And then my phone buzzed again. Daddy slipped the phone from my hand to check the screen before I could see.
“Trust me?” she asked me.
“I do.” I confirmed.
She nodded, then she answered it.
My father’s voice was on the line, calm but heavy. “Can I talk to Sera?”
Daddy’s voice sharpened. “If you’re calling to upset her more, then you can’t.”
“No,” he said quickly. “No, I’m not.”
“One second,” Daddy said to him. She handed me the phone and kissed my forehead.
“Hello,” I greeted him wearily.
“I just… I want to apologize. For your mother. She’s out of control. I’ve taken her phone. I won’t hold you for long. I’ll call tomorrow when everybody is calmer. We’ll talk then, okay. Just you and me.”
I believed him.
“Okay. You and I can talk tomorrow.”
“Good. Everything will work out. Don’t worry. Goodbye.” He hung up the phone and I held it to my chest. Hope flared and I nipped it before it blossomed into false expectations.
We’ll take it as it comes. If he’s on my side, then we’ll go from there. If he isn’t, then I’ll deal with that, too.
“Are you okay?” Daddy asked.
I nodded. “I am. He wants to talk tomorrow and I’m fine with that.”
“Good. Just say the word and we’ll block him too.” Daddy pulled me back into her arms and I wrapped mine around her as well.
“Daddy?” I looked up at her.
“Yeah, baby?” She looked down at me.
“I love you.”
“Don’t I know the feeling?” She leaned down and kissed me, taking, claiming my lips as hers. “Mmm…” She nibbled my lips and went in for another. “Don’t I know it.” She shook her head. “Emerson said that he’s ready for you to date him, too.”
I let out a fit of giggles. “Oh yeah? He wants to be courted?”
“Yeah, he says that he needs to approve the relationship. I told him that since he’s the man, he’s gotta pay for it. That shut him up quickly.”
I smiled big. “I’d love for the three of us to spend some time together,” I admitted.
“Good.” She kissed me again and just stared down at me. “I love you, too, babygirl.”
Finally hearing the words, I couldn’t handle the tears that pooled. I’d known what she meant by saying that she knew the feelings, but the words… they hit different.
“Baby…” Daddy wiped them away as they fell.
“Yes, Daddy?” I sniffed, trying to pull myself together.
“Why the tears?”
“Happy, happy tears.” I beamed. “Grateful. Love is a gift and I now have it.”
