I couldn’t wait for school to be over so my family could be in Fargo full time.
23
Karma
Time flew by once we were back in Bastion Township. I looked around the small rental that had been our home the past year and a half. It was mostly empty aside from the furniture. Over the weekend, we’d filled the back of Abe’s truck full of boxes and took it to Fargo. While we unloaded and unpacked, Nova hung out at the farm.
It was nice having Abe’s family so close to our home. Lady M had shuttled Nova back and forth, brought us food, and had taken Nova shopping for a swimsuit so she could run in the sprinklers. When they got back from the store, Nova had a bag full of high-powered water guns.
Abe had helped her fill them with water and strategically placed them around the yard to attack her uncles when they came home. I had never laughed so hard watching my baby girl and her daddy chasing a bunch of badass bikers around the yard.
I couldn’t believe tomorrow was the last day of school. After we grabbed lunch, we were moving to Fargo to be with Abe permanently.
They were getting closer, but she still hadn’t called him dad. It cut him deeply, but he never showed his pain. It tested his patience for sure.
I felt it in my bones that she was close to saying it. She was just cautious, which I didn’t blame her after being led to believe another man was her father, a not very nice man at that. I’d never forgive myself for it either.
Abe had done his best to bond with Nova. Whatever she asked for, he gave her, which, more times than not, she wanted his time and attention.
And she wanted him to watch princess movies as they were now.
Abe was between us on the sofa. My legs were draped over his thigh, and Nova rested against his chest. He appeared in his element, a king with his queen and princess at his sides.
It was a riot to hear his comments about the prince’s stiff riding skills and thin arms, or my personal favorite, the princesses were more powerful than the babyface princes.
When he had called Nova his biker princess the other day, she’d thrown her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. I had turned into a blubbering fool on the spot. The scene had been so damn precious I couldn’t stop the tears.
“It’s late. You need to brush your teeth and get ready for bed,” I told Nova the second the ending credits started.
“Okay.” She got to her feet and turned toward Abe. “Thank you for watching the movie with me…” It was likedaddywas on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
“Any time, sweet girl.”
“I’ll call for you when I’m finished, Mommy.”
“Okay, baby.” I curled into his body, resting my head on his shoulder, and stroked his chest. “She’s coming around.”
“You think?”
“Yes. You’re great with her, a natural.” I gazed at him through my lashes. “I’m sorry for everything.”
“Stop apologizing. I’m going to spank you for taking all the blame,” he growled low. “It wasn’t only you who messed up. It started with me. I ruined us.” He grabbed my thigh and squeezed it. “I hate that I missed her birth and all her firsts. But her calling another man daddy makes me crazy.”
“I know.” I hugged him.
“It hurts, Karma. It hurts so fuckin’ much when she calls me Abe.” He swallowed his emotion. “We created her. The two of us, through our love and I’m fuckin’ Abe to her.”
I kissed his neck, trying not to cry.
“I’m gonna make up the time we lost together in Fargo. I’m going to be the best father she ever dreamed of.”
“You already are. You’re incredible with her. Try to remember it hasn’t been very long since she learned you’re her real dad. She’s just cautious.”
“I’m trying to earn her trust and yours.”
“Abe, I trust you.”
“I’d rather get a thousand lashes than hurt either of you. It would literally kill me after everything we’d been through.” He was in a bad place. I’d been where he was at, tormenting myself over my wrongdoings. I needed to help him.