Page 69 of Tempted

“When?” Tyler demanded.

“As soon as possible. I have to find her first, but I’m working on it,” Victor assured them both.

Chelsea wiped away the wet tracks of her tears. “Can Jasmine be our, Mommy?”

“That would be up to her, sweetie. I said some really mean things to her and maybe if she forgives we’ll see what happens from there.” That was the best answer he could give while still remaining truthful.

Chelsea jumped up and down. “Oh, Daddy we’ll be a real family again. Me and Star will be sisters!”

Victor couldn’t help smiling at her enthusiasm and turned to Tyler. “What do you think son?”

“I’d like that a lot. Jasmine is awesome. Besides, you suck at helping me with my science and math homework.”

Victor winced a bit. Tyler was honest to a fault. “I’ll try to do better. How about you two go get your coats and I’ll take you out for ice cream?”

“Yes!” They screamed in unison before rushing out the kitchen.

Once they were gone, Victor slumped in his chair eyeing Adam with uncertainty. “You don’t have to go if you don’t want to, but I’d like you to come.”

Adam stared at the kitchen table, his expression unreadable. When he didn’t say anything Victor thought it was best to leave him alone to stew.

“Well, if you change your mine we should still be here for another ten minutes.” He made a move to stand up but halted when Adam spoke.

“Did you really mean it?” Adam spoke so softly Victor had to strain to hear him.

“Mean what?”

“Did you mean it when you told them you’d try to get Jasmine back or were you telling them that just to get on their good side?”

“I meant it. I’m not the ogre you think I am.”

Adam drew a figure eight in the table with the tip of his finger. “She told me you weren’t my real father.”

Victor stilled. “Who?”

Adam raised his head to look at him for the first time. “Mom. She told me you weren’t my real father and that’s why you worked so much because you didn’t want me around.

Victor knewCarolyn had issues but he never thought she had stooped that low. At least now he understood where the problem between him and Adam began. “You only have to look in the mirror to know that isn’t true, son. Remember when your grandmother showed you guys old baby pictures of me and you thought my picture was yours? You’re a younger a version of me.”

Adam shrugged. “I know that now, but I always thought…well even though you are my dad that you didn’t care about me.”

“That’s false.I was so overwhelmed with the problems in my marriage that I threw myself into my career. I know it’s unacceptable but I didn’t know how to fix the issues in my personal life. But work made sense. I regret not fighting harder to fix our problems sooner.”

Adam exhaled. “She used to say a lot of negative things about you. Sometimes I’d overhear the two of you arguing and when I would try to comfort her afterwards she’d curse at me and tell me she wished I was never born. I guess it became easier to blame you than accept my own mother never wanted me. But not once did you ever bad mouth her. Why?”

Victor’s heart broke a little with every word Adam spoke. How could anyone say such things to their own child? “I’m sorry, son. I didn’t know.”

“I’ve been so angry because I didn’t know how to say how I felt. The truth is, I rejected you before you could do it to me, like Mom did.” Adam lowered his head.

Victor was at Adam’s side in an instant and knelt down next to his chair. Things had been so awkward between them for years, he wasn’t sure whether to offer him a hug or not. “I’m sorry you felt that way. I know I’ll never be father of the year, but I’d like us to start over.”

Adam smiled a little. “I’d like that. I’m sorry I haven’t been easy to deal with.”

“We’ve both made mistakes.” Victor paused before asking his next question. “Son, what do you think about Jasmine coming back?”

The teenager shrugged. “I think she’s nice. And when she was around it felt like we were a family.”

“I know exactly what you mean.”

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