We’re Doing This Now Part II
“Fine. Gulliver has a brother named Glenn who has a little boy named Mitsos.”
“You remembered his name?” Gulliver asked January.
“I couldn’t forget it if I tried.”
“Because you thought he was my son and it was bugging the shit out of you?”
January ignored his comment but the telltale flush on her cheeks made him grin. His girl was still jealous as fuck. He puffed his chest up from where he sat on the floor with his forearms on his knees. His knowing smile was aggravating her. He tossed her a smile and then looked at Kaylee.
“Your mom is beautiful when she’s annoyed at me.”
“Did you know my mom before?”
“I did. I knew her very well. We were best friends.”
“No. We were best friends. You stole her from me.” Thisbe whined and then flung herself into a seat with irritation. “If you’d never gotten involved my bestie and I would be running New York fashion like it was nobody’s business.”
“You were friends with my mom?” Kaylee asked with wide eyes.
“We went to school together. She and I were going to open a 2:56 store once we graduated.”
We’re Doing This Now Part
“Until I caught Thisbe lying to me and then I left and never talked to her again.”
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“Oh!” Kaylee made wide eyes at Thisbe. “My mom hates lying. I would rather tell her the truth and get punished for whatever I did than tell her a lie and get caught. I did that at the beginning of the school year, and I lost my tablet for four whole weeks. It was awful.”
“I bet it was,” Thisbe nodded her agreement. “I feel really bad January. I hope we can make amends.”
“Don’t do this in front of my kid, Thisbe. It’s revolting behavior.”
“I’m sorry.” Thisbe looked away.
“Anyway, Kaylee, Dr. Miles, or Dr. Ford as Gulliver calls him, told Gulliver’s brother Glenn how he met a little girl who looks very much like Mitsos. Glenn told Gulliver and Gulliver came right here to meet you.”
“Why?” Kaylee looked confused.
“Because a very long time ago, like Thisbe said, I used to be friends with Thisbe and Gulliver. I even lived with them for a
while.”
“Really?”
“We were the best of friends but then I moved away. I came here and started my business here and had you and I lived with Nana and Papa and you.”
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Gulliver wondered how she was going to spin this. Was she going to paint him as a villain? She had said she would facilitate the meeting and say he recently discovered her but how would she twist it? He was on pins and needles, and he found he was holding his breath as he waited for her to spill the beans.
“Well, when Gulliver learned there was a little girl who looks so much like his brother’s son, he thought, perhaps, I might be your mommy. Since Gulliver and I were friends a long time ago, he thought, maybe,” January took a deep breath, “he might be your father.”
Kaylee blinked in slow motion. He watched with his heart racing, his palms clammy and his knees shaking under his forearms. She looked between him and January and then back to him. She frowned, her eyebrows knitting together in perplexion as she contemplated what her mother was saying.
“Why would he be my father?”
Gulliver had a feeling, as she boldly called her mother out on the very vague explanation, Kaylee struggled in school because she was bored and antsy, not because she wasn’t bright.
“Because when Gulliver and Thisbe and I all lived in the same house, Gulliver was my boyfriend.”
“Your boyfriend?” Kaylee leaned forward, “Mom, you had a rich boyfriend? Why did you break up with him?”
“How do you know she broke up with me?” Gulliver couldn’t
help the question spilling from his lips. He was enjoying the way
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child’s mind worked.
“Because my mom is funny and guys flirt with her all the time. We went to dinner once in Burlington with Nana and Papa and three different guys tried to buy her a drink. She’s very pretty. Also, one of the boys in my class says his dad talks about my mom all the time. He thinks his dad wants to ask my mom on a date, but he’s really shy.”
“Really? Which boy?” January asked curiously.
“Darwin.”
“Oh.” She looked at her mother and grinned.
“What is that look for?” Gulliver demanded.
“Darwin’s father works at the local hospital. He runs the lab there. He’s a doctor but not the kind that sees patients.” Analia said with a grin. “He’s incredibly introverted and it’s why he works in a lab and not with people. We’ve joked a few times how still waters run deep.”
“He will not be asking you out.”
“Maybe not but I might ask him out now that I know he is interested.” She grinned at Kaylee.
“You can ask boys out?” Kaylee was wide–eyed. “Really?”
“Yes. Absolutely.”
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Gulliver felt his blood pressure spiking with the fury or the way
We’re Doing This Now Part
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“Huh!” she pondered the question and then frowned. “Wait. If you and Gulliver were boyfriend and girlfriend, could he be my dad?”
January gave a single nod, “yes. He could be your dad. In fact, he is your dad. He just found out about you today and immediately came to see if perhaps you might want to have a dad in your life.”
Kaylee looked at Gulliver turning her entire body to face him and he couldn’t help but notice the way her entire body was damn near vibrating from the trembling.
“Kaylee, are you okay?” he asked softly.
She nodded her head with eyes wide. “You want to be my dad?”
“I really want nothing more in this world than to be your dad.” He admitted, his voice catching and his words garbled as he got caught up in his emotions.
Kaylee looked around the room, “I actually get to have a dad?”
“If you want one. I would love the opportunity to be your dad.”
“Yes!” she gave a loud electric scream as she jumped up and down. “Bonnie can suck it! She was making fun of me last week at recess for not knowing my dad’s name and now I have a dad and he’s richer than hers. You are richer right?”
“Maybe?” he was trying not to laugh.
en I call you Dad?”
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“I would love that.”
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“Um,” Kaylee twisted her foot over on it’s side as she regarded him curiously. “I know what it’s like to hug my papa, but I’ve never hugged my dad before. Can I hug you?”
And just like that Gulliver’s heart fractured into a million pieces as he held his arms out and his daughter crashed into them.
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