Second Chance Secrets

Chapter Thirteen

Emily led Sam to the sofa. As soon as he had sat down she crawled into his lap and leaned her head onto his chest. Sam felt something in him tighten. He knew it was his heart, tightly holding on to the love he had instantly develop for the little girl he could now call his own. He looked up at Jess and saw she had tears in her eyes. He beckoned her to them and as she sat down beside him he mouthed, “thank you,” to her. She had given him one of life’s most precious gifts. One he planned to cherish always.

Sarah had turned on the television at her niece’s bidding. Jess watched as Sam and their daughter watched Ariel dance around as Sebastian the crab entertained them on stage. She never thought this day would come. Never let herself hope for something so wonderful. She was a bit overwhelmed. She was also very grateful that Emily had not rejected her father. That was something she had worried about as she had explained to everyone about Sam coming over.

“Mom,” she had called to her mom as she stepped into the house. “Remember how I told you the other day that I saw Sam again?”

Her mother responded with a simple nod while wiping her hands in a towel. Her mother had been in the kitchen making dinner.

“Well, we have been talking for the past two days and he is coming over this evening to meet Emily.” Jess was a bit nervous though she had no reason as to why.

“Is that so?” Suzie asked with a smile. “I believe that’s a great idea,” she said as if she had come up with it all by herself.

“I do too, Mom,” Jess responded. “But how do I prepare Emily for him? What do I tell her?”

“Just tell her the truth, Honey,” Suzie said. “That baby is not an ordinary two year old you know. She’s very sensible and intelligent for her age. Plus I’m sure she’ll be delighted to have one more person in her life.”

“Okay then,” Jess said with a sigh. “Where is she anyway? Is she sleeping?”

“She’s in the living room watching one of her favorites. Again.” Suzie had a smile on her face. To her Emily was the best child a grandmother could ask for, and in her eyes could do no wrong.

Jess walked to the living room where her daughter was fully engrossed in her movie. So much so that she didn’t see her mother until Jess had walked in front of her. In less than a heartbeat she had exchanged one love for another. Her mother the winner as she jumped from the sofa and right into Jess’ arms. “Mommy!” she cried. Emily was always happy to see her mother. Especially after she had been away at work for an entire day. Jess also lived for these moments.

Both Jess and Emily showered each other with kisses. Professing their love for each other. Their happiness that Jess was home. Jess sat down with Emily after giving her one more squeeze. She held her daughter in her arms as she went about telling her the abbreviated version of how she had met her father then lost him. And of how she had found him again. She told her daughter about how sorry her father was that he had left her and that although he had been searching, he couldn’t find her until now. She also asked her daughter to give her father a chance.

“Daddy like me, Mommy?” Emily asked.

“Oh, Princess. Daddy loves you so much,” Jess replied.

“Really?” the little girl wanted to know.

“Yes, my love. He really does,” Jess assured her. “He loves you so much that he can’t wait to meet you.”

That was just a part of what had happened with that conversation. However, Jess had been able to witness the intelligence her mother had spoken of in her daughter. She was witness to it now too as she saw the bond that had started to form and develop between father and daughter, as they watch The Little Mermaid. A movie that told a story of a father and daughter who lost a bond and created a new one stronger than the last. She was really hoping from what she was witnessing that this too would be a strong and lasting bond.