Page 51 of Gabriel & Skye

“It’s just Miss Skye,” Gabriel corrects her, but I can’t contain my amusement. “Blue is part of Aunt Georgia’s name, remember?”

Trinity makes a point of really thinking about this with one hand on her hip and the other on the side of her cheek. “But the sky is blue, Daddy!”

“Well, you got me there.” He laughs.

“You can just call me Skye if you want to,” I say to Trinity. “If Daddy says that’s okay?”

We both look at him and he nods. I get the feeling this little angel could melt the frostiest heart and get any damned thing she wanted.

“Why don’t you go and get your picture for Skye and show her what you were drawing all night while I finish making our drinks?”

“Can I have a warm milk, pwease?” she asks, running off into the den and rummaging around on the large coffee table with her pens and pencils lined up in rows.

“Already on it, princess.” He gives me an amused look. “My daughter doesn’t think I know her very well. How do you have your tea? I have some herbal concoctions — courtesy of my sister — and black tea.”

“Black tea is fine, thank you.”

“English breakfast?”

“Sure.”

“Milk?”

“I can drink it either way, but if you have it, yes, please.”

He nods and walks over to pour my tea while Trinity comes running back with her picture.

“Look, Skye, I made this just for you!”

“Oh, Trinity, thank you.” I take it from her and hold it up to have a look. “That’s a lovely picture.”

There’s some multicolored stick people, and some love hearts, and a big rainbow at the top. “Wow, this must have taken you a long time.”

“It did. See, there’s me.” She points to the smallest figure drawn in green with pointy fingers and toes. “And this is Daddy.” She points to the stick figure of her dad in a dark gray hue.

“Wow, are they love hearts for eyes, Trinity?”

“Yep.” She nods. “Because I wuv my daddy.”

“I bet you do.” I can’t help but smile.

Gabriel passes my tea over the counter and offers me a seat at the breakfast bar while he passes Trinity her small cup of milk.

He glances at the picture and says, “And who’s this?” He points to the little brown squiggle ball with legs next to the green stick figure.

“That’s our puppy, Daddy. And this is Skye!” She points next to the red squiggle with green circles for eyes.

I can tell this is the first time Gabriel’s seen the picture as he squints and looks further.

“That’s Skye?” he says, taking a sip of his coffee.

“Yup, can’t you see the pwetty green eyes? Daddy said Skye has pwetty green eyes!” She puts her cup down, giggling behind her hands, and grabs her bunny again. Dancing around instead of getting ready.

I glance at Gabriel, who laughs and looks at me with a shrug. “Kids,” he says, shaking it off. I’m a little speechless. Gabriel said I had pretty eyes? “Trin, that was very sweet of you to draw Skye in your picture and the new puppy we don’t have yet, but why don’t you go and get your school bag and finish getting ready, please. Geraldine will be here soon.”

She does a little pirouette and runs off up the hall.

Gabriel pulls out a chair and plonks down with a sigh. “Sorry about that,” he says.

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