Page 40 of Shimmering Emeralds
It was a flurry of words from the child compared to the brief snippets of conversation we’d been getting from her, and it delighted me on so many levels.
Unable to stop myself, I gave Meg a knowing look and said, “I thought you didn’t like country music.”
“She normally doesn’t,” Harper answered for her mother before adding, “Except for Levi Ryan’s music. She loves him. We both do.”
My breath caught in my throat over my daughter’s marvelous words. Pride and happiness surged in my veins. Unable to speak, I merely smiled down at the amazing child.
Meg jumped in to fill the gap. In a soft, gentle voice she said, “Sweetheart, Mr. Bus Driver is Levi Ryan.”
Harper’s already large eyes nearly doubled in size as she stared up at me with awe visible in her gaze. “Really? Will you get your guitar and play something for us?”
Nodding, I tried my voice and was relieved when it came out sounding clear. “Absolutely.”
Not wanting to miss a moment while Harper was awake, I decided to wait until she became worn out and fell back asleep before going to retrieve my guitar. The mere idea of performing a song for my little girl––and Meg––had me feeling practically giddy with anticipation. Music was something that I loved sharing with others, especially those that mattered most.
I heard Meg take in a deep, calming breath, and I sensed that this was the moment of truth. She stood up and took one of Harper’s hands within hers. Tears were shimmering brightly in the woman’s eyes when she said, “That’s not all, baby.”
The pregnant pause lingered on as Harper and I both waited with bated breath for Meg to finish her announcement. When she finally resumed speaking, her voice was barely above a whisper, but I could tell by the little girl’s shocked expression that she heard her mother say, “Levi is your father.”
37
Meg
My biggest fear was that my little girl would despise me for keeping her father a secret for all of these years. Levi had been shooting eye darts at me since he found out the truth. That was bad enough, but I had forced myself to admit years ago that he would never be mine––despite how much I wanted him.
My romantic life was dismal without Levi, but I could not and would not be able to carry on at all if Harper hated me.
It wasn’t lost on me that nearly everyone considered me to be a prickly, unlikable witch. I could live with their harsh opinions of me because I knew without a doubt that I’d done one thing right in my life… Harper.
If Harper hated me, too, my life wouldn’t be worth living. My circle was already small. Without Harper in it, I would just curl up in a ball and wither away, which would likely make several people in this town cheer with joy.
I watched the stunned expression take over my daughter’s face as she looked back and forth between me and Levi. I’d never given her any hints about her father, despite her frequent requests. This news had to be a shock to her system. I just hoped it wasn’t too much, too soon, but it had felt like the time was right to reveal the truth.
Finally, Harper’s eyes landed on me. “I have a Daddy?”
The hope and delight in her tone were undeniable, and they almost did me in. Forcing the tears back, I nodded as I placed her tiny hand within Levi’s. “You do, sweetheart. He’s right here, and he loves you very much.”
Levi wasn’t bothering to hide the tears sliding down his cheeks. His voice was filled with emotion when he backed up my words. “I do love you, Harper, and I can’t wait for us to get to know each other.”
“Can we go fishing and fix cars together?” Harper’s eyes were lit up with excitement.
“Sure,” Levi nodded enthusiastically. “Your Mom probably knows more about fixing cars than I do, but I’ll learn. We can do whatever you want. I just want to spend time with you.”
“Me too!” Harper squealed. “What else do girls do with their daddies? I want us to do it all ‘cause we have lots of catching up to do.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Levi promised her, beaming down at her, obviously thrilled by her enthusiastic reaction and their already-gelling bond.
Harper’s eyes lit up even more as she gasped, “Can we go to the daddy-daughter dance at school? I’ve always wanted to go to that with someone other than Uncle Alex. He’s great, but it’s not the same as having a daddy of my very own to be there with me.”
“I would love to go to a daddy-daughter dance with you.” Levi looked so proud and happy as he gazed down at Harper, it made guilt surge in my stomach for keeping them apart for so long.
As if sensing the turn my thoughts had taken, Harper’s expression darkened for the first time since learning about her father. “Why haven’t you been my daddy all along? Where have you been? Did you not want to be my daddy?”
Her tiny face crumpled with insecurity, and I felt like punching my former self for keeping this secret. The two of them deserved to know each other and be an integral part of each other’s lives. I was wrong to ever think otherwise.
I mentally prepared myself for Levi to throw me under the proverbial bus––even though that was an especially horrible saying, considering why we were in this hospital. Once Harper knew it was my fault that she’d never met her father, I would just have to do whatever I could to make it up to her. Hopefully, she would find it in her heart one day to forgive me.
Although I wanted to tell her myself, I couldn’t seem to speak around what felt like a burning softball rotating on its red stitches in my throat. When Levi gave me a questioning look, I nodded my head, letting him know that he should answer our daughter––even if the truth meant I might lose her.
