Chapter Eighty-Five: Father For A Day
Chapter Eighty-Five: Father For A Day
ABEL DONOVAN
“Ah, yes. Her mother and I have an... arrangement. I'm not heavily involved in the administrative side of things, but that doesn't mean I'm not concerned about my child's education." I kept my voice smooth, casual. "I travel constantly for business, so most of the day-to-day logistics are handled by her mother. But I care very much about Hermione's progress."
Hermione gave me an enthusiastic thumbs up, clearly impressed with my improvisation.
I smiled back, feeling oddly proud of how smoothly that had come out.
"I see," the teacher said, nodding. "Well, when Hermione told us her father would be attending instead of her mother, I'll admit I thought she might be... exaggerating. Children sometimes do that. But here you are, and she really does look just like you!"
She laughed warmly, and I forced myself to laugh along, though the sound felt hollow in my ears.
"You're doing great," Hermione whispered in my ear once the teacher looked away.
"I just hope your mother doesn't find out about this," I murmured back, genuine worry creeping into my voice.
"She won't," Hermione said with the absolute confidence only a child could have, waving her hand dismissively. "Don't worry so much."
The teacher led us into a large multi-purpose room that had been decorated with student artwork and banners. Tables were set up around the perimeter, and families were already beginning to gather, parents with their children, some looking comfortable and familiar with the routine, others looking as nervous as I felt.
We were directed to a table near the middle of the room, and I was just starting to relax when I saw him.
Michael.
My best friend Michael, standing across the room with his son Lucian.
Oh no.
Our eyes met across the crowded room, and I watched Michael's expression cycle through confusion, shock, and complete bewilderment. His eyes went comically wide when they landed on Hermione in my arms, his mouth actually falling open.
I sighed heavily, feeling like a criminal who'd just been caught red-handed.
Of course. Of course Michael's son goes to this school. How did I forget that?
When I'd agreed to come to Hermione's school event, I'd been so focused on the logistics and the risk of Anna finding out that I'd completely forgotten Michael's son attended Westbridge Elementary. I'd forgotten I'd be seeing my best friend here.
And now he was rushing toward us, weaving between tables with the determination of a man who desperately needed answers.
"What are you doing here?" Michael whispered urgently when he reached us, his eyes still wide with shock.
"I'll explain later," I said, rolling my eyes at his dramatics.
"But—"
"Uncle Michael!" Hermione called out cheerfully, interrupting whatever interrogation Michael had been about to launch into.
Michael turned to stare at her, looking even more stunned than before. "Uncle—?"
"He'll explain everything later," Hermione said with impressive authority for an eight-year-old. "Don't burst our bubble right now."
"I'm just... very surprised," Michael managed to say weakly.
His son Lucian stood beside him, a serious-looking boy with dark hair and his father's sharp eyes. He glanced up at Hermione, and I could see him preparing some comments.
"Hey, Lucian," Hermione said, smirking down at him from her elevated position in my arms. "It's nice looking at you from up here."
Lucian scoffed. "It's horrible looking at you from down here. I can see all your ugly angles."
"What?” Hermione exclaimed, her voice rising in indignation.
"Yes, what?" Michael echoed, staring at his son in shock at the unexpected insult.
I tried desperately to stifle a laugh but wasn't entirely successful.
"Don't tell me you're laughing!" Hermione turned her accusatory gaze on me.
"No, I—" I started, but she cut me off.
"I am not ugly!" she declared, her voice reaching a pitch that made several nearby parents turn to look. "Uncle Gerard said I'm the most beautiful lady he's ever seen!"
I froze.
Uncle Gerard.
She met my father.
"What?" Michael exclaimed yet again, looking at me with something close to horror. "She met your dad?"
"He probably just said that to be nice," Lucian said with the brutal honesty only children possess. "You don't know how annoying you can be sometimes."
"Put me down!" Hermione ordered, her face flushed with anger and determination. "Put me down right now!”
The moment I set her on her feet, Lucian took off running.
And Hermione took off after him, her shoes slapping against the polished floor.
"You just wait there!" she screamed, her voice carrying across the entire room. "When I catch you, you're going to regret every single word!"
"What is happening?" Michael asked, sounding completely overwhelmed.
The homeroom teacher appeared beside us, looking more amused than concerned. "Ah, Lucian and Hermione are at it again. Those two bicker constantly." She smiled knowingly. "I can smell a possible romance brewing in the future."
"WHAT?" Michael practically shouted. "Are you saying I might end up as in-laws with Abel?" He turned to stare at me with an expression of absolute horror.
"God, get a grip on reality," I muttered, feeling my own sense of panic rising.
"Seriously, what is happening right now?" Michael demanded.
"I honestly don't know!" I replied, my voice rising to match his.
Before either of us could say anything else, Hermione came racing back and grabbed my hand with surprising strength.
"Come on, let's go!" She started pulling me away from Michael toward wherever the event was supposed to be taking place.
I turned back to look at my best friend, who was standing there looking like he'd just witnessed something that had fundamentally broken his understanding of reality.
"We'll talk later!" I called over my shoulder. "I promise I'll explain everything!"
"You'd better!" Michael shouted back.
As Hermione dragged me deeper into the crowded room, away from Michael's shocked stare and Lucian's continued attempts to outrun her, one thought kept circling through my mind:
What am I doing?
But underneath that question was something else. Something I didn't want to examine too closely but couldn't quite ignore.
Being here, attending this event, playing the role of Hermione's father, even temporarily, even deceptively, felt right in a way that made my chest ache.
And that terrified me more than anything else.