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“That’s not what I want to hear.”
“But it’s the truth.” He could practically hear her shrug. “At least you’d know.”
“I’ll work up the courage to do it. After I block Dad.”
“I hope this works out,” Terri said, then she cursed. “I have to go. Tommy is climbing the kitchen counter for snacks.”
They said their goodbyes. Daniel took a moment to block both his father’s and Lucinda’s numbers and logged into his Facebook account to block them there too. After he was done, he took a shaky breath, feeling free.
“Everything okay?” Amelia asked as she walked into the bedroom.
“Yes. I’m just finally done with my father.”
“How does it feel?”
“Sad, but also good.”
She nodded, walking close. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. He let his emotions wash over him for a second, feeling the grief and loss.
But then it faded into a warm glow brought forth by having her close.
“Let’s get some rest,” she said. “I’m sure we both need it.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll be back after I do the dishes.” A shadow crossed over her face.
“I’ll do them.”
“No!” she said. “I can do this. I have the time, I just . . .”
He grabbed her elbow, quietly leading her away. “You’ve been stressed. It’s okay to relax.”
“You’re stressed too.”
“Yeah, but I don’t mind the dishes. If it’s something that’s hard for you, then it’s okay not to do it. I can help.”
Amelia blinked quickly, and he thought maybe she was angry at him, but then he noticed her eyes were teary, and he wondered just who had made her feel bad for not being able to get the dishes done.
“Go to bed,” he said, kissing her forehead. “I’ve got this.”
“Okay,” she said quietly but gratefully.
Daniel finished cleaning up. He was able to clear his mind as his hands moved, which was nice. Lucinda always insisted on having people come in and clean, but he sort of enjoyed it.
When he walked into the bedroom, Amelia was already under the blanket, fast asleep. He smiled at her before he got ready for bed too, excited to join her.
Chapter Twenty-One
Amelia
The next day was a flurry of emails and things to do. Amelia focused as long as she could before there was a knock at her office door.
She looked up and saw Stacey walk in. She bit back a frown at the sight of her coworker, wondering if this was going to be another conversation where she was pushed for information.
“Hi,” Amelia said. “What can I do for you?”
Stacey looked nervous. “Um, I just wanted to . . . talk.”
