Jackson
BY THE TIME I GOT to the restaurant, I was practically skipping. It was Millie’s birthday, the first major event that we were celebrating together, and I may be hiding the best gift ever in my back pocket.
I’d never been that great at gift giving. Julie never really collected anything, or made a big deal about presents. It wasn’t until Kayla got old enough to start unwrapping gifts and began to light up over every little thing that I became the gift-giving guru.
And, I’d really outdone myself this time . . .
I’d enlisted Dru and Tasha’s help, and based off of their feedback, Millie’s mind was about to be blown.
I grinned as I approached the table at the Thai restaurant that Millie had chosen, and was pleased to note that she’d left the chair next to her open for me. I bent to kiss her softly on the forehead before taking my seat and saying hi to Dru and Tasha.
“Sorry for being a few minutes late. I was waylaid dropping of Kayla.”
After her reaction to being invited to Millie’s lunch, and subsequent grounding for rude behavior, I’d decided it would be best for everyone if I took Kayla to my parents’ instead.
“You’re not late, we haven’t even ordered yet,” Millie assured me, and I couldn’t help but reach under the table and take her hand.
The need to touch her at all times was almost overwhelming.
“Great,” I said as I picked up my menu. I’d never been to this place before and had no idea what I was going to order. “You all ready for tonight?”
“Yes, our minions are finishing up the decorations now. I cannot wait to see it,” Dru gushed, obviously excited. Then looked to her sister and said, “But, that’s for later, we’re here to focus on Millie now. So, come on, birthday girl, tell us the best part of the last year and what you most hope to accomplish in the coming year.”
Millie looked to me and explained, “It’s a tradition for us. Mom started it when we were still in middle school. She always believed that you wouldn’t achieve success without goals, so she always wanted us to have them.”
“She sounds amazing.”
“She was,” Millie said, sadness crossing her features. “I wish you could have met her, she would like you.”
“Me too,” I replied, then, hoping to bring her happiness back, I asked, “So, what was the best part of your year? Other than meeting me, of course.”
I was happy when she blushed prettily at my joke, and said, “Of course. Um . . . I guess I’d have to say not only the success of Three Sisters, but that we’re doing well enough to grow our full-time employees and ease up on our hours a bit. In the next year, I’d like to see more of that. On the flip side, I’d also like us to start doing more of the upscale children’s party, like we discussed.” She squeezed my hand and smiled. “That idea came from you, and Kayla’s tea party.”
“Glad we could help.” I grinned, thinking how lucky it was that she’d agreed to help me that day.
“Can I get your drink orders?” the server said from next to me, causing me to jump in my seat, since I hadn’t heard him approach.
“Thai Tea, please,” Millie said.
“Make that three,” Tasha revised.
I looked at the three of them, then up at the waiter and asked, “What’s Thai Tea?”
“You’ve never had it?” Dru asked.
“Oh, you have to order it,” Tasha added.
“It’s really good,” Millie concurred.
“Guess you can make that four, then,” I told the waiter, who nodded and took off to get our drinks.
“Soooo, another one of our traditions is to get up earlier and do presents in bed,” Tasha started.
“Which means, Millie and I already opened our presents from each other,” Dru added.
“Guys,” Millie chastised, when she realized they were fishing to see if I’d gotten her something.
Although, they weren’t fishing, they knew darn well what I’d gotten her.
My face split with a grin, and I clapped my hands together in excitement, “Well . . .” But before I could do the big reveal, my phone started ringing.
“Sorry, I’d better take this, just in case it’s about Kayla,” I apologized as I rose from my chair.
“Of course,” Millie said sweetly.
I took a few steps toward the side of the room, then stopped in my tracks when I saw it was Mick calling. Figuring I might need more privacy, I walked toward the exit as I pressed the button to answer the phone and held it to my ear.
“Hello?”
“Heeler? It’s Mick. Thought you’d like to know I found her,” he replied briskly.
“Julie?” I asked dumbly, even though that was the only person he could be talking about.
“Yeah.”
“Where?” I asked, looking out over the street without actually seeing anything.
“She’s in Hampton, about forty minutes away.”
“Forty minutes?” I whispered with disbelief. “She’s been forty minutes away from our daughter this entire time and has never once tried to see her?”
“Sorry, bro, she’s a piece . . . Living with some rich old dude in a fancy house. Cheats on him with her tennis instructor and the pool guy.”
“What?” I asked, then had to clarify. “You are talking about Julie, right? Julie Heeler?”
“The one and only. ‘Cept she goes by Julie Baker now.”
Her maiden name. She’d reverted back to her maiden name and was living forty minutes away from our daughter, without so much as a god-damned Happy Birthday . . .
“What’s the address?” I asked. “I’ve gotta swing by and get the divorce papers, then I’m heading over there. I need to get this done once and for all.”
Mick gave me the address and clipped, “I’ll meet you there.”
Then he hung up and I stood there, staring at nothing and wondering how Mick could be talking about the woman I’d been married to and had a beautiful child with, because the person he’d just described was an absolute stranger.