over his shoulder once before he walks out, closing the door. He jerks his head behind me. “C’mon, son.”
I follow in step beside Gavin, remaining silent. I wait for him to say whatever it is that’s bothering him. “I’m sorry about all of this, End. I had no idea. I know this can’t be easy for you. I imagine it isn’t easy for either of you.” Tightness grips my chest. “I knew I’d made mistakes in the past, but it wasn’t until I learned who my granddaughter’s father was that I realized just how much I fucked up. I failed as a father, End. I went far too long without speaking to my daughter, and there has been nothing I regret more. I can’t help but think maybe if I was there for her, she would’ve confided in me.”
“This isn’t your fault, Gavin.” I sigh, hating that he blames himself.
“It is. My daughter is strong, and I know this is killing her, the guilt of keeping you from Luna. And I know right now all you probably feel toward her is anger, but…she means well. Always has. She has the best heart. Even if she made horrible choices, she cares about you.”
My nostrils flare. I don’t want to hear this right now. Not when I already feel my anger slipping. I need to stay angry with Selene. My anger is giving me purpose. It’s a guide through this fucked up new situation. That’s the only way I’ll get through this.
He pauses when we get to my truck. “I’m sure you’re here to see Luna, not listen to me babble. They’re out getting signed up for the next school year.”
I nod. “Thanks, Gavin. For everything.”
His eyes shine with something I can’t place. He shoots a tight-lipped smile my way. “Don’t thank me. Just trying to right some of my wrongs while I still can.”
Pain spears my heart at his words.
He turns, heading back inside the house, his gait slow and stiff. It is the walk of a man in misery. A man with his strength being depleted day in and day out.
Hopping into my truck, I make an educated guess and figure out where Luna and Selene are. The entire drive there, I still feel the lingering effects of my conversation with Gavin. An inexplicable sadness haunts me. He’s been a close friend. Not so much a father, since I already have a loving father, but something just as close.
The second I step foot onto the grounds of the elementary school, everyone stops to stare. I let the curious glances roll off my back. Then the whispers start, people wondering why I’m here. Dunsmuir Elementary is a K-8 school and the only one here in the town. It’s the same one that’s been here since I moved from Lake Tahoe. It wasn’t hard to guess where Selene would be signing Luna up.
I find Selene and Luna easily. They’re in a long line of other parents waiting to fill out a stack of paperwork. When Luna sees me, her eyes light up, and the smile that ripples across my face spreads over my heart like a warm blanket. She disengages her hand from Selene’s and runs into my arms. I catch her effortlessly.
“Hi, Daddy,” she says, staring me directly in the eyes. Warmth fills my veins, and my heart stutters at that one word. My grin widens. She is too cute for her own good, and she’s all mine. Barely able to contain her excitement, she wraps her little hands around my neck and grins.
“Mommy’s signing me up for school.”
My chest expands with something light. The sensation is so foreign that it trips me up. Why did hearing the word “mommy” spark something in my chest? I’ve heard Luna say it before, while referring to Selene, but now that she’s mine? The word “mommy” takes on a whole new meaning. I have a whole new connection to this woman that I never saw coming.
“I see that. You excited?”
“Yup.” She pops the “p” with extra oomph. “My papa said he’d give me a toy if I learn something new every day once school starts.”
“Did he? Sounds like a good papa.”
“He’s the best. But when can I meet my other papa and nana?” she asks, cocking her head to the side. Her long wavy brown hair, identical to her mother’s, slides to the side of her shoulder like a curtain of sorts. My brows furrow.