Evening glow slants through windows that face west. The backyard stretches out, backlit in gold and amber, as fireflies begin their slow blink above the grass. Our daughter runs barefoot through the yard with a mason jar, trying to catch stars that won’t stay caught.
Eliana sits on the porch swing, bare feet tucked beneath her, watching with a smile that could light up the night. She’s laughing at our little girl.
Neither of them misses me.
I would have been an overbearing father. I know that. Overprotective to the point of suffocation. Irascible. Unapproachable. God forbid she ever bring a boyfriend home.
But I would have been present.
God, I would have been so f*****g present.
“Okay. I accept your deal.” I gulp down the sour taste in my throat. “But you have to swear you’ll honor i
