"Mmhmm," I said, incapable of anything further. And then he brought me sharply back to reality.
"I want to meet my daughter," he said.
SIXTEEN
CASSIUS
I hadn't meant to ask Deira about seeing Makayla right away. It had just slipped out, my brain still fuzzy from our mind-blowing sex. I regretted the question as soon as I asked, and I felt Deira tense up. She pushed me off and went to grab her clothes off the floor.
Well, I'd said it now. I decided confidence was the way forward.
"I know you probably don't want to think about it, but we have to talk about it at some point."
She pulled on her shirt and started buttoning it, then finally looked at me.
"Well, I suppose 30 seconds after we finished having sex is the perfect time," she retorted.
Her sarcasm irritated me, but I took a deep breath. I had promised in the letter that our interaction wouldn't be like last time in my office, and that meant no yelling and no bitter fights.
"We have to talk about it eventually," I said sternly. She finished buttoning her shirt and looked at me, crossing her arms.
"Do we?" she asked, and raised her eyebrows.
I had to admire that she wasn't intimidated by me like most people were. I wondered if she was being a little defiant to see if I got mad, but I'd already discovered that didn't work with her. I had to approach this like a deal that I really needed to close. I consciously relaxed my expression, and tried a new tactic.
"Do you think Makayla wants to meet me?" I asked.
She blinked, and a shadow of doubt crossed her face. Aha! I'd got her.
"Have you even asked her?" I pressed.
She shifted her eyes away, and mumbled, "No."
"Okay, then. Let's start there. You ask her, and see what she says. Isn't that only fair, to give her the choice?"
Deira looked at me, and I could see that she resented me pushing, but also that she had to admit I'd made a fair point.
"Fine," she said, giving up. "I'll ask her."
There was an awkward silence, and the tension hummed between us. I wasn't sorry I'd asked, though. Makayla was my daughter too, and I wanted to meet her.
"Umm... do you know if the bus runs near here?" she finally asked.
"Don't be ridiculous." I frowned. "I'll take you home."
"I don't need you to take me home. Just tell me where the bus stop is."
"There's no bus stop," I said. "Not for miles. Just let me take you back."
She sighed.
"Just to the coffee shop," she said. "I can take the bus home from there."
I was learning that with Deira, I had to compromise, and take the wins that I could get.
"Great," I agreed. We didn't talk on the way there, and after I dropped her off, I spent the whole drive home daydreaming about what it might be like to finally meet Makayla. I thought about how to make a good first impression. Maybe I should bring her a present? I wasn't sure what she'd like, though.
I didn't figure Deira would call me that night. I was hoping she would call the next day, but I only got calls from work. I went to bed feeling annoyed and dejected.