Page 7 of Twisted Fate

All the airleft me in a whoosh, and my tense shoulders relaxed for the first time in weeks. Despite my reservations, it was a relief to know I would have a highly educated, well trained teacher taking care of my daughter in her home, where she was most comfortable.

I just hoped her being Charlie’s biological mother wouldn't come back to bite me in the ass.

* * *

I poureda cup of coffee and settled into a chair at the island. Spring was just around the corner, so the mornings were still cool, but the days were starting to warm up. I used to take my coffee out on the back patio with my wife, but now that she was gone, I couldn’t bring myself to sit out there with my morning cup anymore.

An exhausted sigh left my mouth, and I dropped my head into my hands. I hadn’t slept well last night, or the night before, or the night before that. Come to think of it, it had been months since I’d gotten a good night’s rest. I stayed up long after Charlie went to bed, drowning myself in work, then fell into a fitful sleep in the wee hours of the morning just to wake at seven a.m. and do it all again.

I was a shell of a man, a tired, angry, lost soul wandering the world without its other half. The only thing keeping me going most days was my little girl. By the time she woke up, I was freshly showered and caffeinated to within an inch of my life. If I had another drop of coffee, the palpitations would start. I had it fine-tuned and knew exactly what my limit was.

My hands still shook as I dressed, my nerves taking over as anticipation trailed up my spine. Delilah would be here this afternoon for a preliminary visit. I wanted to give Charlie a chance to get used to the woman who’d be spending so much time in her home and to familiarize Delilah with the house.

I also wanted a chance to observe Delilah interacting with my daughter. My mother told me about the brief meeting between them at Sarah’s funeral when I told her I was considering hiring her. She admitted Delilah seemed like a good fit, but shared the same skepticism I did. Only time would tell if I’d made the right choice.

There was a timid knock on my door at a quarter ’til. I opened it, somewhat surprised to see Delilah already. She stood there in a pale blue dress with a navy cardigan, her hands clasped in front of her as she tangled her fingers together nervously. She looked so much like Sarah, my chest ached. My hands fisted at my sides as I fought the urge to tuck a rogue strand of hair behind her ear.

“Sorry, I’m a little early,” she said sheepishly. “I kind of overestimated how long it would take to get here.” My mouth suddenly went dry, and I couldn’t speak. I simply nodded and stepped aside to let her in. She glanced around, her head tipped back to take in the high ceilings. “You have a beautiful home.”

I cleared my throat, hoping it would help me find my voice. “Thank you,” I croaked. She turned to face me again, and I noticed her wringing her hands. She was nervous. I was unsettled. We’d never get anywhere if I didn’t take the initiative.

“Let’s start with a tour of the house.”

6

Delilah

Vance was far grufferthan I remembered. He had an all-business attitude that was a stark contrast to my easy-going cousin. My heart ached every time I thought of her. Her loss was felt as soon as you entered this house. It was no longer a home without her in it, that much was obvious. What I imagined was once loud and bright was now dull and quiet, even with a three-year-old in the mix.

Speaking of…

“Where’s Charlie?” I asked, surprised she wasn’t around.

“Taking a nap,” he replied, not stopping to look at me. He led me through the house like a man heading to the guillotine.

“Here’s the kitchen,” he announced as we entered the immaculate room. Everything was top of the line from the appliances to the furnishings. The countertops sparkled, and a faint scent of lemon lingered in the air. “My mother watches her two days a week and has put together a notebook for you. She thought it would be helpful for when you get started.” He grabbed the notebook off the counter and handed it to me. “It has some of her favorite snacks, mealtimes, and nap times among other things.” I leafed through it, thankful she thought to give me a head start on getting to know her better.

I didn’t know my own daughter.

I shook those thoughts away. She wasn’t mine anymore. I gave her up. I no longer had any claim to her.

We stopped briefly in each of the rooms on the first floor before heading up the stairs. He peeked in on Charlie before showing me the rest of the second floor minus the bedroom at the end of the hall which I assumed was his.

“She should wake from her nap shortly. Then the two of you can spend some time together so she can get comfortable with you.”

I nodded my understanding. It didn’t escape my notice that he hardly looked at me, and for some reason, it made me sad. Did he see Charlie when he looked at me, or did I remind him too much of Sarah?

“Would you like something to drink?” he asked, surprising me. It was the most hospitable thing he’d done since I arrived. It was almost like he’d been mad that I showed up.

“Yes, thank you. That would be great.”

He led me down the stairs and offered me a seat at the island. I took it gratefully, swiping the notebook from the marble so I could skim through it. He slid me a bottle of water, and I twisted the cap before taking a drink. I absentmindedly peeled the label from the bottle as I perused the notes.

“She used to do that to her water bottles too.” I drew my gaze up to Vance and found him watching me, his eyes settled on my hands where I had removed the label. Melancholy filled his eyes as they glazed over with memory. He was thinking about Sarah. He lifted them to my face and blinked away the fog as he forced a tight smile.

Wordlessly he turned and walked out of the room. Silent panic filled my veins with dread. Was he mad about the water bottle? Would he fire me before I even started? He returned a short time later with a set of keys and some papers.

“Here are keys to the house and a spare for the car,” he said, handing me the ring. “Security codes for the house and garage,” he added, sliding me the paper.

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