Page 30 of Never Too Late

In another time, this could have been mine.

“So...” I began just to break the awkward silence that left as the two females went off.

“She’s Zara’s godmother.” Dylan looked at me, an edge to his voice. “She’s also my former partner’s wife.”

I tilted my head, not getting why he was telling me this. I knew the godmother part, but the former partner thing, I didn’t. I also was certain that if I asked, he wouldn’t elaborate. “Okay?”

“The questions are written all over your face, Sophie.”

“What questions?”

“Is she Zara’s mother? If we are a couple.” The edge was getting sharper and was starting to slice into me. “I’m not sure you deserve them, but no.”

“No, what?”

“No, to all of your questions.” He started to follow his girl and a woman who I still didn’t know the role of in his life.

“You have a daughter,” I said softly. Maybe it was just to say something, maybe it was in some form of getting the answers to questions I had no right to ask. Even he pointed that out.

“I have a daughter,” he confirmed unnecessarily.

“Where...”

“Don’t, Sophie,” he muttered, not even looking at me.

“Don’t what?”

“Just, please.” He sighed, then repeated,” Don’t.” Stopping, he turned my way and for a brief moment showed me the years’ worth of pain before his eyes flashed and he buried it. “Let’s just get this over with. Zara wanted you here and even if it’s not right, I tend to give my baby girl whatever she wants. Especially at Christmas,” he whispered.

I looked down the path again and saw that they were so ahead of us, I could barely see them.

And in that moment, I knew nothing would ever change.

I wouldn’t get Dylan back.

I would never have Zara be a part of my day and to have a right to put on a ridiculous hat just to make her happy and skip my way through life with her.

We could never come to the point of being able to coexist in Hopeful.

I would have to leave.

Leave all this behind.

Just as I found my way home, I would once again have to give it all up so he could live his life without me interfering and intruding.

I didn’t want to remind him of another time. Of a time when we were an us and we were happy.

I didn’t want to bring him pain.

It took me only a second to realize this.

It also took me one more to know what I needed to do to be able to go without regret and looking back.

That was why I looked, took a step closer to him, noticing his body tensing. I ignored that and whispered, “I get it.”

“You get what?”

Indicating the girl and a woman singing down the path, completely lost in their world, I tried to explain, “She has your future, I had your past.”