Roman's Redemption: Roman: Book II (Roman's Trilogy) by Kimber S. Dawn Page B

thing I ever held dear to me. And no matter what I do, or how hard I try, I can’t get her back. She’s only two years old. What kind of mother can’t get her two-year-old daughter back?
    “A broken mother. And no, it’s not your fault, and she isn’t to blame either, life isn’t fair. If you want fair, head southeast and don’t stop until you get to Cheyenne, Wyoming. They have a fair…with funnel cakes, turkey legs, horseshoe tossing contests, and bumper cars. If you want your daughter back? Then you’re going to have to work for it. Remember what you said to Rome? About shit being hard? That it was going to be a battle every day? Repeat it to yourself with Ivy’s name where Rome’s was, ya hear me, Mac?”
    I nod as I think about what Mace is saying and I realize she’s right, then I give myself a little mental pep talk and go in search of my daughter. I’m on my way to Ivy’s room, but once I’m at the top of the stairs I hear voices coming from Roman’s office and change the direction of my path.
    The door is slightly ajar so I tiptoe, turning my head to see who Roman’s talking to.
    “…is your mommy with her daddy, and I believe your uncle Rick at Disney Land.”
    “What is wong wit her hair? Daddy, it looks wike she put her finga in a light sogit.”
    “A light socket?” Roman chuckles and my eyes flood with tears when I realize what Ivy is referring to and the memories of that day roll against me in waves.
    “Yeah, the thing I was puttin’ you keys in da utta day and you yelled at me, a light sogit.”
    When I step across the threshold, what I see is enough to make kingdoms fall to their knees. Roman is sitting behind his desk in a black v-neck t-shirt and dark gray flannel pj bottoms with his bare feet crossed over each other and resting on top of his desk. He’s reclined back in his office chair laughing so hard his head is thrown back and as he pulls Ivy closer to him to lift her above his head, her tiny hands cup both sides of his face and she nuzzles her nose against his.
    After his laughing subsides he whispers, “Angel, it’s called an electrical outlet, and your mommy’s hair was crimped. And for Pete’s sake, don’t let her hear you say anything about you, keys, and or electrical outlets.”
    “It’s okay, I mean I heard, but it’s okay, what are you—I mean, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude, I’ll just—“ Before I can turn around Roman is rounding his desk holding Ivy.
    “No, no, mouse, you’re not interrupting anything. We were just looking at some photo albums Jen brought over for Ivy of you and your brothers when you were kids. How are you feeling?”
    He stops when he’s standing before me and when I see Ivy snuggling closer to him my heart breaks and my eyes water as my lip quivers. The tone of my voice sounds even more pathetic when it cracks, “Fine. I’m fine.” I pull my sleeves down covering my hands before using the soft material to wipe away the tears threatening to fall. “I’ll just, I was just coming to find Ivy, to see if she wanted to spend some time with me, or I don’t know, talk, or play a board game. I didn’t mean to interrupt your conversation.”
    I quickly turn to retreat to the safety of my room before the sobs I’m barely holding in escape, but then I hear my daughters’ sweet voice, “Don’t go mommy, pwetty pwease. Daddy likes to play chessckers, I like Candy Land, but if you wanna pay your bard game, we can. But ya gotta tell us how to play, doe.”
    I can’t breathe. I can’t turn around. I can’t speak. All I can do is just stand, frozen in place two feet from Roman’s office door.
    When I feel her soft little warm hand slide into mine before she tugs me further back into the room and closer to where Roman stands, I look down into my daughter’s navy blue eyes, “Or if you juss wanna talk, we can do dat too, mommy. Otay?”
    Her smile lights up her whole face and before I know what’s happening I’m on my