Page 11 of First Class Feelings

“I’m sorry it wasn’t comfy. I would have moved you, but I didn’t want to disturb you. If you’re a light sleeper, it would have woken you.”

“No,” I reply. “I don’t sleep lightly. It takes a lot to wake me up, actually.”

He smiles then. “Good to know. Although, I should have remembered that from the plane. It was rather difficult to get you to come to. I thought maybe it was just exhaustion at the time.”

I nod because I’m not really sure what to say. Some of it was that. But overall, I’m a heavier sleeper than most.

“Are you hungry? You only had ice cream earlier. I don’t think that’s enough to sustain you.”

He moves toward me, and I shift to the side to let him pass. Instead, he moves right up to me and runs his fingers along my jaw.

“What would you like? I can order more room service. Or if you’re up for an adventure, we can go check out the food downstairs. This place is supposed to have some of the best cuisine in the area. I’d even be willing to explore if that’s what you want.”

A memory from before surfaces. At the airport, people stared and tried to take pictures of him. I wonder if that’ll be a problem here too.

“I have a question.”

He nods. “Ask away, little one. I’m happy to answer anything.”

“Why did those people at the airport look at you like that? They were pointing and trying to take your picture, right? Are you famous or something?”

Instead of answering right away, he pulls out his phone. With it turned my way, he opens his photos app and swipes until he gets to a photo of two guys. When he enlarges it, I gasp.

“There are two DDs!”

“Not quite,” he says around a laugh. “I have a twin. He plays for the professional baseball team back home. Sometimes people spot me and assume I’m him, despite not having his tattoos or his build. He’s got some bulk on me, though admittedly, we’re the definition of identical for the most part.”

I tilt my head. Something about what he says feels familiar. It creates a tingling sensation in my brain. One I can’t quite avoid since I have more questions now.

“Where’s home?”

“Bellport,” he says.

His answer shakes the very foundation of the hotel. It’s like a level twenty-seven earthquake.

And yes, I know that doesn’t exist. Let me live my life, please.

My mouth works as I try to force words out. This man lives in Bellport. The same place I live. How in the world had we never met? Or better yet, why wasn’t he already my Daddy?

Woah, Little Foster. No rushing the process.

I try to calm the swirl of anxious thoughts that build, but it’s no use.

DD notices right away. His hands move to my jaw, where he holds me like I’m the most delicate thing he’s ever touched.

“Little one, I need you to breathe for me. I’m going to show you how, ok? Just follow DD.”

He then proceeds to take deep breaths, one at a time. I do as he told me to, repeating his movements until the urge to vomit, scream, and run away leave me.

Tears leak from the corner of my eyes as embarrassment settles in place of the feelings from before.

“I’m sorry.” It comes out as a whisper.

“Nothing to be sorry for. You were upset about where I live. Can I ask why though? Is it because you live somewhere else and are sad we won’t be close? Or is it because we live in the same city, and you began to overthink?”

I tap one of the hands holding my cheek as he says the second one. His gentle smile makes me think he’s happy about my answer.

“You live in Bellport, Little One?”

---