Page 53 of Love in Riverbend
“Kindergarten.”
“What about college? Does she have a 529?”
“Let’s take this a step at a time.”
Dax expounds on the benefits of early investing as together we walk toward Molly. At the same time, Cory and Judy appear. Judy smiles at me. I know what they’re thinking, but I don’t have words.
Cory slaps Dax on the back. “Good to see you two together.”
“Baby steps,” I say.
The two girls are at our legs when Amber looks up at Dax and says, “I didn’t know you was Molly’s dad.”
My stomach sinks as Molly’s expression sobers and she stares up at Dax.
Chapter 20
Dax
My eyes go as wide as Kandace’s as we both turn to Molly who is looking up at me. Her usual smile is replaced with her lips agape.
“I’m sorry,” Judy says. “We thought…” She reaches for Amber. “Come on, honey. We need to go home.”
Cory tilts his head. “Man. Sorry.”
For a moment, the three of us are left speechless until Kandace bends down and reaches for Molly’s shoulders. “Amber is right; Dax is your father, Molly. We were going to tell you after you got to know him.”
Molly looks from Kandace to me and back to her mom as her eyebrows pinch close together. “Dad? My dad?”
Kandace nods. “Yes, he is.”
“You said he was gone.”
Kandace takes a deep breath. “He was, honey. Now he came back.”
It’s my turn to get down on my haunches. “Molly, if it’s okay with you and your mom, I would really like to get to know you better.”
Her little nose scrunches. “Are you going to live with us?”
I shake my head. “Not right now. First, can we be friends?”
She looks at Kandace. “You like Dax?”
Kandace nods. “I do. I have since before you were born.”
Molly turns back to me. “Okay. We can be friends.”
It isn’t until that moment that I remember to breathe. My gaze goes to Kandace as we both stand, and she takes Molly’s hand. “I think that went well.”
Kandace shrugs.
I’m walking with them up to Kandace’s car when Molly looks up at me and with a smile reaches for my hand. As the sun lowers in the sky, our shadows stretch out over the parking lot. Like paper dolls, we’re all connected, and I’ve never felt more whole in my entire life.
After Kandace has Molly buckled into her car seat, I lean in and say, “See you later, Molly. Thanks for being my friend.”
“Will you be at Joyce’s tomorrow for my breakfast?”
“If you want me to be.”
