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Maht" She held her arht trepidation "I’ood care of you"

Willow stared past Ma why I wasn’t welco her into my arms The truth was I didn’t knohat the hell to do Was it creepy if I touched her? Did I even want to touch her? The longer she stared at me, the more I felt like I couldn’t breathe I needed a release--to bury myself in Cheyenne or to et the chance to pussy out and leave Willow released Rev’s hand and took a few tentative steps toward el that looked like it belonged on a Christht past Mama Beth to come to me Her dark eyes--the same color and shape as ," Rev hissed

"Uh, yeah, so I’m David … or Deacon--your father"

She creepedto stare at ive a celebrity I scratched the back of ht words to say "Look, I … I’m sorry about your mother"

At the mention of Lacey, Willow cocked her head Without words, I knehat she wanted from me "She was really beautiful and shen she was sober and clean" Choking on h eren’t together anymore, I did love her Once" If I was honest with myself, I would have said that there was a small part of me that still loved her "I wish I could have known about you when you were a baby I’s had to turn out like they did" She still continued to stare at me "Look, I know you must’ve seen some bad shit … er, stuff, but I want you to know that you’re safe here No one is going to hurt you Okay?"

My statement caused tears to well in her eyes I this kid cry And then she shocked the hell out ofonto my lap My ar Small hands came up to cup my face And then she leaned forward to kiss esture of acceptance robbed ht and speech She had every reason to hate ine that her young life so far had pretty much been hell I’d seen Lacey at her worst when she was drunk and high I couldn’t ioodher absent father, Willow reached out to hter around her She felt so fucking fragile in ht for fear of breaking her When I glanced up at Ma down her cheeks She wrapped her ar to keep herself fro Ma my eyes Fuck, I didn’t cry, especially not in front of anyone I didn’t dare look at Rev to gauge what he was thinking I i a soft side for once

And finally, I gave it all up, buried my face into the soft strands of Willow’s hair, and let the tears flow As I held e on a fucking dihty

I was a father And even if it fucking killedto be the best da to hurt Willow on my watch

"Okay, kids It’s ti hum in the room My heels clicked across the tile as I went to close the door of lers needed to ot to their desks I smiled as they bounced in their chairs, excited to see what the day held in store for theton Elementary for five years now The first year I was practically a baby myself at just twenty-two Luckily for me, the principal had complete confidence that I could handle a class full of five and six-year-olds

As a child, I had played school with my dolls and stuffed animals, and for rew older,other careers In the end, events in ed my mind I wanted an honorable profession where I felt I could make a difference, so I had followed their footsteps into education While h school arten They’d spent their livesminds, and I felt ain turned ht Let’s see who is here today, and then we’ll go to theattendance, h ht It was the fourth day Willow Malloy had been absent Protocol dictated we call hoht absence, and when I had tried the day before, I had received a h I loved each ofspecial about Willow I’d realized it the moment I’d met her, and she’d stolen my heart

It was the day before school started The Meet and Greet had just ended After talking with a slew of new, anxious students and their equally anxious parents, I had collapsed atmy feet, which ached fro e felt, I popped openbeside my desk I’d jumped out of my skin and almost fallen out of my chair

A war so goofy Trying to play it off, I wiped my hands on my skirt and held out my hand "Well, hello My na high heels What’s your nairl didn’t respond Instead, she just kept staring at nition in her eyes that didn’tI hadn’t seen her before "I didn’t oing to have so et a response froan to wonder if perhaps she was on the autism spectruh the empty hall "Willow? Willohere are you?"