Chapter 9 #3
Lacey nods, releasing Fiona’s hand. She stands and returns to her seat.
The three of us linger at the table, picking halfheartedly at the meal.
The conversation shifts, haltingly, to other topics—the Desperadoes’ last game, how the team’s doing, Fiona’s upcoming travel plans.
Every subject feels like walking on eggshells. But at least we’re talking.
Once we’ve done what we can with dinner, I collect the plates, telling them I’ll handle cleanup. Fiona hesitates, then stands. “I should go,” she says, glancing at Lacey. “I need some time to process all of this on my own.”
Lacey’s face falls, but she nods. “Okay.”
I set the dishes down, crossing to Fiona. She looks exhausted, emotionally wrung out. I open my arms, wondering if she’ll let me hug her. After a tense moment, she steps in, wrapping her arms around me. I hold her tightly, rubbing gentle circles on her back.
“I love you,” I murmur against her hair. “Always.”
She sniffs. “I love you too, Dad. I just… I need some space, okay?”
“Okay,” I whisper, reluctant to let her go, but I step back, resting my hands on her shoulders. “Take all the time you need.”
She lifts her gaze to me. “You two are going to have to be patient with me. I’m not sure I can pretend everything’s normal overnight.”
Lacey’s voice cracks. “We understand.”
Fiona grabs her bag and heads for the door. She pauses on the threshold, glancing back at us. There’s sadness in her eyes, but also something else—maybe acceptance, or at least the seeds of it. “I’m glad you told me, instead of finding out some other way.”
“Me too,” Lacey chimes in, voice trembling with emotion.
“Yeah,” Fiona replies, swallowing visibly. “Bye, guys.”
And then she’s gone, the door clicking shut behind her, leaving a deafening silence in her wake.
Lacey and I stand in the middle of the foyer, staring at the closed door.
The tension that’s been winding through my body for days finally begins to ease, replaced by a heavy, weary relief.
It’s done. We told Fiona. She knows. I can breathe again—though the air still feels thick with leftover emotion.
Lacey sniffles. “She hates me.”
I turn, pulling her into my arms. “She doesn’t hate you,” I say firmly, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. “She’s hurt. It’s going to take time. But at least she didn’t disown us both on the spot.”
Lacey’s voice is small against my chest. “I just want her to be okay. I love her so much. She’s like a sister to me.”
I stroke her hair, my own heart aching. “She’ll find her own way to deal with this. She said she doesn’t want to lose you. That’s a good sign.”
She lifts her head to look at me, tears glistening on her lashes. “I hope so. I hate the idea of her looking at me like I betrayed her.”
I rub my thumb across her cheek, drying the tears there. “One step at a time.”
She nods, swallowing. Her gaze drifts to the messy table, the half-eaten meal, the candles still flickering. “I guess dinner’s ruined, huh?”
A wry smile curves on my lips. “I guess so.” For a moment, we just stand there, taking in the aftermath of the conversation that changed everything.
Eventually, I take her hand, leading her away from the table and down the hallway to the living room.
We sink onto the couch, where I put my arm around her shoulders and pull her close.
She leans her head on my chest, and we sit like that in silence for a while, the only sound the quiet hum of the air conditioner kicking on.
When I speak again, my voice is soft. “Lacey, I’m sorry you had to go through that tonight. I know it was hard facing her anger.”
She closes her eyes, inhaling slowly. “We had to tell her. I’m glad we did, even though it hurt.”
I kiss the top of her head. “Me too.” After a pause, I add, “But I’m worried about you. You’ve been Fiona’s best friend forever. I know how much she means to you.”
She presses her lips together, a faint tremor passing through her. “I know. But we’ll get through it. I’ll do whatever it takes to prove to her that I didn’t do this to spite her or replace her. I just… fell in love with you.”
Her words warm my chest. I tilt her chin up to look into her eyes, seeing the sincerity and vulnerability there.
“And I fell in love with you,” I whisper, bending down to brush my lips against hers.
It’s a gentle kiss, tinged with gratitude and comfort rather than the desperate passion we’ve sometimes shared.
Right now, we’re both drained. We just need each other’s presence.
She kisses me back softly, her fingers curling in the fabric of my shirt. “I’m still scared about what happens next,” she admits when we part. “What will Fiona say to Stellan? What if your ex-wife finds out and freaks out? What if—”
I press a finger to her lips, hushing her. “We’ll handle it,” I say firmly. “One person at a time, one conversation at a time. This might not be easy, but we’ll get through it. Together.”
She exhales, leaning back against me. “Promise you won’t regret this?”
My heart clenches. “Never,” I say, and I mean it with every fiber of my being. “You’ve made me happier than I’ve been in a long time, Lacey. Nothing and no one can take that away.”
She nods, burying her face against my shoulder, and I hold her close, letting her scent and the warmth of her body soothe me.
We stay like that for a long time, neither speaking, each lost in our own thoughts—about Fiona, about the future, about this uncharted territory we’re navigating.
But amidst all the uncertainty, one truth remains unwavering: we love each other.