Chapter 32

It was time to talk to my mother. She deserved to know. I called and asked her if she was busy as soon as I left Isadora's apartment.

When I first found out about Sloane, my first reaction was to call my mother, but I had held off. Sloane might have told me to take a hike, and I needed to know where we stood before I involved her grandmother.

Mom was going to be so excited when I broke the news. I was stepping into the father role. Period. Everything else, I would figure out as we went.

As I drove, my mind was a blur of emotions. Seeing Sloane in pain had done the strangest thing to me. It was like I could feel her pain. A powerful adrenaline rush had flooded my body, but I was also calm. A voice in my head told me to stay strong for Isadora and Sloane. I had to be their rock in the storm.

I knocked on my mom's door and was immediately greeted with her usual hug. "This is a pleasant surprise," she said. "I hope you can stay for dinner. I always make too much and have leftovers that last forever."

"I would love to," I said.

"So, what brings you by?" she asked. "Other than my sparkling personality?"

"I need to tell you something," I said. "I think you should sit down."

Her face was immediately twisted with worry. "What's wrong? What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Mom. Let's sit."

"Do I need a drink for this?" she asked. "Are you in trouble? Do you need a passport?"

I smiled and took her hand, leading her to the kitchen table. "I'm not in trouble."

"Just spit it out," she said with a sigh. "I don't like suspense. My ticker can't handle it."

"Remember when you told me you wanted grandchildren?"

Her face lit up. "Did you finally knock someone up? I knew it was just a matter of time, the way you carry on. How far along is she?"

"Oh, about fourteen years."

She blinked and then started laughing. "Did you skip health class? Clearly, you misunderstood something."

"Mom, I have a daughter. She's fourteen. I just found out about her a couple of days ago."

The humor faded from her eyes and she went really still. "What?"

I took a deep breath. "You said you remembered Isadora."

"Yes."

"She's the mother of the child I didn't know I had."

She was shocked. "Well, I guess maybe you did miss a day in health class."

I couldn't help but smile. "It was only one time."

"That's all it takes," she said.

Mom reached out and squeezed my hand, her eyes searching mine for any sign of a joke. But when she found none, she leaned back in her chair, speechless.

After a long pause, she finally spoke. "A daughter. Isadora's daughter."

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest as I awaited her reaction.

Mom took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. "Well, I must say this is quite the revelation. And how are you feeling about all of this?"

I hesitated, unsure of how to put my emotions into words. "I was blown away. But I'm getting my head around it. I went to her swim meet today."

"You've met her?"

"Yes."

"And Isadora? How did you find out?"

"She finally told me, but only after Sloane found out and confronted her," I said with bitterness in my tone. "It was a mess but we're figuring things out."

"Why didn't she tell you?" she asked softly.

"I don't know. She said because I left her. She figured I didn't want to have anything to do with her."

She nodded. "I think we know why her father was so dead set on sending you away."

"He didn't want me to be a father to my own baby."

She took a deep breath. "That's in the past. What matters is what you do now. How are you going to handle this moving forward?"

"I'm going to be her father," I said. "We've been talking, and she wants a relationship. I certainly do. I've already missed so much."

"Tell me about her." She smiled and shook her head in wonder. "A granddaughter? I can't believe I have a granddaughter who is already on her way to being a young woman."

It was my chance to gush about my daughter. "She's tall. A swimmer. She looks a little like me, I think. But I see a lot of Isadora in her. Oh, and she broke her ankle today."

"What?! Any other bombshells you need to drop?"

"No, I think that's it. She's okay. It was a mishap at the meet. I got to take her to the hospital. It felt like my first official act as a father. It was terrifying and fulfilling. I loved that I got to be there for her."

Mom's eyes softened as she listened. A flicker of pride reflected back at me. "You were there for her when she needed you the most. That's what being a parent is all about, being there through the highs and lows."

"I didn't get the chance to be there for all the highs and lows," I muttered.

"But you can now."

"I want to make up for lost time. I want to be the father she deserved from the beginning, even if I wasn't around because I didn't know."

"Family has a way of finding its way back together," she said. "Clearly, you're angry with Isadora."

"Mom! She had my baby and never told me. Fourteen years! Fourteen years she kept my child from me. It is half mine."

"She," she corrected. "It's not a toy to fight over. It's a little girl."

"You know what I mean," I said with frustration.

Mom gave me a knowing look. "I understand, but Sloane is the one caught in the middle of all this. She's the one who needs both her parents now, more than ever. If you two are mad at each other, it's only going to create tension. That isn't helpful to anyone."

"Sloane is my priority," I said, nodding.

"I would imagine she's Isadora's priority as well," Mom added gently. "She must have had her reasons for keeping this from you, as misguided as they may have been."

"How could she have kept something like this from me for so long?" I vented. "I thought she trusted me."

"I understand that you're hurt, Graham," she said gently. "But sometimes, holding on to that hurt only keeps us from seeing the bigger picture."

"I think I can still be pissed," I growled. "She came to work for me to check me out. She worked for me and never said a word. I don't think she was ever going to tell me. I think she thought it was funny."

"I doubt she thought it was funny," she said.

"She talked to her daughter on the phone in front of me," I said. "It was deceptive, not saying anything."

"Is it worth throwing away a chance at a happy life because of past mistakes?" she asked, her eyes searching mine for an answer.

I paused, letting her words sink in. She's right, of course. A family is all I've ever wanted, a dream that I've carried with me through the years. And now, suddenly, that dream is within reach.

But can I really forgive Isadora for what she's done? Can I let go of the pain and betrayal and move forward?

"I don't know," I sighed. "How can I ever trust her again?"

"I know it's not easy, Graham," she said. "But sometimes, forgiveness isn't about letting the other person off the hook. It's about setting yourself free. If you spend a bunch of time being angry, that doesn't leave a lot of room for you to be happy. You don't get to live in the moment. You're the one that said you had fourteen years to make up for. Do you really want to dwell on the negative and lose more time?"

She got up and went to the stove to check dinner. I watched her fuss over the simmering pot on the stove, and her words echoed in my mind. Could I really let go of the anger and resentment that had consumed me the last couple of days? Could I find it in myself to forgive Isadora for keeping Sloane hidden from me all these years?

The scent of herbs and spices filled the air. My mom loved to cook. I knew it was one of the things she missed the most—cooking for someone. With my dad gone, it was just her.

"Do you think I should ask for joint custody?" I asked her.

"What good would that do?" she asked. "Is Isadora going to stop you from having a relationship with Sloane?"

"I don't know, but what if she gets mad at me or decides she doesn't like me?" I shrugged. "Shouldn't I get something official?"

"And you think she's going to keep Sloane away?"

"I don't know," I said, throwing up my hands. "I don't know what to expect from her. Everything I thought I knew about her turned out to be wrong."

"You're being ridiculous," she said. "Not everything. Just one thing. A big thing, yes, but she's still the same person. Have you just sat down and talked to her?"

"No. Not really."

"You need to," she said as she carried the steaming pot to the table. "Communication is key, Graham. You can't let assumptions and past grievances cloud your judgment. Give Isadora a chance to explain herself, to share her side of the story."

She put the pot of homemade stew on the table, the savory aroma wafting through the air. As usual, my offers to help were waved away dismissively. She quickly pulled fresh rolls from the oven and returned to the table.

We ladled stew into our bowls and started to eat. I did miss her cooking, but I was glad I didn't get to eat it all the time. It would make me huge.

"Mom, what if I can't forgive her? What if this changes everything between us?" I asked quietly.

"So what? Things should change. Only you can decide what that change looks like. If you can find it in yourself to forgive Isadora, not for her sake but for your own, perhaps you can start to build a new foundation for your relationship with her and Sloane."

I mulled over her words as I ate my stew. Forgiveness had never been my thing. If someone crossed me, I wasn't inclined to give them a second chance. Isadora wasn't just anybody, though. She had given me a second chance after abandoning her. She was also the mother of my daughter and I might have fallen for her all over again, despite her fourteen-year-old secret.

After dinner, I helped my mother clean up. She insisted on packing up leftovers for me to take home, which was good with me. With so much drama in my life, cooking was not a priority.

"So, when do I get to meet my granddaughter?" The look of excitement in my mother's eyes made me feel warm. I supposed she hadn't been kidding about wanting grandchildren.

"Actually, she asked me about you. She wants to meet you." I smiled wryly. "I figured I should tell you about Sloane before I introduced you."

"Yes, good thinking. But now the cat's out of the bag. And I've got your credit card burning a hole in my pocket."

I laughed and nodded. "By all means, charge away. I promise we'll all get together soon. Once the dust settles a bit."

"Do you have a picture of her?"

That stung. "No. I didn't want to freak her out and take a bunch of pictures of her."

"I understand," she said. "When you do, I want to see her."

"Will do, and as soon as it seems okay, I'll let you know when we can get together. We can have lunch or something."

Taking all my leftovers, I headed home. Once there, I texted Isadora and asked her if she could send me some pictures of Sloane. To my surprise, she had several photo albums online and quickly shared them with me.

I pulled out my tablet to view the pictures. Every snapshot offered a glimpse into Sloane's life, a visual timeline of her growth and development over the years. I was captivated by the images, studying them greedily, wanting to absorb every detail. I watched her transform from a chubby-cheeked infant into the spirited young woman she was today.

Conflicting emotions went to war inside me. On one hand, I was filled with wonder and joy, getting glimpses through time at my little girl. But on the other, the photos were a patchwork quilt of all the things I had missed.

I pushed down the regret. There was no changing the past, but I could let go of my anger and change the future.