Page 4 of If You Love Me

I grinned. “You know I love when you wear these pants.”

She laughed. “What am I gonna do with you?”

In the kitchen, she grabbed two plates loaded with bacon, eggs, toast, and fresh fruit. I grabbed the cups of juice and carried them to the table. Summer Rose was already tearing hers up. Iona and I joined hands for a quick prayer before digging into our food.

“You remember where your class is, baby?” I asked Summer.

She nodded. “Yes, sir. Jersey is gonna wait for me so we can walk in together.”

I smiled. Jersey was her best friend and had been since birth. Her mother, Nina, was one of my and Evenie’s close friends. She was also Summer’s godmother. When my wife disappeared, Nina made sure she stepped in, along with our parents, to help me take care of her. She said she felt like she owed it to Evenie to see to it her baby girl was well taken care of.

Days when I needed a break, she’d come right over and pick her up, no questions asked. Summer had a bedroom at her house and a whole wardrobe that I didn’t have to pay for. She showed up for every major event and milestone in her life. Evenie would be happy to know that she had that kind of support.

“Is Jersey in your class this year?” Iona asked.

“Yes, ma’am. She wants to make sure we get a seat beside each other. Well, if we don’t have assigned seats.”

“All right now,” I said. “Don’t y’all sit by each other and be a distraction.”

“We pay attention, Daddy. It’s the boys that try to distract us. They distract the whole class being clowns. I don’t like them.”

Iona giggled. “That will change.”

“It doesn’t need to change,” I answered quickly. “You can not like boys for as long as possible. Your old man ain’t ready for you to think about boys yet.”

Summer giggled. “I know, Daddy. You said I can’t have a boyfriend until I get a husband.”

Iona smacked my arm. “How does that work, Tyrion?”

“Exactly how it’s supposed to.”

We shared a laugh as Summer’s phone rang with a FaceTime call. It was my mother-in-law, Cheryl. She was probably calling to wish Summer a happy first day.

“Hey, Nana!” she answered excitedly.

“Hey, Nana’s baby! You look so pretty!”

“Thank you. Where’s Paw Paw?”

“Right here, suga,” my father in-law, David, said. “Let me see my pretty girl.”

I smiled. Mama and Papa Long were the best grandparents. Evenie was their only child, so they were extremely close to Summer Rose. She was literally all they had left of her. Any time they wanted her, I didn’t put up a fight. I knew she’d be well taken care of. She loved going to their house because not only did they spoil her with love, they spoiled her with gifts.

It was like everyone tried to make up for her mother’s absence. I was so glad that even as a spoiled child, she wasn’t entitled. She understood that she had to work hard to get ahead in this world. Nothing was going to be given to her.

She talked for a while before handing the phone to me. I knew it was about to be an emotional exchange, so I excused myself from the table and went out onto the front porch. I decided to take a short walk so we could talk in private.

“Hey, Ma.”

“Hey, Tyrion. How are you this morning, baby?”

“I’m okay. A little overwhelmed. My baby will officially be a middle schooler next year.”

“I know. Time went by so fast. God, I wish Evenie was here to see it.”

I sighed. “Me too, Ma. Me too.”

“I can’t stop thinking about her, Tyrion. The anniversary of her disappearance is coming up, and the closer it gets, the more I just wish she would walk through the front door and sayI’m home.”

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