She gets bigger every day. I never believed people when they said that.”
“It’s definitely true. She’s precious.”
“That she is,” I smiled. “Do you have any?”
The sadness I thought I’d seen in her eyes two weeks ago reappeared but then she smiled and it was gone. I wondered if I were just imagining things.
“Nope, none for me. I have to get through college first, even though looking at that precious little baby makes me think I’d trade in sororities and failing test grades for one of my own any day!”
“I don’t know, college before babies seems like a pretty good idea to me,” I said. “I might have done it a little differently if I knew for sure I’d end up with Harper.”
“You’re still so young,” she agreed, smiling wistfully. “But you’ll figure it all out.”
“I hope so.” Harper’s diaper was changed and I knew it was her feeding time so I turned back to the girl as I lifted Harper back into my arms. “Well, I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around,” I said.
“Yeah, maybe. I’m kind of in the middle of deciding whether or not I’m going to go back to college this semester or not.”
“Oh, well welcome home and goodbye all at the same time, and good luck,” I laughed. “It was nice talking to you.”
“You too, Lainey,” she said, and disappeared into a stall. I headed out the door, and then stopped in my tracks. How did she know my name? I brushed it off, thinking I must have told her back when we’d run into each other the first time. She might have even told me hers. It wasn’t like it would be the first time I’d forgotten something obvious in the past few months.
Hannah was practically bouncing off her seat by the time I got to the table. “What were you doing in there?” She demanded. “I swear I’ve been waiting half a century for you to come back!”
“Sorry,” I apologized. “I ran into someone I think I know. What’s up?”
“Well, the woman I spoke to must have realized who I was after we got off the phone because she called Dav- my dad’s cell phone to tell him, and he just called me back! It’s definitely him, Lainey. I feel like I recognized his voice even though we never spoke on the phone before. He wants to see me. Can you believe it? He’s actually going to come up here. He doesn’t know when yet but it’s going to be soon. I’m so excited. Lainey, I actually have a dad!”
“That’s fantastic, Hannah!” I said happily. “I’m so excited for you.”
She smiled dreamily at me from across the table. “This is going to be the best year of my life so far,” she predicted. “I can feel it.”
Chapter 12
I spent most of that Sunday with Hannah, talking about when her father came to see her and what to expect and all the things they should try to do together. I felt myself getting excited over all the possibilities even though I knew I wouldn’t be an active part of any of them unless she asked me to.
I didn’t let myself think back to a few months earlier, when Lila showed up unexpectantly and was a part of my life for that brief week. It still hurt too much, even though I wasn’t willing to openly admit that to anyone, even Hannah.
At least Hannah’s situation was different and would yield an opposite result. That was all I could hope for, anyway.
I put Harper down for a nap after Hannah left and fell asleep on the couch soon after that. I dreamt of travelling with Hannah and Harper
“It’s definitely true. She’s precious.”
“That she is,” I smiled. “Do you have any?”
The sadness I thought I’d seen in her eyes two weeks ago reappeared but then she smiled and it was gone. I wondered if I were just imagining things.
“Nope, none for me. I have to get through college first, even though looking at that precious little baby makes me think I’d trade in sororities and failing test grades for one of my own any day!”
“I don’t know, college before babies seems like a pretty good idea to me,” I said. “I might have done it a little differently if I knew for sure I’d end up with Harper.”
“You’re still so young,” she agreed, smiling wistfully. “But you’ll figure it all out.”
“I hope so.” Harper’s diaper was changed and I knew it was her feeding time so I turned back to the girl as I lifted Harper back into my arms. “Well, I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around,” I said.
“Yeah, maybe. I’m kind of in the middle of deciding whether or not I’m going to go back to college this semester or not.”
“Oh, well welcome home and goodbye all at the same time, and good luck,” I laughed. “It was nice talking to you.”
“You too, Lainey,” she said, and disappeared into a stall. I headed out the door, and then stopped in my tracks. How did she know my name? I brushed it off, thinking I must have told her back when we’d run into each other the first time. She might have even told me hers. It wasn’t like it would be the first time I’d forgotten something obvious in the past few months.
Hannah was practically bouncing off her seat by the time I got to the table. “What were you doing in there?” She demanded. “I swear I’ve been waiting half a century for you to come back!”
“Sorry,” I apologized. “I ran into someone I think I know. What’s up?”
“Well, the woman I spoke to must have realized who I was after we got off the phone because she called Dav- my dad’s cell phone to tell him, and he just called me back! It’s definitely him, Lainey. I feel like I recognized his voice even though we never spoke on the phone before. He wants to see me. Can you believe it? He’s actually going to come up here. He doesn’t know when yet but it’s going to be soon. I’m so excited. Lainey, I actually have a dad!”
“That’s fantastic, Hannah!” I said happily. “I’m so excited for you.”
She smiled dreamily at me from across the table. “This is going to be the best year of my life so far,” she predicted. “I can feel it.”
Chapter 12
I spent most of that Sunday with Hannah, talking about when her father came to see her and what to expect and all the things they should try to do together. I felt myself getting excited over all the possibilities even though I knew I wouldn’t be an active part of any of them unless she asked me to.
I didn’t let myself think back to a few months earlier, when Lila showed up unexpectantly and was a part of my life for that brief week. It still hurt too much, even though I wasn’t willing to openly admit that to anyone, even Hannah.
At least Hannah’s situation was different and would yield an opposite result. That was all I could hope for, anyway.
I put Harper down for a nap after Hannah left and fell asleep on the couch soon after that. I dreamt of travelling with Hannah and Harper
Similar Books
