Glancing at Nico, I say, “I… I’d love to meet you and your family. I just need to figure out when I can do it with work and Mateo’s school.”
“Call me when you know, and we’ll make it happen. I’m so glad you got in touch, Sofia. I only wish I’d known about you before now. I… I would’ve been there for you.”
My throat is so clogged with tears and regret that I can barely speak. “That means a lot. Thank you.”
“You have my number. Call me anytime.”
“I will. You can call me, too.”
“Oh, you’ll be hearing from me. That much you can count on. You may get sick of me.”
Laughing through my tears, I shake my head. “I doubt that.”
“We’ll talk again soon, okay?”
“Yes. Okay. Thank you for calling.”
“It was my pleasure.”
We end the call with more promises to talk again soon.
I fall into Nico’s waiting arms, sobbing my heart out. “That was my dad.”
“So I heard.”
“I have four siblings!”
“That’s more than I have.”
“He wants me to come there.”
“I heard that, too.”
“He said he would’ve been here for me. Why did she keep him from me?”
“I don’t know, honey, but you have to find a way to not let that matter now that you know who he is and where he is and are in touch with him.”
“I suppose so, but it’s just another reason to have nothing more to do with her.”
He kisses my forehead, the tip of my nose, both of my cheeks and then my lips. “I’m so happy for you, sweetheart.”
“Will you go to Minneapolis with me?”
“I wish I could. More than anything. But I can’t leave work and Milo, and my mom is about to finish treatment. The family will do something to celebrate the end of that nightmare.”
“Right. I know. I just wish you could be there with me.”
“I do, too, and I would if I could. I hope you know that.”
“Of course I do. It’s no big deal.”
“It’s a very big deal, Sofia. Don’t play it down. You’re going to meet your father for the first time in your life.”
“My stomach hurts.”
“Why, honey?”
“What if he doesn’t like me or—”