I chuckled. "We always give each other shit."
"I think this project is highlighting how much his ADHD affects him, and he doesn't want us to know about it. Because we've been talking about it for years."
That made me pause. "You think he needs help but won't ask for it?"
His expression was serious. "Yeah, I do."
"I can try and reach out."
"I appreciate that. He might not be suspicious if you pop by."
I had a lot of time to make up for, and I was more than happy to help my family out.
We went our separate ways. I promised I'd talk to Shep, but it didn't have to be today. Not when my girls were waiting for me on the beach. I'd texted before I left that I was on my way. At home, I rinsed off in the shower and grabbed my trunks, not wasting any time jogging down to the beach.
The girls were under an umbrella that was tilted to block the sun. There were a few towels on the sand, but Blake hadn't bothered to carry out the chairs. They were digging in the sand; a haphazard castle was built in front of them.
I stood above them, my hands on my hips. "You need a moat."
"Da-da!" Lilliana said, lifting her arms.
I threw her in the air, easily catching her. "I love your castle. You want Daddy to build you a moat?"
She gave me a toothy grin. "Moa. Moa."
"I can do that." I put her down and flashed Blake a smile.
"The maze looks incredible," Blake said as I started digging the trench for the moat.
"It's a bunch of stakes and string." If I thought about the project too much I got overwhelmed. There were so many pieces to it. "I hope I can live up to those expectations."
She touched my arm. "You did so much research on this. You know what you're doing."
I let out a breath. "It's daunting."
She nodded. "But you can do it."
Her support was exactly what I needed.
She poked Lilliana in the tummy. "Lilliana, tell daddy he can do it."
Lilliana clapped her hands together. "Do-it. Do-it."
She probably had no idea what she was saying, but it was adorable.
I chucked her under the chin. "I'll do it for you, okay?"
She grinned. "K."
I couldn't wait until Lilliana could speak in full sentences. I wanted to know what she was thinking and feeling. I looked forward to having conversations with her. When she was better able to communicate, she'd be more aware of what was going on around her and that her mother wasn't around as much. Big feelings were coming, and I'd have to be prepared for them.
I glanced at Blake. "You have to be the first one to do the maze."
She placed a hand on her chest. "I get to test it out?"
"Yeah." I'd been planning on hiding four one-word clues throughout the maze, when read together would form the message: Discover a Secret Garden. When completed, the maze will be a beautiful garden.
But what if I planned something different for Blake's test run? A special message just for her? Tingles ran down my spine at the thought of being upfront with her about everything I wanted.
