Page 125 of Miss Me Not

His face lit up at my words as he strode to my side and dropped a hard kiss on my lips. "That's all I needed to know. We can figure out the rest as we go," he said, running a hand over the side of my face one last time before heading to bed.

***

My stomach was in knots when I woke the next morning. In just a few hours, I would be reunited with my father. There were so many unanswered questions that would be answered.

The Jackson family was waiting for me in the large sunny kitchen by the time I made it down the stairs. Delicious smells assaulted me as I pushed through the swinging door.

"Madison," the twins screeched, tackling my legs like they hadn't seen me in years instead of just the night before. I grabbed the counter to steady myself. Once I was sure I wasn't going to fall over, I rustled their corkscrew-tossed bed heads.

"Girls, let her breathe," Dean chastised, scooping Ashley up and tossing her over his shoulder while Tim did the same to Dora. Both girls squealed with giggles as their bellies were tickled.

The knots in my stomach untwisted as I watched the family in front of me. They were all so freaking normal that it made everything seem just a little more bearable. Normal was good. I wanted normal in my life.

"How did you sleep, sweetie?" Sarah asked, giving me a one-armed hug that I didn't stiffen under at all. Progress.

"Not too bad," I said, not admitting the endless tossing and turning I had done or the tangled mess of sheets I woke up to.

"It's going to be okay," she said, giving my shoulders a squeeze. "I wasn't sure what you like for breakfast, so I made a little of everything," she added, pointing to the loaded table with every breakfast food imaginable.

"You didn't have to do that," I mumbled, wondering if there was no end to their kindness. They were like a clone of a perfect family, but in a good way.

"Hey," Dean said as I sat next to him.

"Hey," I said, flushing slightly as I thought about his words from last night. He didn't say it, but he'd made it pretty clear for me. Love. It was such a simple word, but so foreign to me, I didn't even know how to react to it.

"Bacon?" he asked, handing over a platter with the crispy bacon.

"Sure," I replied, grateful he was acting the same.

Like every meal I had shared with the Jackson family, the noise level bordered on a fever pitch as the twins excitedly talked about the new Christmas movie they were going to see that day with their grandparents. Dean and Trish kept up a running commentary about the cooking show they were both into that was some kind of cook off. I was grateful for their chatter as the minutes flew by.

Before I knew it, the kitchen was clean and the twins were being shuttled off with their papaw and nana for the day. Once they were gone, the house seemed unnaturally silent as I nervously sat on the couch next to Dean, wringing my hands in my lap. At ten o'clock on the nose, a car pulled into the gravel driveway. Sudden panic gripped me. What if seeing him brought all the bad memories crashing back, or worse, what if he looked at me with disdain like Donna did?

"You ready?" Dean asked, gripping my clasped hands.

"Yes. No. I don't know," I said, feeling helpless.

"I'll be right here by you," he said, helping me to my feet.

"I know, which is the only reason I'm not hiding," I admitted as he placed a gentle kiss on my temple.

"I love you," he said so lightly I almost thought I'd imagined it.

I nodded. I loved him too. I couldn't say the words yet, but it was because of the love we shared I was able to walk out onto the front porch.

Sarah, Tim and Trish trailed behind us, providing a united front as we watched my dad climb from his car.

He looked older, was the first thought that popped in my head as I took in his appearance. Grey hair was sprinkled throughout his dark head giving him a more distinguished look.

"Madison," he said, looking at me uncertainly, stopping just short of the front porch.

"Dad," I said, cautiously descending the stairs slowly, stopping in front of him.

"You're all grown up and beautiful," he said, shooting me a watery smile as I threw myself in his arms. "I'm so sorry," he said, stroking my head as I sobbed against his shoulder. Years of guilt drifted away in an instant as his tears mingled with mine.

Epilogue

"Ready?" Trish asked, zipping up my robe for me.

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