and we need to protect Ava. We need wills. We need to be sure that if I die before you, you are named her guardian. Things like that, we need to discuss Ava’s future.”

He sat on another stool. “Come back here.” The fight and the anger had gone.

Skylar turned at the barn door. “What?”

“Just come back here,” he said.

Skylar walked back and sat on the stool that was on the other side of the barn directly across from him. As far from him as she could be and still talk. “What?”

“We’ll see an attorney on Monday and do what we need to do to write wills for both of us naming her as my beneficiary with you as my executor. We need backup guardians too in case we both pass.”

“We do. How about Brett and Ramona?” Skylar suggested.

“That’s a great idea.” He rubbed his hand across his face. “There is so much I hadn’t thought of.”

“Me neither. Luka, I only did it so I didn’t have to think of you. Not to hurt you. Honestly, I didn’t think I would ever see you again.”

He looked across the barn at her. “I hurt you that much.” She nodded.

“Can I come in?” Ava asked peeking around the barn door.

Skylar glanced to the left. “That is the fastest shower you have ever taken,” she told her daughter.

“I was eager to see Daddy. I wanted to know if he was all right.”

“I’m fine baby girl. Come here.”

He held his arm out to Ava and she went to him. She slipped onto his knee and wrapped her arm around his neck so he could hold her c

lose. “I love you Ava. I’m not going anywhere no matter how angry I get. You are stuck with me forever now that I know about you. Nothing will take me from you,” he reassured her.

Ava laid her cheek against his. “I’m glad to hear you say that Daddy.”

“Ava, Grammy suggested that we ask you what you want. Do you want to be a Bradford or do you want to have Daddy’s last name of Shaw?” Skylar asked. “Because I’m going to see our attorney on Monday to write a will so that Daddy is named your guardian in case anything happens to me. I can have him start the paperwork changing your last name.”

She looked at Luka. Then she looked at Skylar. “Can I think about that? I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.”

“Ava,” Skylar said her name. “My feelings won’t be hurt. I think Daddy’s might be but mine won’t. I didn’t give you his name because I was hurt and didn’t want to think about him. I wasn’t thinking about you and your feelings. Now, he and I need to do what is best for you.”