“Deal.”
Normality mattered.
He heated milk.
Found the cocoa.
Put four marshmallows in her mug.
His phone vibrated repeatedly on the counter.
Rebecca.
School principal.
An unknown number.
Another unknown number.
Then Hannah’s sister, Megan.
Daniel ignored all of them until Sophie had finished half the drink.
“Dad?”
“Yes?”
“Is Luke my real dad?”
The question stopped him.
Daniel pulled out the chair across from her.
“Luke is your biological father.”
“What does biological mean?”
“He helped make you.”
Sophie frowned.
“Like Mom?”
“Yes.”
“But you’re Dad.”
“Yes.”
She considered this carefully.
Children could make complicated family structures sound simple when adults allowed them.
“Did Luke take care of me?”
“When you were very little, sometimes.”
“Why not now?”
Daniel chose his words slowly.
“Luke had problems that made it hard for him to take care of you safely.”
“Like sick?”
“In a way.”
“Did he get better?”
“I don’t know.”
“Does he want me?”
Daniel felt the danger in that question immediately.
A child could hear abandonment where an adult heard custody.
He reached across the table.
“None of what happened with Luke was because you were not worth wanting.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Daniel almost smiled despite himself.
Hannah had said that exact sentence many times.
“No.”
He nodded.
“You’re right.”
Sophie waited.
“I think Luke wants to see you.”
Her expression became uncertain.
“Do I have to?”
“No.”
“Can he make me?”
“No.”
“Can the police?”
“No.”
“Promise?”
Daniel squeezed her fingers.
“I promise.”
Sophie looked at the marshmallows floating in her cup.
“Officer Mercer is police.”
“Yes.”
“He tried.”
The words cut through Daniel.
He hated that this was now part of his daughter’s understanding of authority.
“He was wrong.”
“What if another one believes him?”
Daniel did not have a good answer.
Then the doorbell rang.
Sophie jumped.
Daniel stood immediately.
“It’s okay.”
He checked the camera.
Rebecca stood on the porch alone.
No police car.
She had removed her outer patrol jacket but still wore her uniform.
Daniel opened the door only partway.
Rebecca understood.
“Can I come in?”
Daniel looked toward Sophie.
The girl had come into the hallway.
“Aunt Becca.”
Rebecca smiled.
“Hey.”
Sophie nodded.
Daniel opened the door.
Rebecca had been Hannah’s closest friend since high school.
She was not actually Sophie’s aunt.