I suppress a laugh, trying not to give away the big news. I was going to text her Dad was here, but decided not to, wanting to share the moment when I tell her. “You’re not going to believe this, but I actually have something fabulous to tell you. Dad’s here!”
I wait for Mom to say something. She doesn’t. In fact, the line is so quiet that I wonder if we got disconnected.
Maybe she’s too overcome to speak. I mean, I could barely process it when I saw him, and he’s not even someone from my memory. Mom actually knew him, and they spent a lot of time together. She still loves him and misses him.
“Mom?” I say. “Are you there?”
A soft clearing of her throat. “Yes, baby. I’m here. I’m just…shocked. I never thought he’d return to our lives.”
“I know, right?” I literally can’t sit still. “He saw me in some articles and decided to get in touch. If I’d known the publicity would bring him back, I would’ve done something to attract the paparazzi’s attention a long time ago.”
“But you hate being in the spotlight.”
“Yeah, but it’s Dad! I’ve always wanted to see him. This is a dream come true.” I’ve always wanted to have a dad, and now I do. Unlike some terrible dads, mine loves and wants the best for me. He only stayed away all these years because he thought he wasn’t good enough for me and Mom. That resonates in an odd way, because I’ve felt like an imposter too.
“Oh. Well, I’m very happy for you, hon.”
“I wish you were here,” I say wistfully. “Then we could be a complete family.”
“So do I.” Her words are full of feeling. “How is he? Is he doing well?”
“I think he just moved here. He’s been staying at a motel, but Nate moved him to the Aylster. Nate couldn’t have been more polite or nice to him, and Dad was really sweet, too.”
“I wish I could be there with you and your dad, baby, but Betty needs me.”
The reminder puts a damper on my excitement. Of course. How selfish am I not to remember Betty? “How is she doing?”
“She’s hanging in there. A fighter.”
“You know, if she needs anything—anything at all—Nate can probably make it happen.”
There’s a pause. “I’d…rather not.”
“Don’t say that. He’d never turn his back on someone who genuinely needed help,” I say, wanting Mom to understand she can trust Nate the way I do. “Normally I wouldn’t ask, but this is something his family’s foundation does. He’ll be happy to help. He’s all about making a difference, one sick person at a time.”
“Thank you, Evie. And tell Nate I said thanks. Oh my goodness, my break’s almost over. I need to get back to my floors.”
I sigh. Her janitorial shift is in the evening. I hate it that she works so late at night when she
’s a morning person. But I also know that if I offer to help her financially so she doesn’t have to work at night, she’ll absolutely be insulted.
“We’ll chat more,” she says.
“We will.” I snap my fingers as an idea occurs to me. “You know what? I’m going to see if he and I can visit Dillington to see you. I know you miss him.” It’s going to be awesome for them reunite, especially after all these years. Seeing Mom wearing the ring he gave her is going to let him know he is still loved, and always part of our family, no matter what.
“That’ll be lovely, but don’t put yourself out to do it. Remember, you’re pregnant, so you should take it easy and rest instead of worrying about me. Just let Nate deal with it if anything unpleasant happens.”
Chapter Forty-Two
Nate
I change out of my work clothes, while Evie’s downstairs talking with Mari. I put on my favorite boxers and a white T-shirt and am walking out of the closet when my phone buzzes. I lunge for it, praying it’s Pattington with some news, even though it’s still too early for him to have dug up something on Bradley.
You shooting blanks?
I stare at the text from Court. What the hell is this about?
The only thing blank is your mind, I reply, then sit on the bed, my legs stretched out. Court needs to check who he’s texting first. I don’t need to know about his friends’ issues. Or maybe he meant to text his brother Edgar.