Never Too Late by Ana Balen

Author:Ana Balen [Balen, Ana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-12-16T16:00:00+00:00

7

Dylan

“Daddy, can I get this one?” Zara asked in her usual shriek, holding up a glowing glass ornament. It was a rare moment when I was grateful she was back at her normal ear piercing volume.

The last three days were brutal.

For my girl and for me.

Thankfully, the vomiting stopped completely the second day, just as Sophie said it would. The fever gave a good fight, but I managed to break it when I relented, threw my pride out of the window, and started doing as Sophie instructed.

Lots of fluids and light clothes.

None of that sweating it out nonsense.

For the first time, I actually considered giving in to Cindy’s demand of meeting Zara and taking part in her life. But then Zara would get worse and all that bitterness and resentment of her deciding that she didn’t want a husband and a daughter after all, would swarm back in. I couldn’t understand how she could leave her only child behind and just go. While wiping Zara’s sweat off her forehead, all I wanted to do was hold her and somehow make it go away. And Cindy did the opposite. She left her child and never even asked about her until recently.

Usually, I didn’t think about it. Her actions were her own, and I knew there would come a day when she would regret her decision. I just didn’t think it would come that soon. I always thought it would be Zara’s decision if she would have her in her life.

But watching my baby girl struggle and in need of help, I was torn. And I was almost at the door to hunt her down and bring her back after all those years, just so Zara would feel her mother’s arms around her while she was sick.

It was almost funny, one phone call and I was ready to drag the woman back for my girl.

It wasn’t like Zara was never sick before.

It was just something in me that was hurting more than usual while I was forced to watch her going through all the miserable phases and she only had me to help her.

Only the fact that Zara never once mentioned her mom stopped me from reaching out to Cindy.

Or Sophie.

All she wanted was to cuddle with her dad, which I was more than happy to oblige. And once she had her strength, talk Mrs. McConnell’s ear off over the phone.

I did, however, relent and called asking her to come and spend Christmas with our girl. I made it painfully clear I would be with them the whole time. There was no way I would leave Zara alone with her. I wanted everything to be perfect for Zara. I needed to make up for my bad mood lately.

“Um… I can’t. Not this year,” was what she said. “I have something planned already.” I knew the invitation came out of the blue, but after weeks of hounding me to see Zara, I couldn’t believe she would say no to spending Christmas with her.

To say I was enraged would be an understatement.

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