Page 38 of One Good Puck
Sophie tilts her head at me. “Dad. Come on. It’s written all over your face.”
My cheeks heat at being called out by my daughter and future son-in-law.
“So these hors d’oeuvres are good.” I study a random tray of bruschetta.
Sophie laughs. When I look up, Abby and Emma are walking over to us.
Abby offers a small smile. “Hey.” Her voice is soft and shy; the look in her eyes is hesitant. Like she’s not quite sure if she should approach me. I instantly feel guilty.
It’s my fault she feels this way. It’s because of how I abruptly ended our conversation the other night. I didn’t mean to come off so cold and harsh, but I couldn’t help it. The second Abby spoke those words about McCoy, I was thrown back in time.
He probably ruined her life doing that.
In an instant, I was back on that bathroom floor, hugging Nicole while she sobbed, while she spoke those same words.
“He ruined my life publishing those photos of me.”
All those feelings came flooding back. The rage. The sadness. The agony. The helplessness at not being able to do a damn thing to protect the woman I love.
I know Abby didn’t mean to remind me of any of that. But my memories took over, and I needed to be alone to process it all. I didn’t want to unload on her. I didn’t want her to think I was a freak for having such a visceral, raw reaction about something that happened more than twenty-five years ago.
I need to explain why I acted the way I did. And I need to apologize to her. Not now though, when her daughter is here and Xander and Sophie are standing around us.
I smile at Abby. “Hi.” I look down at Emma, who’s beaming up at me. I hold my hand up for her to high-five.
“I didn’t know you’d be at the party too,” I say to Emma.
“She’s just here for a few minutes. Her grandparents are on the way to pick her up,” Abby says.
“We’re going to the movies tonight,” Emma says excitedly.
“That sounds fun,” I say.
“The sugar crash she’s going to have later tonight after eating all that movie theater candy won’t be so fun,” Abby says, then flashes a tired smile before looking at Xander, Sophie, and me. “I always try to get her to eat something nutritious before going to the movies, but she gets too excited and refuses to eat much.”
“Sounds like me when I was a kid,” Xander says. “I survived on Sour Patch Kids for most of elementary school.”
Sophie and Abby laugh.
I look at the table of hors d’oeuvres and get an idea. I look at Emma. “Hey, how about we have some girl dinner before you go to the movies?”
Emma smiles. “Okay!”
I think back to the other night when Abby mentioned all the snack foods Emma liked eating.
I grab a plate and load up on some crackers, chunks of bread, cheese slices, and ham. I offer the plate to Emma. She grabs some of the ham and a cracker. I dig into the cheese.
We finish the plate of food together in a few minutes.
“Could I have more?” Emma asks.
“Sure.”
I give her a second helping of everything, and this time, throw in a few veggies. She asks if she can sit at a nearby table and watch her tablet while she eats.
Abby says sure, then turns to me. “You’re amazing. Why didn’t I think of that?”
“It’s nothing,” I say.
