Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 96046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Opening the fridge, I took out a canister of Reddi-wip. “A little bird told me you love whipped cream, Rosie.”
She bounced in her seat. “I do!”
I sprayed a huge dollop on top of her apple crisp. I’d give her as much as she wanted, so long as she liked me.
“Thank you,” Rosie said.
“You’re very welcome, sweetheart.”
Primrose and I shared a smile.
“So…” I sat down next to Primrose, across from Rosie. “What’s the plan today?”
“Well, Rosie wants to go to the playground. It’s supposed to be nice out.”
“Sounds perfect. I love the playground.”
Primrose laughed. “Have you even been to a playground in the last twenty-five years, Vanderbilt?”
“Don’t rat me out,” I whispered.
After they finished eating, we got into my car and drove to the park with the giant jungle gym. I’d started to feel a bit calmer.
Once we got out of the car, Primrose stepped back a bit, allowing me time to get to know Rosie. For a few minutes I was officially in charge of her safety while Primrose made conversation with another mother. Couldn’t remember a time when I’d been responsible for anything so precious. No way in hell I was gonna let her get injured on my watch. How do people do this, day in and day out? I was a nervous wreck each time Rosie climbed anything.
I watched intently as she went up a ladder numerous times, then slid down the long, twisty slide.
“Your turn,” she finally said in that sweet little voice.
“My turn?”
“Yeah. Your turn to go down the slide.”
“I think I’m too big for that, sweetie.”
She giggled, then took me by the hand and led me up the ladder. Guess she wasn’t taking no for an answer.
She watched from the top as I entered the tube and barely squeezed myself out before I emerged at the bottom. Rosie then slid down after me.
A few seconds later, she pointed and laughed.
“What are you laughing at?”
“You have gum on your bum-bum.”
“Shit. Really?” I cringed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
I patted my behind. She was right. There was a big dollop of fresh pink gum stuck to my ass. Rosie continued to giggle. I’d take one for the team if it meant amusing her.
Primrose was still talking to that other mom. I couldn’t tell if she was involved in conversation or specifically giving me alone time with her daughter.
When I took Rosie over to the swings and started pushing her, she smiled big as she swung my way. “My daddy says hi,” she announced.
I slowed down. “Your daddy?”
She nodded.
“He told you to say that?”
“Yup.”
Hmm... Casey knew I was going to be meeting her for the first time this weekend. Perhaps this was his way of throwing me a bone, indirectly putting in a good word for me, though I was certain that couldn’t have been easy for him.
“Tell him I said hi, too, okay?”
“Okay!” she said with glee as I pushed her faster.
This little angel was blissfully oblivious.
Primrose finally sauntered over. “How are you guys doing?”
“Dorian has gum on his butt!”
Primrose looked down at my ass. “Oh wow. I see that.” She laughed. “I got you. Happens to us all the time, doesn’t it, Rosie? Nothing some ice and vigorous rubbing can’t fix.”
I wriggled my brows and whispered, “Sounds interesting.”
Primrose nudged me with her elbow. “How did that happen anyway?”
“Someone must’ve thrown it down the slide,” I said.
Her eyes widened. “You went down the slide?”
“Yep.”
“How did I miss that?”
“Well, you were busy talking and abandoned us.”
She winked, and now I was certain she’d left me alone with Rosie intentionally.
Late that afternoon, we took Rosie out for pizza, and then the best thing ever happened afterward. Rosie asked if I could come over to their house and watch a movie with them before bed. That was the easiest “yes” I’d ever uttered.
Back at their house, the three of us sat together on the couch. Rosie had changed into her pajamas and chosen the kids’ movie Sing. It surprised me how much I enjoyed it.
At one point, Rosie leaned her head against my shoulder. I didn’t dare move. A profound appreciation for everything I’d been through from the moment I was born came over me. It was the first time I realized that even though I’d never be this little girl’s father, in a strange way, she was here because of me. If I’d done even one thing differently, it would’ve changed the course of my life, Primrose’s life, and the state of Rosie’s existence. If I hadn’t left Primrose out of fear for her safety, she’d never have met Casey and had Rosie. Indirectly, it meant Rosie was mine, too. Probably won’t bring that up to Casey, though. Still, that perspective made me feel warm inside.
Rosie broke my trance when I sensed her looking up at me for my reaction during the movie. I could tell the scene was supposed to be funny, so I gave her my heartiest laugh as I looked down to meet her smile. Her beautiful, innocent eyes sparkled in the glow of the television. Neither blue, nor green. Aquamarine.