10. 10
10
B o
I thought Hettie would put up more of a fight, but she doesn’t even give it much thought before she nods sharply.
“I think that’s a good idea,” Abigail says.
Hettie’s eyes widen. “Really?”
“It’s time,” she says firmly, and that’s when I know Abigail might be a little on my side with this.
We were good friends once, and maybe someday—
I can’t let myself think about someday. One day at a time here.
Hettie tells Tema we’re going to stay at the castle for the night, and the kid erupts like a firecracker, bouncing up and down as her LEGO creation breaks into pieces. I help her clean it up as Hettie and Abigail have a whispered conversation.
“They’re talking about you,” Tema says, crawling around on hands and knees to get the last of the pieces.
“Yes,” I agree, dumping a handful of bricks into the box.
“They think I don’t hear them.” She rolls her eyes. “That I don’t know exactly what they’re talking about. But I do.”
“Yeah, well, sometimes adults forget kids have ears.” And before I stop myself, I tug on her earlobe, the first time I’ve touched my daughter .
She has earrings. Hettie pierced our daughter’s ears without telling me.
“I have very big ears,” Tema informs me. “Or so Mommy and Abs always tell me.”
They’re a family. They’re a family, and I’m not part of it.
But there is no surge of anger. There’s only a determined yet .
Suddenly, my world has turned upside down. With one he’s my dad comment, I am ready to move mountains for one little girl. She is going to change everything, and I’m fine with it.
I want it.
After the LEGO is picked up, I wait outside as Hettie packs their things for the move to the castle and Abigail calls her parents to explain what’s going on.
How much do they know? And if they know everything, how did they ever keep it a secret?
Questions for a later time because there’s something I need to do first.
This isn’t something you text to someone, so I call Spencer. “I need a favour,” I say when he picks up.
“Hello to you too.”
Spencer Laz is like my fourth brother. Along with his father, Duncan, they’re both unofficial members of the royal family. Spence has a good relationship with every one of us, but I’m the only one who knows he calls me his best friend.
“Hey. Hettie’s here,” I tell him with no preamble.
“What?” There’s a crash in the background. “Dammit, you made me spill my coffee. Say that again.”
“Hettie is here in Battle Harbour,” I say, staring at the house as I pace around the car. “I’m with her. ”
I hear Spencer’s swift intake of air. “Are you with her, with her?”
“I’m currently standing outside Abigail’s parents’ house, where Hettie has been staying.” I stop my pacing on the side of the car. If any of the neighbours could see me, they’d call the cops on this stalker for sure.
“You didn’t know she was coming?” There’s surprise in Spencer’s voice, but he’s already switched into fixer mode. It’s always been like that with him—if something goes wrong, call Spence.
“I had no clue.”
I lean my head on the car roof. This is a blindside worse than any done on Survivor. I feel like I could sit right down in the snow and close my eyes.
I’d only do that if closing my eyes would make this all go away.
But do I want it to go away? “There’s more,” I tell Spencer reluctantly.
“She finally wants a divorce?”
“How did you know?” I demand.
“What other reason would she have for coming back?”
Me . But no. “Well, yeah, but there’s more. ” I take a deep breath. “She has a little girl. I have a daughter.”
Even saying it sounds strange. Surreal. Unbelievable.
Silence for a long beat. “Are you serious?” Spencer finally says.
“Do I ever joke?”
“You’ve got a point there.” I hear the click of a keyboard. “You’ll need a paternity test. I’ll set it up with the lab and make sure they know— ”
“Dude, she looks just like Lyra at that age. It’s obvious she’s mine.”
“ Damn .” I can tell Spencer’s lawyer brain is working, frantically trying to catch up to the events. “What do you need?”
“I’m bringing them to the castle. I want them staying there. Abigail too.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
“No. But can you call Mrs. Theissen and ask her to make up a couple of rooms. I don’t know what I’m supposed to tell her. Or anyone.” I grip the back of my neck like holding on can make it all stop spinning.
“Done.”
“And then… I’m texting the others.”
“Odin is in town,” Spencer says, and for the first time today, I feel relief. Odin has a way of looking at things that is almost as good as Spencer’s. “We’ll meet you at Kalle’s place?”
“Yeah. Maybe two hours?”
“Are you just going to dump them there and leave?”
“I don’t know what to do, Spence. This is… this is a lot.” I gasp for a breath. “She shows up out of nowhere, just walks through the trees when I’m splitting wood. Eight years, and she shows up with no warning to tell me she wants a divorce because of this other guy. And then lets it slip that we have a kid. And then the kid—her name is Tema—she looks at me and she’s like ‘You’re Prince Bo. Are you my dad?’ She just knows . What kind of kid does that?”
“Scary kind, but to me, all kids are scary. Did Hettie tell her?”
“No. Just that I’m from some famous family and the kid put it together. She’s really smart. And… cute.” Tema’s heart-shaped fa ce is burned into my mind, and just thinking about her makes me smile.
After all that’s happened today, I’m still smiling.
“And yours?” Spencer prompts.
“I don’t think she’d lie. Plus, wait till you see her. It’s Lyra.”
“Okay. Okay.” I can hear Spencer typing again. “Sent word to Mrs. Theissen and security that you’re coming with guests. I’m going to loop in Kate when I get off because… Bo, this is going to be huge when it gets out.”
“Can it not get out?” I plead.
“Depends what you want to do,” he says, and that’s when I know Spencer will do everything I ask, but it’s up to me to make the decisions about this.
“I don’t know, but she’s my daughter, Spence. She’s my kid .” That hits me as hard as Tema’s he’s my dad, and my voice wavers. “I have a kid.”
Spencer exhales noisily. “It’ll be okay, Bo. I’ve got your back. We’ll deal with it, whatever you want to do.”
The thing is, deep down, I already know what I want to do.