Brooklyn
This felt like a bad idea. But Jacob was so persistent, and I didn’t want to say no to him. If he really wanted to meet his grandfather, I’d let him.
But just this once.
We stopped outside my father’s apartment door. I looked down at Jacob.
He squeezed my hand.
I didn’t need him to reassure me right now. I wasn’t nervous about this because of me. I was worried about him.
I crouched down to look at him. “Remember how I told you that I didn’t want you to meet my father? Because he’s not a good man?”
Jacob nodded.
“Well, I’m pretty sure he’s going to act really nice while we visit. But you can’t believe it. It’s just a show.”
“Like on the TV?”
“Exactly like that. You can’t ever trust him, okay? You have to believe me.”
“Sí.”
“So why do you want to see him so badly?”
He shrugged.
Why did he always do that when I asked him about this? Why was this so important to him? I pressed my lips together. I remembered when I desperately wanted to know who my father was. Maybe it was like that. He’d lost a family member and was just looking for someone to hold on to. Anyone. I wished my father could be that person for him. But…he definitely wasn’t. I’d already made that same mistake with him. And I’d never give my father the satisfaction of hurting my son like he’d hurt me.
“I’m here to tell him that I’m no longer going to see him. Do you understand that?”
“Sí.”
Jacob was so calm about this. I thought maybe he didn’t understand how bad my father was. How this really was a goodbye forever. What if he liked my dad and begged to keep seeing him? He’d been begging me for days to get to meet him.
“And you’re okay with what I said? That this will be the only time you get to see him?”
“Yessie, Mommy.”
“Okay.” I stood back up and knocked.
The door opened immediately. But it wasn’t my father who answered.
Donnelley was standing there. One of the bodyguards that had worked for my father when I’d lived here. The one that Isabella had threatened. Recognition flashed across his face too. And so did a huge smile.
“Brooklyn?”
I smiled too and nodded.
He pulled me into a huge bear hug. “I cried for days when I thought…” his voice trailed off. “Mr. Pruitt told me you were back this morning. But I didn’t…I can’t even believe it. For years I thought…” his voice trailed off. “I can’t believe you’re really here. It’s just so good to see you.”
I pulled back and smiled up at him. “It’s good to see you too.”
He shook his head. “Are you really here to take over the family business?”
I looked down at Jacob. “No. We’re here to say goodbye.”
“Goodbye? But you just got back.” Donnelley looked down at my son. “Hey, little man. You look just like your father.”
