Page 14 of Never Let You Go

“I’m afraid I don’t have skates,” I say, amused at the bewildered look on her face when I confess that tidbit of information.

“That’s okay,” she says. “There’s a bin of skates on The Green for people who forgot theirs. You can borrow some. Right, Daddy?”

“Can you skate?” Christopher asks.

“It’s been a while.”

“No pressure. We don’t want you to hurt yourself. We also like to fat bike, right? And snowboard.”

Skye nods. “Aunt Grace likes to bike with us. Do you know my aunt Grace?”

“Not yet, but I’m sure I’ll meet her soon.”

“She’s my cousin,” Christopher explains. “You’ll meet her tomorrow. She takes Skye to school each morning before opening her salon.”

“Daddy always picks me up from school because I’m his pri-o-rity. Right, Daddy?”

Christopher sets down his fork and leans over to kiss his daughter’s forehead. “Yes you are.” While Skye turns back to her food, he furrows his brow and ruffles her hair, his expression both worried and tender in a way that stirs me.

“What grade are you in?”

“I’m in Miss Hen-der-son’s class.” She nods. “She’s very nice. I like her very much.” She stares at me intently.

“What do you like most in school?” I ask.

“Do you have children?” she asks back.

“Nope,” I answer.

“Are you married?”

“Not married.”

She scrunches her face. “But you have a boyfriend, right?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Why?”

“Skye,” Christopher interrupts. “You’re being nosy.”

She barely glances at her father. “Sorry,” she huffs. “Do you have brothers? Is that an okay question?”

“No brothers.”

She sighs. “Me neither. I wish I had brothers.”

Christopher looks at her, surprised, but says nothing.

“Do you have sisters, then?” she asks.

“No sisters either. Just a very good friend.” I anticipate her question, so I add, “Her name is Sarah.”

“My best friend is Caroline. We just had a fight, but tomorrow we’ll make up.”

“Oh yeah. You don’t want to stay upset at your best friend.”

“Do you look like your mommy?” she asks.

---