“Wait. You’re Michael?” Jo’s voice seemed to jump three octaves. I peer out from behind the door to see his reaction.
“Yes. Your mother told you about me?” He was extremely confused. He still rubbed his first two fingers along his thumb when he was nervous or uncomfortable. “What did she say?”
“She told me everything.” Not everything. “Your story is so beautifully heartbreaking. The two of you were so in love and then it was like there was nothing left,” Michael’s head dropped.
“Would you get her to come out here?” Jo turns on her heel and I drop to my knees. Why would he come here? “Mom, Michael would like to speak with you,” her voice is soft and she bends down to hug me. “Please go talk to him. I promise he didn’t suspect anything.”
I rise to my feet and straighten my shirt. I open up the door and walk back out to the man. He looks ghostly.
“Kitty,”
“Don’t call me that Clifford.”
“I’m sorry, Kara. How are you? You look lovely,” his words still hit me like they did that first day.
“I’m alright. Why are you here?”
“I came to pickup some art. It’s my mum’s birthday next we-“
“I know when her birthday is.” My words come out much harsher than planned. He nods and begins to open his mouth to say something but he can’t find the words.
“So, that’s your daughter? She looks so familiar. Very much like you.” He looks puzzled and I begin to panic but then he says, “Is her father in the picture?”
I shake my head. I almost let a tear fall from my eye but I shake it off before it reaches the surface.
“No, he’s actually never met her before. I’m not even sure he knows he has a daughter.”
“Well that’s too bad. She is beautiful. I can’t believe you still live here. You always talked about getting out and finding a place in New York and dealing the best art in the U.S.”
“Here I am. Still on the same street living the same life I was when you left,” my voice shakes a bit on the last word. I can feel the pain reach my throat and I try to swallow it down but it’s much to big to let go. “You should probably go.” He kicks his left foot behind his right and rubs it along his calf. Michael raises a hand in the air and nods slightly. And just like that without another word he’s gone again and the pain is just as bad as it was that day fourteen years ago.
I can feel the tears start to fill my eyes but I know Jo will be at my side at any moment so I blink them away.
“So that’s him?” I hear a small voice coming from behind me and I turn towards her. I open up my arms and she rushes into them. “I can’t believe I finally see him. He’s so beautiful mom. I really wish it didn’t have to be this way,” her head drops.
“I know baby,” in that moment I know I can no longer keep her away from him. Even if he doesn’t know she is his daughter.
We close the shop early due to some snow and the events of this afternoon. After about fifteen minutes of struggling with getting her bike into the back of our car we finally get home.
“I know it’s been kind of a long day but I was wondering if you would keep telling the story. It might make you feel a little better,” Jo’s voice was hesitant and soft. She always knew the right thing to do. I motioned for her to come sit with me on the couch.
“Where did we leave off?”
“The first question!”
“He took my hand in his as a shook my head. ‘So why do you think we met?’ “What?’ ‘You don’t think there is some bigger reason why it happened to be that saved you fromt that car?’ He raised his eyebrow with the question. There was something between us you couldn’t deny it. ‘I think we met because there is some kind of future for us. A bigger plan’ I say sharing a wink. He chuckles and I shift my eyes away to see our coffee coming. But I can feel his eyes burning on me. ‘Why are you staring at me?’ ‘I’m sorry, you’re just lovely. Are you even wearing any makeup?’ I shake my head. ‘It’s incredible your eyes are so intriguing their almost cat like turned up at the ends like that.’ I smile and stir my beverage. His words are very kind but what girl does wear makeup in the summer? ‘I’m not kidding. I think your the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. Those eyes! I’m just going to start calling you Kitty,’ he sticks out his tongue and I blush even harder. Then his phone rings. ‘Give me a moment?’ I nod and turns away a bit so I am hearing only one side of the conversation. ‘Yes Luke. I will be there in like twenty minutes I promise! Is Cal bringing Tee? Okay I’ve got a surprise for you boys! See you soon. Yes I love you too Lucas’ He turns back in his seat and smirks to himself. ‘Who was that?’ ‘That was my friend Luke. How would you like to come to a band rehearsal?’ He rubs his finger on his palm like a little nervous twitch, which I find highly adorable. ‘You’re in a band?’ Of course he was in a band Kara! The hair and the piercing? They probably play death metal or something horrendous. But something in my gut tells me to go. ‘Yeah we kind of suck, please come.’ And with that I know I have to go. I giggle and nod at him. He grabs my hand again and practically drags my from the little shop and onto the street.”
