10. Daphne
Daphne
“There you go, beautiful. Your hair is all done,” I murmur as I finish braiding Cammie’s hair.”
She stands up in front of the mirror and twirls around in her pretty, pink dress that poofs at the bottom and sways with her movement. “Am I pretty, Mama?”
I smile, despite feeling sorrow so deep that it’s hard to breathe. “You’re the most beautiful little girl that I’ve ever seen,” I tell her truthfully.
“Will Pez wike my dress?” she asks innocently.
My heart pains me for a minute, but I shake it off. “Sweetheart, we don’t even know if he’ll be at your party today,” I caution her.
“He will! He told me. He’s gonna bring Papaw, too.”
“Honey, Papaw isn’t coming.”
“He will! Pez said it! He don’t lie, Mama.”
I want to argue further, but it’s upsetting her, and I want her happy for her party.
It’s going to be hard enough to see that asshole I once was married to.
I’m not sure what I’ll do if Serena is with him.
It will be easier if Eli is here. It feels like forever since I’d seen him last, and I really miss him.
I know I hurt him by turning down his offer.
By the time we made it back he didn’t even bother to get out of the truck.
I knew then that I’d probably not see him again.
It hurt more than I can express. I’ve cried late at night when I was alone.
It did make me feel good that he didn’t abandon Cammie, yet somehow as grateful as I was, it made the fact that he was just avoiding me hurt so much more.
I’ve missed him so much that I almost called him and told him I was sorry and would take the building.
I just couldn’t bring myself to do it, though.
It felt too much like I was using him. I’ve got to find a way to make him see that I miss him without coming off as desperate though.
I just don’t know how.
I take Cammie into the living room to play with her blocks.
I smile at Ms. Grayson, and she gives me a wink as she starts playing with my girl.
I try to ignore the way my palms are sweating.
I hope Cammie is right and Eli does show up for the party.
It’s embarrassing to admit, but I’m kind of afraid to face Dane and Serena on my own.
I feel like Dane is replacing everything I ever was.
Heck, he’s already made Serena his secretary at work.
I was barely allowed to go to his office.
I sigh pushing back my bitterness. Wear or not, I’d much rather have Eli standing by my side when I face them.
I open my closet and try to find something to wear.
I need something to help keep my courage up when I see Dane and that bitch.
I wouldn’t mind if it also caught Eli’s eye, too.
I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard, though.
I look at my very limited closet and frown.
I don’t have anything in here that says look-what-you-threw-away-asshole.
I purse my lips and with a sigh pull out a pair of black leggings and the new moss-green sweater I bought recently.
It’s very demure up front but the back has a V-cut that narrows as it goes down.
It’s kind of sexy, but not over showy. Plus, it’s very comfortable.
I’ll wear this with my black ankle boots.
Then, I’ll try to figure out how to fix my dang hair.
I take my time getting ready and with every minute that passes, my nerves get worse. I don’t have the patience to try and tame my curls. So, I just pull it up in a high ponytail at the top of my head. I add in some product to tame it just enough so that it doesn’t look like a frizzy mess.
Once everything is done, I am just walking back into the living room when Cammie runs to the large window that looks out onto the drive. “Pez is here!” she squeals.
A new wave of nerves hit me. The man I haven’t seen in months but have sadly been dreaming about is outside and somehow, I have to make him and everyone else believe that I don’t feel like I’m dying when I finally see him.
Suddenly that feels impossible …