Page 84 of Ashes

I stood there, frozen, until the door clicked shut.

Stepping out of the bathroom, wide-eyed, I stared at Wilder.

His shoulders began to shake, and I realized he was laughing.Hard.

I pressed my lips together, then let out a laugh I couldn’t hold back.

“Oops,” I said.

“Yeah, oops,” he agreed.“She’s too fucking smart.”

“You are her father, the computer genius.”

He smiled at me then, and my heart soared.He was really mine.

Finally.

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