Feels Like Forever by K. L. Cottrell

Author:K. L. Cottrell [Cottrell, K. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Adagio
Published: 2017-10-08T18:30:00+00:00

‘If Dad is unable to attend, please invite the most special gentleman you know to attend in his place!’

That’s what’s printed at the bottom.

I read the sentence again, then a third time.

My heart is swelling so big inside my chest that it hurts.

Liv said she wants to ask me about something, and she gave me this. All I know of Rae’s absent dad is that no one ever found out who exactly he is. And there are no men in their lives other than me.

Hopeful that I’m not reading this wrong, I lift my eyes to her.

She’s looking at me with that lip still in her mouth. Her arms are crossed tightly, and her eyes are now brimming with tears.

Oh, wow. Oh, God, wow.

“I, um,” she says quietly, a little shakily, dropping her gaze to the flyer, “found this in her backpack on Friday afternoon. I—I check her backpack, you know, because that’s what parents and guardians are told to do.”

I get out a hoarse, “Yeah.”

“She didn’t read it when they gave it to her, I don’t think, because she would not have forgotten to mention a dress-up dance to me, plus I asked her if there was anything fun coming up at school after the Halloween party and she said no. And she looked fine, you know? She didn’t—she didn’t look sad, like she was reminded of how she doesn’t have a….”

Her chin trembles and tears spill over her bottom lashes.

“Sorry,” she whimpers, her throat audibly tight, her hands lifting.

But unlike last night in the hallway, I beat her to wiping the tears off her cheeks.

She doesn’t object in the slightest—not in expression, not in body language—even when I repeat it. In fact, she touches my hand before dropping hers again, then continues to look at the flyer, her features creased with Rae-centered sadness.

“I understand if this is too big for you, but I have to try. I have to see if there’s any chance—you know, before she comes to understand what this dance is, because she’s like me, you know? She’s never known her dad. And I remember there being this exact event when I was little, and I didn’t have anyone wonderful to….”

She closes her eyes, sniffles, then looks up at me with timid hope.

“But you are wonderful, so I’m—I’m asking if there’s any chance you want to take her to this.”

I had no idea, absolutely no idea, that anything could flatter me this much.

My fucking throat hurts, this is so touching.

“Of course I want to,” I whisper. “Of course I do.” I hesitate. “You think she would want me to?”

Her glistening eyes widen with joy as well as disbelief.

Her whispered, “Are you kidding?” is almost a sob. Once again, her tears escape, and once again, she lets me take care of them. “You’re her hero.”

I feel like, right this very moment, my insides are being torn apart and remade into something better than what they were.

“God, girl,” I huff out.

And just like that, she’s embarrassed. “Oh. Oh, I’m so sorry.

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