Page 78 of The Convict Gets His Girl

Minutes later, Destini reappeared wearing a vintage Apollo mission t-shirt, her curly hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. She carried a messenger bag slung across her body. She looked both precisely curated as a science-focused person and completely casual—a teenager's careful art of seeming effortless.

"Ready?" she asked, her tone a mixture of excitement and carefully maintained coolness.

The drive to NASA was filled with Destini's rapid-fire explanations about various space missions, her hands gesturing animatedly. Chase listened, entranced by her passion, amazed that he was spending the day with the woman he loved and the daughter he'd never known.

ChapterTwenty-Nine

The polished see-through tempered glass around the NASA observation deck reflected the overhead lights like a mirror, casting Chase's bulky frame in duplicate. Destini walked slightly ahead, her shoulders no longer rigid with tension, pointing out what each section of the scientists were doing with increasing enthusiasm.

"This is where they track satellite communications," she said, her voice gaining animation. "See how complex the monitoring systems are?"

Chase nodded, absorbing not just the technical details but the subtle shift in his daughter's demeanor. Each explanation carried less defensiveness, more genuine passion.

Jewel hung back, watching their interaction with a flurry of emotions on her face. His mind wondered, dreaming that maybe she was picturing them as a real family. What would that be like, father, mother, daughter, living together, doing life together… loving each other.

His chest tightened as Destini raced ahead to the next area. Chase caught her eye, tilting his head slightly as he waited for Jewel.

Chase turned back to watch Destini, noting how her movements echoed his own—deliberate, confident, with an underlying current of controlled energy. She was scanning the environment constantly, taking mental notes, processing information at a speed most adults would envy.

He grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it before linking their fingers. "She's amazing, Jewel. You've done such a great job with her. Most teenagers have lost their curiosity and enthusiasm for life by the time they hit her age, if Parker's complaints are anything to go off of."

"She was always curious," Jewel said softly as they walked side by side. "Even as a little girl, she'd take apart radios, computers. Always wanting to understand how things worked."

Chase felt a surge of paternal pride. His daughter, this brilliant, complex teenager, represented everything he'd missed during his years of imprisonment. All the hope he'd felt for his own future, she now had enough for both of them.

His pride turned sad as he thought of all the missed birthdays. First days of school. Scraped knees. Important moments dissolved into lost time.

"Tell me more," he murmured to Jewel, his eyes never leaving Destini's animated form as she glanced back at them and waved them to hurry.

Jewel chuckled. "Oh, I've got stories. But those are for the car ride home."

They made it to Destini's side, and she launched into a description of what the scientists were doing down below and what it meant for the NASA program. She led them through the working building and back to the trolley that would take them to the next building on the tour.

Jewel helped an older woman into the trolley, and the woman scooted over and patted the seat. Jewel looked at him and shrugged, sliding in next to the woman and letting her talk about her grandchildren in front of them.

Chase looked over the seats and walked toward the back to the last remaining bench. Destini slid in next to him.

"Next building is the advanced propulsion lab," she said, pointing. "They're working on some groundbreaking ion engine prototypes that could revolutionize deep space exploration. We won't visit that building on this tour, though."

The trolley jerked, and their shoulders bumped together. For the first time that day, she grew quiet. He cleared his throat, realizing this was his first moment alone with his daughter. He wanted to set the tone for their future relationship, and Gemma's words from so many months ago came back to him. It was time to clear the air and get on the same page.

Chase said softly, "I know I've missed so much of your life, and I'm sorry about that."

She glanced at him, then forward again just as quick. "Not your fault; you didn't know I existed. Mom lied to us both."

He sighed and nodded. "Yeah, she did, but her heart was in the right place. It's no excuse, but I understand why she felt the way she did."

"You do? That's more than me. I don't understand any of it. If you have a baby, you tell the guy. It's as simple as that."

He chuckled. "You really do take after me, don't you?"

She brightened. "Do I? How so?"

"For starters, I think you prefer things to be upfront and out in the open, no artifice or beating around the bush, right? I'm like that too."

She snorted. "Life's too short to be lollygagging around."

He grinned. "Exactly. Plus, you're a genius. I was always ahead in school, skipped a grade, then was going to graduate a year earlier too. Do you like patterns and puzzles? I really love spreadsheets and seeing data patterns."

---