“He was just telling me things I know but didn’t want to hear.”
“He was always good at that,” Asher said.
I looked over at him and gave him a small smile as I reached my over and grabbed his hand.
“What?” He smiled back.
“Why are you being so calm about Curtis being here?”
“Because my father is a pain in the ass and he’s not going anywhere until he’s ready. That’s how it’s always been with him. If he was still alive, he’d still be doing what he’s doing.”
I gave him a smile as I gently squeezed his hand.
“You need to tell Richard who you are, Everly. If you want my honest opinion, I think he’ll take it well. He’s a good man. And you really have no choice.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because it’ll be awkward for me working with him knowing he’s your father and he doesn’t have a clue.”
“You know this will affect you, and that’s the last thing I want. I don’t want to cause any issues for you at all.”
“Stop worrying about me. You need to do what’s right for you. You deserve to get to know your father and he has the right to know he has another daughter.”
“You sound like your father.” I smirked and he let out a sigh.
41
One Week Later
Everly
“I’m so nervous, Asher.”
“I know you are, baby, but don’t be. I’m right here with you.” He squeezed my hand as we took the elevator up to the tenth floor.
Asher knocked on the door of apartment 10D, and Christina opened it with a bright smile.
“Come in. Welcome to our home. It’s good to see you again, Everly.” Christina gave me a light hug.
“Thank you, Christina.”
“There you two are.” Richard grinned as he stepped into the foyer.
He shook Asher’s hand and gave me a light hug. “It’s good to see you again, Everly. Shall we?” He gestured to the living room. “Asher, can I get you a bourbon?”
“That sounds wonderful, Richard.”
“Everly?”
“No thank you. I’m good for now.”
Asher and I took a seat on the couch. Sitting on the coffee table was a delicious looking charcuterie board.
“Are your daughter’s home?”
“No. They went out with some friends,” Christina spoke. “Are you sure I can’t get you something to drink? We just got this new bottle of wine from Italy and I’ve been saving it for a special occasion.”
“You know what? That sounds good.” I smiled.
I noticed Richard kept staring at me. He tried to be discreet about it, but he wasn’t very good at it. Somehow, I had a feeling he saw my mother in me. Asher noticed it to and decided to say something.
“Are you alright, Richard. I notice you keep staring at Everly.”
“Forgive me. It’s just you look like someone I knew a long time ago. The resemblance is uncanny.”
Christina walked over and handed me a glass of wine and then took her seat next to Richard.
“This person I resemble. Was her name Laura King?”
He swallowed hard before sipping his drink.
“Yes, as a matter of fact.” His eye narrowed at me.
Asher reached over and grabbed my hand.
“She was my mother.”
“Was?”
“She passed away twenty-three years ago.”
“I’m very sorry for your loss. I had no idea.”
He got up from his seat and when he went to pour himself another drink, I noticed his hands were shaking.
“Richard, are you okay?” Christina asked.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come here,” I spoke as I got up from the couch.
“What is going on?” Christina asked as she looked at Asher.
“Everly, sit down,” he said. “Everly has something she needs to discuss with you, Richard.”
“You’re here because you think I’m your father. Am I right?”
“What?!” Christina exclaimed.
Asher got up from the couch and held his hand out to Christina.
“Let’s go into the kitchen and give these two some privacy. I’ll explain everything to you.”
She slowly placed her hand in his and they walked out of the living room.
“You and my mother were in a relationship twenty-eight years ago. The night she was going to tell you she was pregnant, the two of you got into a fight and she told you she never wanted to see you again.”
“If she passed away twenty-three years ago, you would have only been five years old. How could you possibly know that?” He stared at me.
“I saw it the night we shook hands at the fundraiser.”
“You ‘saw’ it? I don’t understand.”
“I was born with an ability. A gift. I can see things that have or are going to happen.”
“Like a psychic?”
God, I hated that word.
“Yes.” I looked down.
“Tell me something. Do you have a lot of dreams? Ones that wake you up in the middle of the night leaving you gasping for air?”
“Yes. I do.” I cocked my head at him.
“Your mother always had those. But she would never tell me about them. She’d just say they were bad dreams and she wanted to forget them.”
“She couldn’t handle it, so she used pills and alcohol to try and suppress them.”
“That night you’re referring to. The night we broke up. She called me that morning and said she had something to tell me and that she’d be waiting at my apartment when I got home from work. That same day, I got a call from a company here in New York offering me the job of a lifetime. When I got home that night, I told her about it. She became so angry and gave me an ultimatum. It was either her or the job. I told her we had only been dating six months and I couldn’t turn it down. So, she told me she never wanted to see me again and stormed out of my apartment. That was the last time I saw her, and I left for New York a week later. If you are in fact my daughter, I am so sorry. I didn’t know.”
“I know you didn’t. And I’m sorry that I sprung this on you.”
He walked over to the couch and sat down next to
