Then there was absolute silence.
“We were going to tell you anyway,” he said quickly. “Eventually.”
"It never felt like the right time," Jess added.
I leaned back, still calm, too calm.
"When would have been the right time?" I asked.
"After I taught her how to ride a bike? After the bedtime stories and the nightmares? Or perhaps at her next birthday party, when you both would have toasted to 'family'?"
Nobody answered.
"Listen, I just wanted to be there for her."
"For your daughter?" I asked.
"Interesting. You mean the child I've been raising for five years? The child who has my name? My eyes? My habits?"
"I didn't want to destroy everything," Jess said.
"I was scared. You loved her so much, and I didn't know how to take that away from you."
“But you already did that,” I said. “You just didn’t admit it.”
"You both have ten minutes. Pack your things. Get out of my house."
Lily's lip trembled.
"Dad?"
"Honey, listen to me. I love you. I'm not going anywhere. You'll always have me, no matter what."
"OK."
I kissed her forehead and turned to Adam and Jessica.
"You already understood me. Ten minutes."
Adam whispered something about regret. Jessica avoided my gaze. I didn't watch them leave. I just held Lily in my arms.
The next day I filed for divorce.
We had a paternity test done a few days later, but honestly, I don't care about the result. She's my daughter. I raised her, held her when she had a fever, danced with her in the kitchen. She belongs to me.
Lily stayed lying next to me in bed last night.
"Papa?" she murmured.
"Yes, baby?"
"I don't want to play this game again."
"Me neither. I'm sorry, my love, you'll never have anything to do with me again."
She looked up at me, her eyes wide open and honest.
"Are you still my real daddy?"
I didn't hesitate.
"That's who I've always been. That's who I'll always be."
She rocked up and down and laid her head on my chest.
His lip trembled.
"Dad?"
"Honey, listen to me. I love you. I'm not going anywhere. You'll always have me, no matter what."
"OK."
I kissed her forehead and turned to Adam and Jessica.
"You already understood me. Ten minutes."
Adam whispered something about regret. Jessica avoided my gaze. I didn't watch them leave. I just held Lily in my arms.
The next day I filed for divorce.
We had a paternity test done a few days later, but honestly, I don't care about the result. She's my daughter. I raised her, held her when she had a fever, danced with her in the kitchen. She belongs to me.
Lily stayed lying next to me in bed last night.
"Papa?" she murmured.
"Yes, baby?"
"I don't want to play this game again."
"Me neither. I'm sorry, my love, you'll never have anything to do with me again."
She looked up at me, her eyes wide open and honest.
"Are you still my real daddy?"
I didn't hesitate.
"That's who I've always been. That's who I'll always be."
She rocked up and down and laid her head on my chest.
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