Page 109 of Deserter

I shotgunned it and immediately opened another before leaning back against the counter with a sigh. It was just after four in the morning, but I couldn’t sleep. Not after what had happened tonight.

I didn’t know if I’d ever sleep again.

“Daddy?” Kate stumbled in, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

I jumped and shoved the beer behind my back. “What are you doing up so late, Katydid?”

“Couldn’t sleep. I fogot to invite you to the pawty befoe you goed to wowk.”

She had trouble with her speech, so all of her r sounds sounded like w’s. It was cute as hell.

I pushed the beer can toward the backsplash and knelt in front of her. “Is that so? I thought we just went to a party.”

Kate giggled and stepped into my arms. “That was fo Mikey. This one is fo Spidewman and guess what?”

I smiled into her dark hair. “What?”

“It’s a tea pawty! Fo all of his fwiends.” Her little hands patted along my kutte; she’d done it as long as she could walk. “Daddy?”

“Yes, Darlin’?”

She pulled back and cupped my cheeks in her hands. “Daddy, did you dwink beew tonight?”

I shook my head. “No, why?”

Her hands dropped to her hips, making her look even more like Celia. “Daddy, Mama says you shouldn’t do that. It’s bad fo you.”

She was three going on thirty. The stern expression on her face had me fighting back a much-needed laugh, but I wouldn’t dare piss her off. “Daddy…” she warned.

“Fine, darlin’. Daddy had a beer. It’ll be our little secret, okay?” I tried to pull her back into my arms, but she wasn’t having it.

“Daddy, awe seacwets bad?”

My knees grew stiff, so I sank down onto my ass in front of the oven before pulling Kate onto my lap. “It depends. Do you have a secret?”

She lowered her head with a smile. “No, but Mama does. She said we shouldn’t tell Daddy the seacwet. Is that bad, Daddy?”

I went still, my voice barely above a whisper as I asked, “What—what secret does your mama have, Katydid?”

“Mama fell down in the kitchen tonight… aftew you went to wowk. She was holding the chili and she fell asleep. Chili went evewywhere, Daddy. I waked her back up with thwee kisses and she said we shouldn’t tell you because it was a seacwet.”

My chest rose and fell rapidly as I processed her words. Celia’d passed out and didn’t want Kate to tell me.

Was she worried that I’d be mad at her?

Oh, Jesus. She was sick.

“Is Mommy okay now?” I asked gently.

Kate ran her fingers down my arms, seemingly ignoring me. “Daddy, can I decowate my awms like you when I get big?”

“Kate,” I said, shifting her onto the floor so I could get to my feet. “Daddy needs to know if your mama is okay. Can you tell me?”

She nodded and said somberly, “She’s okay. She cleaned up the mess and we took a bubble bath togethew because she was vewy messy.”

I grinned and sat back down. I bet she was. It was dark, the only light coming from inside the oven, but the kitchen appeared to be clean now.

“You’re a big girl to take care of your mama, Katydid. I’m proud of you.” I kissed the top of her head.

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