Page 4 of Moonlight Feels Right
"How about a banana?" Emmalyn suggested.
Olivia sighed. "I don't want a banana."
"Then it sounds like you're full." Emmalyn picked up her own glass of milk from the counter and took a sip.
He was somewhat fascinated by the sight of her drinking milk. He couldn't remember seeing a woman drink milk in a long time—maybe ever. But then, Emmalyn had a wholesomeness about her, an innocence he could probably crush very easily. She was exactly the kind of person he should stay away from because sometimes his dark mood could spill onto others, and she didn't deserve to have her light dimmed.
Olivia didn't deserve that, either. He frowned, wondering again what on earth he was going to do about her.
"When is my mommy coming back?" Olivia asked, looking directly at him for the first time since her mother had left.
"I'm not sure, but she'll let us know."
"Mommy is sad. She cries a lot. She says Daddy is in heaven and he watches over us from the clouds, but I think she wishes he wasn't in the sky."
His chest tightened at Olivia's words. He should have been the one in the clouds—not Gary. His friend had had so much to live for.
"Mommy says if I close my eyes, I can still see him whenever I want," Olivia continued. "I do that a lot."
His heart squeezed again. Olivia should not have to close her eyes to see her dad.
"Are you a mommy?" Olivia asked, turning to Emmalyn.
"No. I don't have any kids of my own, but I'm a teacher at Ravenswood Elementary, so I'm around children every day."
Olivia's eyes lit up. "That's where I'm supposed to go tomorrow. Will I be in your class?"
Emmalyn looked taken aback by Olivia's words. "Well, I don't know. How old are you?"
"Six."
"Then I'm guessing you already finished kindergarten. That's what I teach."
Olivia's eyes filled with disappointment. "I'm in first grade now."
"Well, we have two great first-grade teachers, so you will love whoever you have." Emmalyn's gaze swung from Olivia to him, a question in her eyes. "Did your friend tell you about school?"
"No." The pink suitcase Bree had pushed into his apartment now seemed ominous. How long was she planning to be gone? And why would she have enrolled Olivia in a school nearby if she wasn't going to be away that long?
"I wish I could be in your class," Olivia said with a worried sigh. "I don't know if anyone in first grade will like me."
"You'll make friends, and you're going to love your class, too," Emmalyn quickly reassured Olivia. "In fact, I could go with you both to school tomorrow if that would help."
He wanted to refuse. He preferred to handle problems on his own, to not owe anyone anything. But he owed Gary and Bree, and Emmalyn knew a hell of a lot more about kids than he did. Still, he hesitated, looking back at Olivia. "Did your mother tell you anything else about school or where she was going?" he asked.
Olivia shook her head, her bottom lip quivering once more.
"It's fine," he said quickly, sensing tears were not far away. "Everything will be okay."
"You don't like me, do you?" Olivia asked, giving him an accusatory look.
"Of course, I like you," he said quickly. "I'm your godfather. And your dad and I were best friends. I was at your fourth birthday. I saw you jump off the diving board for the first time, remember?"
Olivia's tension eased. "Mommy didn't think I could do it, but Daddy did."
"He was right." Gary had also believed in him, probably more than he should have. And he needed to take care of Olivia the way Gary would expect him to. Which meant… His gaze moved to Emmalyn. "It might be easier if we go to school with you tomorrow."
"Then let's do that." She paused. "It's possible Olivia might need some things for school."
