The One He Never Held novel · Chapter 7 of 24

Chapter 7: Walter Would Be Proud

Hailey woke at ten and ate four pieces of toast standing up.

"Nobody told me pregnancy makes you this rude to bread," she said, and wiped jam off her chin with her sleeve.

I was sitting on the arm of Tim's old couch with a cup of tea.

"You're allowed to be rude to bread."

"You're being nice to me again."

"I'm always nice to you."

"That's what's weird." She licked her thumb and looked at me sideways.

"You never ask me for anything. Everybody asks. Daddy asks. Damian used to ask."

"What did Damian ask?"

"To be left alone, mostly." She laughed and then stopped.

"He stopped loving me a long time ago, you know. Maybe a year and a half. I pretended I didn't see it."

I kept my face still and stirred my tea.

"He started checking the time whenever he left my place," Hailey said.

"And when you walk into a room, he looks at you like nobody else is in it."

"Hailey."

"I'm just saying it. I'm tired of not saying things." She hesitated. "Why do you always ask how my dad is?"

My spoon stopped.

"He's your father," I said. "You love him. I'd ask about anyone you loved."

She thought about that for a moment and nodded, satisfied.

I did not write it down until she was in the shower.

That evening Damian climbed the stairs to the flat with a paper grocery bag on each arm.

"Prenatal vitamins," he said, setting one down. "The pharmacist made me read the label out loud. Also, there's a ham."

Hailey hugged him around the neck and cried into his collar.

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