Page 32 of Ten Years Later
“Mine.”
“Does she go to my school, or is that a lie too?”
“No, she does not go to your school.”
“Why so many lies?”
“I don’t know. I wanted you to trust me, I guess. I figured if you knew I had a daughter, you’d realize I’m an okay person.”
Emily paced the room. Keaton held his breath. He wished he could rewind the days and do all of this over.
“I get that, I guess.” Emily came back around to look at the mural. “It’s even better in real life.”
“Sweetheart, you need to go home. You skipping school will freak Mia out.”
“You just called me sweetheart.”
“I did. Sorry. It slipped.”
“No. It’s okay. I liked it.”
Keaton smiled a little.
Emily’s shoulders lifted and fell with a giant sigh. “I guess I better go.”
“Probably best if you didn’t tell Mia you came here. Okay?”
“Okay.”
He stepped from the room and watched her go down the stairs. He listened to her tell Zane goodbye. He heard the door open and close.
A second later, Zane pounded up the steps. “What the hell are you doing? Why did you tell that girl your name is Zane? And news flash, that is not Vivian. Oh my God, Keaton! You’re talking to her? You’re friends with her?”
Keaton walked back into the primary suite. “That is Vivian and I will prove it. I did a paternity test. I get the results back tomorrow.”
“How in the world did you do a paternity test?”
“I stole hair from her comb.”
“How did you get her comb?”
“I went to her home.”
Zane threw his hands up. “You are unbelievable.”
“Just wait. I will prove it.” Keaton pushed him from the room and locked the door. “Now leave me alone.”
21 /TEN YEARS AGO
Dana blearily drove.
And drove.
And drove.
She drove until Oregon became Idaho. Wyoming transitioned to Nebraska. Missouri, Tennessee, then Georgia. In the back, Emily sat secured in her seat, Bunny under her arm.
Dana glanced at the tank’s reading, nearly empty. She hated this SUV. Why did she even buy it? It required too much gas.
