Chapter 20: His Whole Place

Randall's POV

Stephanie said yes on a Tuesday, in a text, with one condition.

I would stay in the room the whole time, and I would tell Jasper the truth before Birdie came in.

On the first Saturday of January, I sat on the end of his bed at Rowan Children's.

I kept my hands between my knees.

He was out of isolation, and his hair was coming back in soft and dark.

He had a drawing pad on his lap and a green marker in his teeth.

"Jasper," I said. "I have to tell you something grown-up, and I want you to stop me if it's confusing."

He took the marker out.

"Okay."

"I'm your dad. You know that already."

"I know."

"I should have told everybody a long time ago."

"Why didn't you?"

"I was scared, and that was wrong, and it hurt some people."

"The baby's mom."

"Yes. Her name is Stephanie."

"I know her name. She came on the bridge."

"She did."

He thought about it.

"Is that why you stayed in the car outside sometimes? Mom said it was a surprise."

My throat closed.

"It wasn't a surprise," I said. "I didn't want anyone to know you were mine."

I made myself keep going.

"That wasn't your fault. You never did anything wrong, not once."

"Okay."

"You have a sister named Birdie. She's six. She's in the lobby with her mom, and she'd like to meet you."

His eyes went wide.

"The one in the paper crown?"

"That's her."

"Is she nice?"

"She asks a lot of questions."

"I have a lot of answers," Jasper said, and picked up the marker again.

Birdie came in with a paper mask on her face and a crown on her head.

Keep reading free with an account. Start He Missed Our Daughter's Birthday from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.