Lib Novel Page 167
I miss you.
Will you come to see me on the 12th of May? My school is celebrating Mother’s Day. Usually it’s Grandma Irene or Aunt Clem or Aunt Florence who come. But I’d really love if you are there someday.
Your loving son,
Charlie.
The next one must have been written when I was eight, because I was into superheroes at that time. I put colorful stickers of men in tight suits all over the margin of the paper.
Dear Mom,
I miss you.
Today is my birthday. I’m sure you remember. If you are not too busy, can you come to see me?
Aunt Clem is throwing a big party.
Dad asked me what I wanted, and I told him I wanted a mom.
Will you please come home, Mom? You can also send me your picture until then. I want to show it to my friends. I’m sure you are very very pretty.
Waiting to meet you someday.
Your loving son,
Charlie.
It’s not just the words, but also the memories of those moments when I wrote them. There’s evidence of my tears on these pages, along with my anger when I pressed the pencil too hard as I begged my mother to come home and love me.
And as much as I hate that I’m her offspring, how can I be trusted to provide affection to a little one when my blood is the same as the woman who has given the words “absent parent” a new meaning?
So what are you going to do now?
There’s already a kid in line, and I can’t send it back.
My pulse pounds as I imagine a kid with my blond hair and blue eyes writing such letters.
No. Fucking no.
I’ll do what I do the best. I’ll provide for Daisy and our kid, everything they need. She won’t have to work a second and all her time, all her attention will be for our kid. She can attend all the soccer matches, school plays and picnics. They both will want for nothing.
I’ll make sure this child has the affection of a mother throughout his childhood unlike me.
Determination fills my lungs, and I dial my lawyer.
“Charles.” Troy’s voice is raspy from sleep. “Everything alright?”
“I want you to do something for me.”
“Right now?”
“Yes, this is urgent.”
“Okay. Give me a sec,” he whispers before I hear the rustling of sheets and then his heavy footsteps. “Okay, I’m in my office now. Tell me what you need.”
“I want you to make a deed. Effective immediately, Daisy will have one hundred percent ownership of my current and future wealth.”
“Wh-what? Did you have too much to drink tonight?”