Page 80 of Castle's Cards

“Nah. I want to see what all the Cotton Candy hype is about.” Izzy shrugs like it’s no big deal, but I can tell that it is. She wants to be closer to dad, and that includes eating his favorite ice cream.

After paying for the treats, the three of us settle at one of the tables. Izzy reaches over for the Back in Time sheet but dad holds up his hand to stop her.

“Hold on. There are a few things I want to say.” Dad scoops a spoonful of ice cream in his mouth. “Mmm. First of all, this is just as delicious as I remember.”

Izzy and I laugh.

“Second… I’m sorry for not being able to be a real part of your lives these past years. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about the two of you. I wish I had the words to express how important the two of you are to me. I hate that I have to go like this, but in a way, I’m happy. Because I’m able to spend this day on the outside with the two of you. And a day with my two favorite girls is all I could want.”

I wipe away a tear and smile. Izzy throws her arms around dad.

“It’s okay, dad. You don’t need to be sorry,” she whispers through the tears. “I just wish you could stay with us now.”

“I do, too. But this isn’t a prison break, and I have to go back.”

I reach across the table and squeeze his hand. He sniffles before shrugging.

“All right, all right. What year is it?”

Izzy reaches across the table and pulls the paper from its box.

“1996.”

My phone rings, and when I pull it out to silence it, I see it’s my doctor’s office.

“I have to take this. I’ll just be a second.” I step away from the table, leaving Izzy and Dad to talk. “Hello?”

“Hello, Miss Hughes. This is Laura Shepherd from Dr. Monroe’s office. I’m just calling to let you know that the results of your blood work are back and you are indeed pregnant. Congratulations.”

My face lights up.

“Thank you.”

After scheduling an appointment, I return to the table and smile.

“What’s the Cheshire grin for?” Dad asks.

“That was the doctor. I’m pregnant.”

“You’re…” Dad whispers before trailing off. Tears well up in his eyes. “Well, that’s just… I wish I was able to meet my future grandchild. But I guess knowing about him or her will have to be good enough for me.”

Izzy smiles at me before taking a breath.

“I have news, too.” Izzy grins. “I’m going to college. Illinois State is offering me a full ride.”

I gasp and cover my mouth. Dad smiles and wraps her in a hug.

“Both of my daughters are making me proud today. This is the best day of my life.”

Sitting across the table, watching Dad hug my nearly adult sister with tears in his eyes, the same thought runs through my mind.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Carter

“You’resurethistielooks okay?” I ask for the third time as Addy straightens it. She smiles and kisses me.

“Carter, you look absolutely perfect.”

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