Page 30 of Sacrifice
“It does, I know. And here’s my sunshine.” She shoves her yellow painting in his face. He takes it and smiles. “And my tree.” Everleigh looks around the kitchen. “Mommy! Where’s my tree?”
I snatch it off the counter and hand it to her, crossing my arms in front of me. I hate the feeling of relief I had when I opened the door and saw him. I also hate the start of concern I felt when I saw his hand. These are dangerous things to feel. I need to find the anger I normally have towards him. Anger is easier. Anger is doable.
“This is our family tree. That’s me and that’s Mommy. And that,” she says, pointing to the blue blob at the top, “is Daddy.”
Crew laughs, his smile soft as he watches Ever and her excitement. “Here!” She pushes the green paint towards him. “You put on a green leaf.”
“Ah, well, I . . .” He twists in his chair, clearly uncomfortable. “I think it’s perfect the way it is.”
“No, it isn’t. I want you on there, too!Please!”
He takes off his jacket and looks to me with pleading eyes. I shrug, not about to help him by getting him out of it. Do I want him on our family tree? Nope. But he can figure it out for himself.
Instead, he takes his thumb and adds a print in bright green to the sheet.
“Yay!” Ever squeals, bringing the sheet back to me. “Will you dry it?”
I nod and take it from her. She runs back to Crew and jumps on his lap, taking something discreetly from his palm and shoving it in her pocket.
“How ya feeling today?” he asks.
“Ah, good, I guess.” She wrinkles her nose. “I had a nightmare last night.”
My ears home in; this is news to me. “Oh, yeah? What was it about?”
She shrugs and traces the gray lettering on Crew’s shirt. “I woke up scared. I had a dream that I woke up and no one was here. Mrs. Bennett was even gone. It was just me and the kid across the street.”
“Well, that’s crazy, so you know it’s not real. There’s no way that mommy of yours will ever leave you.”
He glances at me and smiles and I can’t help but grin back. “But Daddy left me,” she points out.
Crew’s smile fades quickly. “Not because he wanted to, monkey. Your daddy loved you more than anyone ever loved anyone.”
“I know,” she whispers.
“Tell you what,” Crew says. “Tomorrow, I’ll bring you something to help with your bad dreams, okay?”
“You will?”
“I will.” He tickles her and she wriggles in his arms, giggling. The sound is beautiful and I close my eyes and just listen. It’s interrupted by someone at the door, so I walk over and answer it.
“Hi, Julia.” Olivia is standing on the porch, holding the hand of her granddaughter, Rory. She looks in the house and sees our visitor. “Hi, Crew.”
“Hey.”
“I was just checking on you,” Olivia says. “I’m running to the grocery and wondered if you need anything.”
“Ever! We are going to get ice cream. Do you want to go?” Rory bounces up and down.
Ever dances around me. “Yes! Mommy, can I? Please?”
“Ever, why don’t you—”
“It’s fine, if she wants to go,” Olivia says. “It might do her some good to get out in the sunshine.”
“I don’t know.” I’m not thrilled at the idea of not being with her today. I want to tuck her against my side and breathe in every second with her. I want to remember every minute of this day and not waste a single moment with her.
“Mommy, please,” Everleigh begs. “I never get to see Rory.Please.”
