Mismatched by Declan Rhodes

Author:Declan Rhodes [Rhodes, Declan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-07-26T04:00:00+00:00

11

Hank

Two weeks after I started to work on Jasmine’s case by sending out feelers to find out more about her birth father and clarify the rules of her inheritance, I joined Luke and his niece for a third dinner in the week. It was unusual to spend so much time with anyone outside of my office, but I told myself that it was because Jasmine’s case had a particular resonance due to my upbringing. I declined to focus on my desire to spend more time with Luke.

When Luke and Jasmine met me at the front door, she immediately pointed at my right arm. I held it behind my back, and she asked, “What’s that? You’ve got something back there.”

With a big grin, I held out an apple pie that I’d purchased at one of the best bakeries in the city. I said, “It’s an apple pie just for you. It’s what you said was your favorite dessert, right?”

“I love apple pies! Mom made them every year when we went to a place to buy a big basket of apples. She always made some applesauce, too.”

I said, “Maybe Uncle Luke will make one for you from scratch. We’re in the middle of apple season right now.”

Luke shook his head. “Maybe Uncle Luke’s cooking skills need a little more work before he tackles something like that. The pie looks delicious.”

I stuck my nose in the air as Luke took the pie from my hand. “Speaking of food, something smells good. What’s that?”

“It’s baked mostaccioli. Lots of cheese and tomato goodness, but no meat. Do you like that?”

“I love anything Italian. Now my stomach’s starting to rumble.” I squatted down so that I could be eye-to-eye with Jasmine and touched my belly. “Did you hear that?”

“I thought it was thunder.”

We both laughed at Jasmine’s witty comment, and she giggled along with us. I reached out and hugged her close to me before I stood again.

Luke put a hand on Jasmine’s shoulder. “Why don’t you go set the table, and you can get the big bowl of salad we made earlier out of the fridge. I need to talk to Hank for a few minutes, and then we’ll be right there.”

Jasmine bounded off, and I knew that she was slowly changing my assumptions about how I related to children. I found her utterly charming, and she also was helping me to capture a better vision of my childhood. I hated the tragic circumstances that brought her into my life, but I was thankful that she welcomed my presence.

As his niece disappeared into the kitchen, Luke asked, “Is there any new information on the case? Every day I hope for the one fact that will seal everything and keep Jasmine here with me.”

“My colleague, Vi, sent a letter to Ryan’s lawyer. She’s not sure that they are planning to pursue a custody challenge. She told me that the best-case scenario is that the legal team is simply testing the waters.”

“I guess that’s almost good news.”

I chuckled.

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