Page 73 of The Last Time

My sadness morphs into anger. I just picture my father grabbing all the frames around the house and tossing them into this box like we meant nothing to him.

Then I picture Penelope asking him what to do with it as they pack up the house.

“Just throw it in the closet. I don’t want those,” he says, indifferent to the memories these pictures hold.

I grab the picture frame off the ground and slam it back into the box. The glass shatters into a million pieces, much like my heart feels.

I grab two towels and storm off into the bathroom. Tears stream down my cheeks as my body begins to shake from the furry, from the pain.

“Charlotte,” Asher whispers as he places his hands on my arms. “Come here.”

He spins me around and forces me to look up at him. Hands on my neck, he tries to dry my tears with his thumbs, but they are coming too quickly.

“Sweetheart, talk to me.”

The concern in his voice only makes my tears come faster.

“Why didn’t he want me?” I cry, my body feeling weak.

He wraps an arm around my waist to hold me up. “Who? Your father? Why would you say that he didn’t want you?”

Asher opens the shower door and lifts me up as he walks us into it. Once he places me back down, he waits for my answer.

“He left me. He moved on with a new family. He never came back to see me, never tried to call me. I was just some expendable daughter who just made his life more complicated than he thought it was worth. And now…” my voice quivers as I look down. I try to take a breath and then look back up at him. “Now I find all his memories of me tossed aside in a closet. Forgotten. Just like he forgot me.”

Admitting that out loud brings a relentless flow of tears that portray the width of my despair. My body begins to shudder as I let out the many years of pain I’ve spent without the man who was supposed to protect me.

Asher wraps his arms around me and begins to make soothing sounds. He doesn’t press me to talk or try to make me feel better. He just holds me as I let it all out.

When no more tears can come, and my body feels spent, he lets go of me.

“No father should ever make their daughter feel like this. You are amazing. He’s an idiot for losing out on all those years with you. I’m sure it was his biggest regret.”

“What if it wasn’t? What if he didn’t miss me at all?”

He shakes his head. “Impossible. I don’t know his reasons, none of which are good enough, but I can tell you there is no way he didn’t miss you.”

“You think so?”

“I know so. Trust me.”

I don’t know whether he means what he says or if he’s just trying to cheer me up, but it’s working.

“Thanks.” I step back and take a deep breath. “Gosh, I’m so sorry. I’m so humiliated that you saw this.”

“I’m honored that you felt safe enough with me to show me your pain.” He reaches for the shampoo on the shelf. “Now, turn around and let me pamper you.”

My body is drained from all the emotions I just brought to the surface.

I nod my head in agreement and turn around.

Asher pours the shampoo into his hand and nudges me under the water.

“Head back, baby,” he whispers.

I let my head fall back into the steady stream of water. My eyes close as I enjoy the feeling of the warm water hitting me.

After my hair is wet, I lift my head.

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