Page 15 of Never Let You Go

Christopher takes a long sip of his wine.

“You know, I’m not sure. I guess so?” There was a time when I spent hours looking in the mirror, seeking a resemblance. I always came to the conclusion that I must look like Mr. Pierce. Whoever the hell he was. “It doesn’t really matter,” I add on a hunch.

“Where is your mommy?”

Hmmm. Intuitive. “She’s in heaven now.”

“I don’t have a mommy.”

“Well, you have a wonderful daddy.”

“Was your daddy sad when your mommy went to heaven?”

“No. I didn’t have a daddy.”

She widens her eyes.

“Skye, you are being too nosy,” Christopher says and shifts on his seat. “We don’t want to make Alexandra sad, do we?”

“It’s alright,” I answer with a smile for Skye. “It’s not making me sad.”

A phone rings in the distance, and Christopher stands reluctantly, his gaze darting between me and Skye. He glances at Skye’s plate, which is still nearly full, and makes two portions. “Come on, pumpkin, eat at least this much,” he says, pointing to the smaller portion before leaving the room.

It’s not lost on me that he’s trying to change the conversation.

“How old are you, Skye?” I ask her when he’s gone.

“Do you like my daddy?” she asks back.

So, that’s what this is. “He seems very nice, and I’m sure I’ll learn a lot from him.”

She dangles her foot under the table, moves her food around her plate. She seems deep in her thoughts.

“Is there something else you wanted to ask me?” I prompt her. “I don’t mind nosy,” I add on a whisper.

“Are you going to marry my daddy?” she finally whispers back. Her gaze is fierce, her breathing hitched. She clearly gathered all her courage to ask me that.

This is serious business for her. I owe her a serious answer. “Oh, no. Never. I’m only here to learn and work. And I’ll be gone in less than six months.”

Her eyes widen and her mouth gapes.

“That sounds like a long time when you are six years old, but in grown-up time, it’s very short.” I snap my fingers. “It goes by just like that.”

She finally brings her food to her mouth. Her eyes never leave me while she chews. “And then, you’ll leave?”

“And then, I’ll leave.”

She takes another forkful while I take a sip of wine. I’ve never been in her shoes, but I lost my mother when I was barely older than her. Stuff like that makes you think about what matters. “That was very brave of you to ask me that, Skye. You remind me of myself when I was your age.”

Christopher walks back in from his phone call. “Someone’s appetite is back,” he comments, mussing up Skye’s hair on his way. “How did that happen?”

Skye glances at me.

“Girl talk,” I say.

“Really,” he says. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s polite for none of your business,” I answer.

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