Page 66 of Wild Card (The Trident Trilogy 3)

He wraps both of his big arms around me and pulls me tightly to his chest. “Sweetie, you are, and will always be, the best thing that ever happened in my life. And I know, even for that short time, you were the best thing that ever happened to Nejra, too.”

I lift my head from his chest and look at him. “That’s the first time you’ve ever called Mom by her first name. I mean, to me anyway.”

“Yeah, I’ve been thinking,” he says, smiling. His eyes are so gentle, “if it’s okay with you, I’d like to start talking about Nejra a little more. She and I spent a lot of time talking. I want to tell you some of the things she told me and tell you a little bit more about her in general. She was so special. I still miss her sometimes.”

I nod my head quickly as the tears start to pour down my face more steadily. “I’d like that, Dad. I want to hear everything.”

He hugs me. “And I thought maybe we could contact that woman we met at your aunt’s funeral. I think she said she was Nejra’s second cousin. She said she had a lot of pictures of Nejra. Do you want some of those?”

“Yeah. When I have kids one day, I want to show them their grandma.”

Dad reaches up and wipes my face with his hands including my runny nose.

“Ooo, Dad, don’t wipe my snot with your hands.”

“Do you know how many times I’ve wiped snot off your face. Not to mention all the times I wiped your butt,” he says, laughing. “Did I ever tell you about the first time I tried to change your diaper?”

“No,” I say, smiling as his face lights up. “You haven’t told me anything.”

He laughs, shaking his head. “It took me three times to get it right, and even then it was pretty shaky. We were in the back seat of a rental car—on our way from Sarajevo to Budapest. God, I’m so glad I flew into Budapest. This woman at the rental car agency helped me when I told her I was there to take you home. She made lists of what I needed, and made sure I got a car with a baby seat. That’s who you’re named after, by the way. Did I tell you that?’

“What? No!” I can’t quit laughing at him. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this happy. “I’m named after a rental car lady?”

“Yeah, she went by Millicent, but yeah, I would have been completely lost if she hadn’t helped me. I was pretty lost anyway. Those first couple days, I was scared, but every time I looked at you or talked to you, you would smile so big and quit crying immediately.”

“I still do that,” I say quietly as I hug him again. “Tell me something about Mom right now.”

“She was sweet and funny and smart, and she knew exactly what she wanted. And I know she wanted you with everything in her because she had an enormous heart.” He pauses for a second. “Is that enough for now?”

“One more thing.”

“She told me her dad was much too tolerant of his headstrong daughter,” he says, laughing. “Remind you of anyone?”

“Yeah,” I say, smiling as I look up at him. “Was she always hungry, too?”

“Nope, that you get from me.” He messes up my hair as he leads me around to the passenger’s side. “You want to get lunch?”

“Yeah, maybe tacos?”

“Yeah, sweetie, anything you want,” he says, kissing my forehead, “and then probably ice cream for dessert.”

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