Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“Are you sure you’re only thirteen?” I ask, stepping inside.
“Dad and Uncle Archer say I’m an old soul.”
“I tend to agree.” I walk over and look at the fabric she has out on the table.
“When you were my age, did you know what you wanted to be when you grew up?” she asks.
My first impulse is not wanting to tell her, but I’m trying to get better about that. Plus, this is Meadow. I can’t imagine letting her down.
Tripp either.
Why am I thinking about him?
“That’s difficult to answer. I was interested in doing work like your dad does, but I never saw that as a possibility for myself.”
“Why not?”
“Because of my father. He…put a lot of pressure on me to follow in his footsteps. He was extremely hard on me. He knew exactly whom he wanted me to be and wouldn’t accept anything else.”
“Did you tell him how you felt?”
“No. He wouldn’t have understood or cared. That’s not him. And in his defense, I wanted to be just like him too. I can’t only blame him. I did everything in my power to make him proud. That was more important to me than anything else, so I told myself my interests didn’t matter and that my interests were his.” It sounds so pathetic. I don’t understand how I lived that way for so long.
She walks over and stands beside me. “I’m sorry. That must have been hard. He should have let you be who you are.”
“I didn’t realize who I was or what I really wanted.”
“But you do now?”
“I’m trying to figure that out.”
Her small hand reaches out and touches my arm. “I know it’s scary to be who you really are, but life is so much better this way.”
I look down at her, this strong, inspiring child, and I feel so fucking lucky to be in this moment. And strangely, I want to make her proud. “It is. I’m glad you figured that out at a much younger age than me.” It’s not even close to the same situation, of course. A job and walking away from my father, compared to being trans, are worlds apart, but I think we both know that a job isn’t the only thing we’re talking about here. It’s that I’ve never allowed myself to consider who I really am, what I want or what I like, until now.
“It’s never too late.” Her smile grows. “Plus, I kinda have the best dad. That helped.”
“You really do.”
We stand there for a moment. I don’t know what else to say. I look out the window, my thoughts going to Tripp, the man who made all this possible. Who would take on the world for his child, and who would maybe go into battle for someone like me too.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Tripp
I open the door to the sound of my daughter’s voice. “Oh my God! That makes so much sense! Why doesn’t my math teacher explain it that way?”
There’s a flutter in my chest as I approach the kitchen, carrying containers of Italian food, to see Rhett and Meadow sitting at the table with her laptop and schoolbooks in front of them.
“I guess he’s not as good as me,” Rhett jokes as I lean against the wall and watch them with a smile. It’s not something new—seeing Meadow in conversation with family or Archer at our kitchen table—but it’s never made my chest feel like it’s filled with fluttering butterflies. I’ve also never actually thought my chest felt like it was filled with fluttering butterflies, and I’m embarrassed to be doing it now.
Rhett notices me first, tilting his head up and meeting my gaze. “Hi. We’re doing math.”
“Why does it not surprise me that you’re good at everything?” I set the bags of food on the table.
“I’m definitely not good at everything. Just math.”
He’s good at a lot more than he would ever acknowledge. “I beg to differ.”
“Well, and I guess government and history and…”
I snicker. “Point proven.” I ruffle Meadow’s hair. “Hey, kid. How was your day?” Talking about our days is something we always do. It’s important to me to connect with her in every way I can.
“Good. Jasmine has a crush, but I’m probably not supposed to tell you that. I got an A on my essay, and Rhett’s been helping me with schoolwork. How was your day?”
“Mine was busy and boring, but I got all the supplies Rhett and I will need, so that’s a plus.” I turn to him and cross my arms. “And how was your day?”
“Oh. Good. I, um…went to an appointment, to the store, and then picked up Meadow. She showed me her sewing room.”
“Spoiled,” I joke. “The kid has a sewing store in her home.”
“She said the same thing.”
“Eh, well, at least she acknowledges it.” I pull a container out of the bag. “I hope you like cheese ravioli. It’s our favorite. She can eat her weight in ravioli.”