Adam's Daughter (73 page)

She waved and waited until the car disappeared down the road. Then she went inside to clean up. Her thoughts bounced between what Tyler said about feeling connected by a sense of family and what Clark said about Sara.

She knew Clark was right, that someday soon she would have to tell Sara about Garrett. Secrets within a family were only destructive. Hadn’t her own and Tyler’s and even Garrett’s experiences borne that out? She somehow had to find the courage to tell Sara the truth.

Ben came up and tugged on her hand. “Mommy, can we go see the seals?”

“I don’t know, sweetheart, it’s getting late,” Kellen said. Then she saw the look on Ben’s face and smiled. “Go put your jacket on.”

When Ben reappeared, Kellen led him out to the deck toward Sara, who was absorbed in her drawing.

“Want to come with us to see the seals?” Kellen asked.

“I’ll stay here. I want to finish this,” Sara said.

“All right. We’ll be back in a little while.” Kellen started down the beach, holding Ben’s hand.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-
EIGHT

Sara watched them head toward the rock jetty, then returned to her project. She didn’t hear the knock at the door when it came ten minutes later. When she finally looked up, she saw a tall man standing at the open sliding glass door, watching her. She wasn’t afraid; there was nothing in the stranger’s kind face that made her feel that.

“Who are you?” she asked, her crayon poised in midair.

Garrett couldn’t take his eyes off her. “A friend of your mother’s.”

“You should have knocked,” she said
. “It’s not nice to just come into someone’s house.”

He smiled slightly. “You’re right. I’m sorry. But I did knock. I guess you were too busy to hear me.”

“My mother took my brother for a walk,” she said. “They’ll be back in a minute,” she said, going back to her crayons and paper. “You can wait if you want.”

“Thank you,” Garrett said. He
came in and went up to the table. “What are you making there?” he asked.

“A newspaper,”
Sara said.

“Ah, yes, of course it is,” Garrett
said, looking over her shoulder at the paper on which Sara had penciled in stories and drawn photographs. She had drawn a nameplate across the top that proclaimed THE CARMEL TIMES.

“You run color pictures in your paper, then?” Garrett asked.

“Sure,” Sara said, looking up at him. “My mother says black-and-white newspapers are old-fashioned.”

“Your mother’s right.”

Garrett stared at the girl sitting before him. She was pretty, her glossy black hair streaming down over her blue sweater. Her deep blue eyes looked back at him steadfastly. He could feel his heart beating against his chest. It was the first time he had ever seen his daughter. He felt strange, almost nervous, but exhilarated.

His daughter...his and Kellen’s daughter.

“You talk funny,” Sara said. "How come?”

He laughed, surprised by her directness. “I’m from England. Everybody there talks funny.”

She smiled slightly then returned to her paper.

“What’s your big story there?” he asked.

“It’s about the baby seals. They were just born.” She looked up and smiled. “Would you like to see them?”

Garrett nodded. “Yes, I would.”

She slid off the chair and took his hand. “Let’s go,” she said. They started down the beach together.

Kellen stood near the rock jetty watching Ben, who was mesmerized by the family of seals bobbing in a kelp bed offshore. She turned back toward the house and saw two figures coming down the beach. She recognized Sara immediately, but at first she couldn’t figure out who the man was holding her daughter’s hand.

Stephen? Maybe he had decided to drive up from Los Angeles and
to surprise the kids and --

She
froze.

She watched Sara and Garrett as they came closer, unable to take her eyes off their interlocked hands. In all the times she had thought of Garrett during the last eight years, she had never been able to picture him with Sara. Despite the fact their resemblance was startling she had kept their images separate. It had always been a defense of sorts against the truth. But now, seeing them made her heart ache.

Sara brought Garrett to her. “Mommy, this man says he’s your friend. I brought him out here to see the seals.”

Kellen stared at Garrett for a moment then looked down at Sara. “Okay, sweetheart,” she said, “But first we need a few minutes to talk. Would you go watch your brother for a little while?”

Sara looked up at Garrett then gave him a shrug and smile. “Okay,” she said. She ran off toward the rock jetty.

Kellen’s eyes remained on the children.

“I was going to call before I came,” Garrett said. “But I was afraid you wouldn’t talk to me or allow me to see you.”

Kellen wouldn’t look at him.

“I know about the divorce,” he said.

She focused on the children, now climbing on the rocks. For a long time, she was quiet. “Garrett, I have something to tell you,” she said softly, “It’s about Sara.”

“I know. She’s mine, isn’t she?”

She turned to face him, her expression searching. “You knew? But why didn’t you ever say anything?”

“It wasn’t up to me, Kellen. It had to come from you.”

She looked back to Sara. “Eight years,” she
said. “I wanted to tell you then, but I couldn’t. And after that...” Her voice trailed off. “I guess I did what I had to do to protect her... and myself.”

She paused. “I’m sorry, Garrett. I should have told you a long time ago.”

It began to rain lightly. The barking of the seals mixed with the children’s laughter.

“What happened in the past doesn’t matter,” Garrett said. “What matters is
that I know she’s my daughter. I want to be with her. I want to be with you. I want a family. We can still have it, Kellen. Don’t turn your back on me again.”

She wouldn’t look at him.

“You said you needed time,” he said. “Two months is enough. Eight years is enough. I’ve waited. I’ve been patient. But now I deserve an answer.”

At that moment, Sara came running up. Her face was pink from the chilly air and her hair was beaded with rain.

“Come on, Mama,” she laughed, out of breath, “come on and look at the seals!” She grabbed Kellen’s hand, tugging on it.

Kellen looked at Garrett then down at Sara. Yes, she would tell her the truth...soo
n. Suddenly, with Garrett there it seemed less frightening. It seemed right.

They stood there, neither saying a thing. Slowly, Garrett smiled.

“Come on!” Sara said. “What are you waiting for?”

Kellen returned Garrett’s
smile. “What am I waiting for?” she said. “Nothing anymore.”

Sara took Garrett’s hand and started pulling them both toward Ben. “Then let’s get going,” she said.

A
BOUT THE AUTHOR

Kristy Daniels is the pen name for Kris Montee, who has published twelve other award-winning novels, some of which have been
USAToday
and
New York Times
bestsellers. She lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with her husband Daniel and their two dogs Bailey and Phoebe.

You can contact Kristy at

[email protected]