Page 2 of Forbidden Hearts
“You were lucky enough to have a child with me. I know. You’re welcome.”
“I could’ve done worse.”
I take that as a compliment.
Her eyes well up with tears again as she looks at Liv.
“I can’t go,” she admits, tears now ready to spill over.
Time to be a dick and force her to leave. “Sara, leave now so you make your flight and you don’t make this harder on Liv.”
“You can’t tell me you wouldn’t be the same. She’s not”—Sara turns so Olivia can’t see what she says—“she’s special. What if the agency screws up? What if you forgot to tell them she’s deaf and they send someone who can’t sign? I don’t want her to be stuck unable to communicate.”
“I didn’t forget to tell them that. I’m just as concerned as you are, and I would never go to work if they sent someone who couldn’t take care of our daughter.”
Olivia is completely Deaf because of complications with preeclampsia. With her hearing aids, she can hear certain sounds or pitches, but just barely, and she can’t make out any words. Sara and I learned ASL as soon as we discovered her hearing loss and fought to get the best care all around, but Liv is really good with reading lips.
Sara’s full-time nanny, Denise, who learned ASL as well, moved to Florida a week ago to get married. Great timing on that one.
I take Sara’s shoulders in my hands and breathe deeply until she does the same. “You have a flight to catch. I am a fantastic father. Olivia will be fine. The agency said they’d get someone who could sign, all will be well.”
“You’re so infuriating with your constant calm attitude.”
I shrug. “It’s better than flipping out, especially in my job.”
Cool heads always prevail. At least that’s what I tell myself. I love being a small-town sheriff. There’s not much trouble in town other than the kids knocking mailboxes off with a bat or someone stealing a cow and moving it to another pasture for fun. It’s the same thing my brothers and I did growing up in Michigan, so I can’t be too mad at them.
Although, we weren’t big mailbox guys. I never saw the fun in damaging a neighbor’s property, and our mom would’ve had our heads if she’d ever found out.
I am also the newly appointed SWAT commander, which means I have to be steady and always look at the whole picture. That is what I’m doing now.
Now that I’m thinking about it, my trying to coax Sara to leave the house on time does seem like a hostage negotiation.
“I can do this. She’ll be fine. You’re a good dad, and you love her.” She looks down at Olivia and whimpers a little.“I have to go, sweet girl.”
Olivia waves to her.
They both sign.“I love you.”
Sara wipes at her cheeks and pulls me in for a hug. “I’ll be back in less than six months.”
“And it will be just like you left it—other than the matching tattoos we get tomorrow.”
“Asher,” she warns.
“Seriously, Sara, just go. I promise that I can handle this.”
I have no choice because if she comes back and Olivia isn’t in perfect condition, she might chop my balls off.
She grabs her bag, flings it onto her back, and heads to the front door. Sara’s tears are flowing steadily as she walks out without looking back.
I stare at the heavy oak door, waiting, and she doesn’t fail. She comes back into the house, scooping Livvy into her arms and kissing her cheeks. Then she punches me in the arm.
“Predictable.”
She flips me off. “Be good. Don’t get into trouble and don’t forget to feed her!”
“It was one time!” I yell back at her as the door shuts.
