Page 127 of Take My Kiss
I stir in the honey and milk before taking a sip.
“I should warn you before we go upstairs. Your father doesn’t look well. He’s on oxygen, but he’s lost a lot of weight. The meds they give him make him sedated, so he’s barely conscious.”
Nodding, I stay silent. I haven’t thought much about him over the years, but he was always a lively man. Between working in his office, attending fancy dinners, late-night meetings, and social gatherings, he was always busy.
Admittedly, it’ll be weird seeing him so lifeless.
“How long did they give him?” I ask cautiously.
“Days. Two weeks at best. But you never know. I think he’s hangin’ on ’cause he hoped you’d come. I told him you would be.”
I stay quiet, sipping the tea that got me hooked on it. Growing up, I thought it was so classy and would make my mom love me more if I drank it like her. The way she sat and gossiped with her friends over tea and sandwiches, I wanted that undivided attention from her too.
“So…” She sets her cup down, folding her hands elegantly in her lap. “Tell me ’bout yourself. What’s your life like?”
“Your PI didn’t tell you all there is to know ’bout me?” I ask roughly.
“No, I only hired him to locate you.”
I’m not about to tell her the truth—that I struggled like hell to get on my feet, that I couldn’t even afford Christmas gifts for my kids, and that having groceries was a luxury.
She doesn’t get to know that part of me.
“I work and take online classes, take care of my kids, and spend time with friends as much as I can in between.” It’s honest without giving away too much.
“And is there a father of these kids?”
“Of course, but they’re not in the picture.”
Her mouth purses like she wants to comment on the wordtheyinstead ofhe. Yes, there’s more than one. I’m not going to be ashamed or let her embarrass me for my past mistakes when they brought me the loves of my life.
“What’re you goin’ to school for?”
“Graphic design.”
“Oh, that’s right. You loved doodlin’ and makin’ little art creations on your laptop.”
I bite my tongue at the condescending way she says it, as if it wasn’t a hobby worth pursuing. Her opinion no longer matters to me.
“Can I see Dad now?” I ask once my tea’s gone.
I might’ve gulped the last of it on purpose to end our uncomfortable conversation sooner.
“Yes, we can go up. A nurse will be here soon to stay with him while we go to our appointment.”
As we climb the stairs, memories hit me full force.
“Wow, I remember slidin’ down this banister with Samuel.” I chuckle. “You’d get so mad at us.”
“Well, it wasn’t meant for that, especially not at that price tag.”
I stifle a laugh and roll my eyes.
But I notice how she doesn’t even flinch at the mention of my brother. Her black heart’s conditioned not to react.
“I’ll give you a few minutes alone,” she says once we get to the door of their bedroom. “You can talk to him, but don’t expect a response.”
Stepping in, I glance around their room. It’s had some updates and fresh paint, but overall it’s still the same.
