Page 93 of The Grand Rise

But I did it.

I got her the bird.

I push open Waverley’s bedroom door with a smile stretching my cheeks, knowing this will make her happy.

My smile drops when I find Scarlet sitting on Waverley’s bed, a hair band hanging from between her lips as she plaits Waverley’s hair.

I swing the small cage I bought at the pet shop behind my back.

“Hi,” I say as Scarlet looks up at me.

“Where have you been?” she mumbles, quickly reaching up to take the band from her mouth. “You’ve been gone all day, and you missed dinner.”

“Yeah, I’m starved,” I tell her, using my crutch to work my way backward out of the room. Waverley will kill me if I give up the Mingo secret.

“There’s pasta in the oven,” Scarlet says, looking back down as she finishes the plait.

“What’s that?” Waverley asks, wiping her face.

I shake my head to tell her to shut up immediately.

Scarlet looks up, down, and then up again. She frowns, peering behind my back. “Whatisthat?”

“Uh, nothing.”

They both wear matchingWhat the fuckfrowns.

Waverley sniffles as she scoots off the bed, and I notice the dried tears on her cheeks. I’m instantly down on my good knee in front of her. “Waverley.”

She throws her arms around my neck, hugging me.

Shit. She knows. I close my eyes and wrap my arms around her. I knew it would break her heart finding out he was dead. If only I’d found the bird quicker or let her bring it inside sooner. “No, don’t cry. Look, Mingo is fine. He’s right here.” I reach around and pick up the cage. “Here. Look. I took him on a little trip to get a cage.”

“Is that another damn bird?” Scarlet asks, and I give her a look, telling her not to be so insensitive. She stands and moves to get a closer look.

“W-what?” Waverley croaks, pulling back. “That’s not Mingo.”

“Yes, it is. Look.”

She looks up at me with teary eyes. “No, it isn’t.”

Fuck.

Of course she’d know it’s not the same bird.

I close my eyes, gutted that I’ve completely fucked it.

“Waverley, please don’t cry, baby. I thought I’d be able to get back before you noticed him missing. I’m so sorry.”

“What are you talking about?” She kneels to get a closer look into the cage.

“When I went to check on Mingo this morning, I found him dead. Bear somehow got to his nest.” I shake my head, devastated. “I knew it would upset you. I just wanted to replace him.” I shrug, a sick feeling stirring in my gut as Waverley looks at me absolutely mortified. “I didn’t think you’d notice, but I get how silly that was now.”

I peer up at Scarlet, feeling like I’ve gone from dad of the year to a lying son of a bitch in three seconds flat.

Seeing Waverley so upset over this is like a spear to the heart, and I can only hope that the look I’m trying to convey to Scarlet shows I only wanted to make our daughter happy.

I shake my head at her, at a loss.

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