Page 113 of This Memory
“My baby girl is having a little girl.”
I lost the battle to keep my tears at bay.
“Hey, no. None of that now. This is a time to be happy.”
I buried my face in his chest and breathed in the familiar scent of my daddy’s Old Spice. My father’s simplicity nearly made me laugh. My mother said the moment he found out they had a body wash, he bought it.
His hand moved slowly up and down my back, just like he used to do when I was a little girl and upset.
“Shh. Don’t cry, my sweet angel.”
“I’m trying not to, Dad! I just can’t help but feel guilty for being so happy.”
He drew back and looked at me. “I know it’s hard to think about Evelyn and Denny being gone and never knowing their daughter, butyouare making her, Brystol. She’s a part of you too.”
Reaching up, he wiped my tears away. Only then did I realize everyone had left the dining room, and it was just the two of us.
“Are you still going to therapy?” he asked, taking my hand and motioning me to sit back down.
“Yes. Gavin is going as well.”
He nodded.
“I don’t want to feel like this the rest of my life, Dad. I don’t want Lily to look at me and see the guilt on my face for loving her.”
“She won’t. You’ll make sure Evelyn and Denny are a part of her life, angel. She’ll grow up loving them because you and Gavin loved them.”
I blinked a few times. “That was beautiful, Daddy.”
He smiled. “You haven’t called me Daddy in a long time.”
Shrugging, I replied, “Sometimes a girl needs her daddy.”
“And I’ll always be here for you, Brystol. Always. And your mother and I, Rachel and Nick, will also be here for Lily Rae. We’ve got the three of you.”
I let out a soft laugh. “Thank you. Things are moving at warp speed, but I can’t complain.”
“He loves you very much, you know that, right?”
Nodding, I whispered, “I know.”
“I think that boy has been in love with you for some time now, and you with him.”
My cheeks warmed as I blushed.
My father stood, lightheartedly chuckling. “Come on, let’s rejoin everyone else before your mother comes and gets us.”
We joined everyone else in the living room, where I snuggled up on the sofa with Gavin as our parents shared stories of us when we were little. The love in the room felt like a warm blanket, and I knew in my heart of hearts that Evelyn and Denny were sitting right here with us.
“Okay, be careful. Don’t hit the edge of the doorjamb,” Aurora said as she guided me into Lily’s room.
“Stop trying to lead the way, Gavin!” James said. “God, I’d hate to be a woman dancing with you.”
I laughed as Aurora brought me to a stop.
“I’m not trying to lead,” Gavin argued.
James snorted, and I could feel Gavin come up next to me. “There. You’re next to Brystol now.”
