Dragon

19 - Our special place

Dragon

It isn’t five minutes before we reach our destination.

I remove the helmet from Greer’s head, and she watches as I place it on the seat. I lift her beneath the arms, off the seat, then stand her on her feet.

I hold my hand out. “Come with me,”

Greer takes my hand and asks, “Where are we going, Daddy?”

I smile at my baby girl. She reminds me so much of her mother, even though people say she looks more like me. But she has Kyla’s smile, and it melts my heart each time I see it.

“Well, there’s something very special that I want to show you. It’s something that means a lot to your mom and me.”

I smile again when Greer squeezes my hand. She’s a smart child, and I think she knows where I’m leading her. I hope that by bringing her here, she will calm down a little. Letting her in on something that is private to her mother and me will show Greer how much she means to me.

I lead Greer along the path that leads to the old oak tree. Her gasp of joy makes me smile. “Daddy, is this yours and Mommy’s special place?”

I nod my head while smiling down at my daughter. “That’s right. I thought you might like to see it, baby girl.”

Letting go of my hand, Greer runs toward the oak tree. I watch her for a moment as she runs her hand over the bark. “K loves C 4 Eva.” She whispers, reading aloud the words Kyla carved so many years ago.

I smile because I have read those words and touched that carving more times than I can count.

Greer then looks around the open grassy space surrounding the oak tree.

“It’s just as Mommy described.” Greer turns to look at me. I haven’t seen her this excited before, and I love that smile on her little face. “This is where you both first said, ‘I love you,’ isn’t it?”

“That’s right. Your mom and I loved each other so very much. But we never said those words until the night we made you.”

“And you made your promises to each other here.” I nod my head, even though she isn’t asking a question. “It is amazing, Daddy! Mommy told me how much it meant to her when you told her you loved her. She said that she loved you so much in that moment. I’m happy that you showed it to me, Daddy.”

“This is where I come to think, especially when I’m missing your mom.”

Greer shuffles her pink sneakered foot in the dust. “I hope we can come here with Mommy one day.”

I crouch down in front of Greer and take her hands in mine. “Your mom will get better, Greer. She might not be one hundred percent for a while. But with you and me taking care of her, your mom will be just fine. Once she’s well enough, we’ll bring Kyla here, just the three of us.”

I smile against my daughter’s head as she hugs me, and suddenly, I feel very grown-up. This little girl was a gift I never expected, but a gift nonetheless. One I will cherish until my dying day.

I will protect you with my life, baby girl. Nothing and no one will ever hurt you because I’d kill anyone who dared try. You’re my world, and nothing will ever come before you. I love you with all that I am, and I’ll never let you go.

“Now,” I pull Greer away from me, gently. “Will you tell me why you haven’t been eating?”

I try not to chuckle at the dramatic sigh that came from Greer.

“I’ve been sad and missing Mommy. I didn’t mean not to eat, but I don’t feel hungry.”

“You may not feel hungry, baby girl, but you have to eat. You want to be strong and healthy for when your mom comes home, right?”

She nods her head. “I guess I’m scared.”

“Scared?”

“Yeah,” She sighs.

“Of what?”

“I had a dream that Mommy came home; then, she made us move away. She was scared to be here in case you took me away from her. Then I didn’t get to see you anymore, and it made me so sad. I don’t want to leave you.”

“Oh, Greer,” I get to my feet, lifting Greer at the same time. Crouching down like that was cramping my knees. “Listen to me, Greer,” Baby girl looks at me through her lashes. “It was just a dream, something that happened because of what you heard that night. Your mommy would never take you away from me. She will always put your needs first, no matter how she feels.

“I promise you that I will never leave you, Greer. Now that you’re in my life, there is no way I could be without you. Do you honestly think your mom would bring you here with promises of meeting me just to take you away again?”

Greer shakes her head. “It was just a dream, and you won’t leave me.”

It kills me to hear her saying this stuff. But I had to put her fears to rest; I can’t have Greer worrying so much that she can’t eat. Kyla would never have brought Greer to Bardsville if there were any chance she would leave again.

Sure, Kyla may be angry with Storm and not want him in Greer’s life. But the truth is, I can’t see that either because Kyla is not that type of person. At least, she wasn’t when we were kids. Kyla could be a completely different person now that she’s older. But if the way Greer talks about Kyla is anything to go by, then she hasn’t changed.

“That’s right, baby girl. Now, I need you to promise me that you’ll eat as much as you can at mealtimes. I can’t have you getting sick as well, Greer. Because that would hurt me deeply. You mean everything to me, and I need to know that you’ll be okay. Can you promise me that?”

“I promise, Daddy.”

“Good girl,” I kiss her soft cheek. “How about we grab a burger at the place your mom and I used to get them?”

Greer’s eyes widen with glee, and a smile spreads across her face. “Yes, please!”

That’s better.

“Great. Now, those burgers are huge, so be warned.” I laugh.

“I can tell Mommy all about it tomorrow. I can still see her tomorrow, right?”

“Of course, you can, sweetheart. Daddy would never make you promises and break them. Just as soon as you’ve eaten breakfast, we’ll go see your mom.”

Hopefully, seeing Kyla will help Greer and Kyla. Kyla, to finally open her eyes, and Greer, to know her mother is alive. I’m still not one hundred percent sure that seeing Kyla battered and bruised from her accident will be good for Greer. But I have to do something because she’s going to make herself ill.

Christ only knows if I’m doing the right thing, but I won’t change my mind. Greer and Kyla are all that matter to me, and I have to do what’s best for them.

I don’t think I’ll ever stop second-guessing myself when it comes to Greer.

I still haven’t seen Jett, though I spoke to him over the phone about taking a little time off. He was okay with that, especially when he found out about his great-niece. I’m still expecting a ribbing from my friends, but that can wait.

I’ve also spoken to Draven, albeit for less than two minutes, to explain the same thing. Both men understand that Greer comes first.

I know that I can’t keep putting off going to the clubhouse. Jett told me to go by yesterday because there was something he wanted me to know. I didn’t go because I got caught up with Kyla’s doctors. By the time I got home, Greer was crying again, and I couldn’t leave her.

What kind of father would that have made me?

Please wake up, Kyla; I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m winging this dad thing, and I’m scared that I’m fuckin.g up. Our daughter needs you, Kyla, and I need you. I need you to guide me and tell me that I’m doing okay. Please come back to me, to us; we’re lost without you.