Salted Wound

Chapter 74 Zamari- May 20, 2019

The huge spread of sandwiches, lemonade, chips, dip, salads, and iced tea that takes up the entirety of dad's porch table. We are having lunch in his backyard on this beautiful May afternoon. It's warm outside but it's cool enough to spend an afternoon under an umbrella. I've been coming over more often than I used to, keeping him updated on what the lawyers have told me about the money the court wants from settling my case, and to visit Dominic of course.

"So, Zam, what's the next step?" Dad asks as we sit down at the table, passing me a plate from the stack near his end. The use of my nickname usually in his mouth would make me grimace, or become violent, but instead, it just serves to show the bridge that has been built between us. That both of us are trying.

He explained on one of our many trips to the courthouse that the move to Japan hadn't been the definite future, that they had still been working out the pros and cons, and he had wanted my take on it. But of course, I hadn't had an open mind at the time to really hear what he was saying. The move as of now is canceled, he said he wants the baby to grow up with his siblings, to know us. And in the short amount of time he's been alive, Dominic has kinda grown on me.

He also told me no matter what I say, or how much I argue, he's paying for my college. If I want to start at community college he'll support me, and if Jade wants to stay in online school, or go to a campus, he'll help her too. We've talked a lot about guilt too. About his long term distance from us, which he's shown and I trust that he's trying to change.

"I think community college. I want to start somewhere, but still, work and I think it's a good starting point."

Dad nods his head. "And it's easy to transfer to a university if that's what you decide to do after you're done there."

"That's a later issue to worry about," I say and he laughs, pulling a bag of potato chips near him and dumping some on his plate.

"And Ana?" He asks. "What's she doing next?"

"College," I reply quickly, no resentment in my tone for the fact that she's going to be going straight to a university while I'll be working my way up. I'm proud of her accomplishments.

"She's already planning on going to a university. It's gonna be interesting with Bella at home, but I think she and Strella can handle her."

"Yea, having a baby around again is a big change, I should know." He chuckles.

"Did someone mention a baby?" Jenny's voice echoes from across the yard, a gentle laugh following as she leads Ana outside, Dominic in a light blue onesie held reverently in Jenny's arms. Ana is in a bright yellow sundress that's covered in tiny roses. She let her hair down today so her curls bounce as she walks over to us.

"This little one woke up from his nap and seemed hungry." She says as they both sit down at their chairs, Ana coming next to me and I immediately hold my hand out for hers, twining our fingers together despite all the food to be eaten.

"It seems you two are gonna do alright from here on," Dad says, his expression light, happy.

"Yea, we'll be okay," I say, squeezing her hand, my eyes on her beautiful smile.