Page 28 of Jackass

I climbed in my truck and fired up the engine.

“You ready, Shortcake?” I looked in the rearview mirror at my daughter. Grace thought she looked like me.

All I saw was her beautiful mother.

“I’m ready, Daddy.”

“Let’s go get some breakfast, then we’re goin’ shopping.”

I drove into town and pulled into The Diner’s parking lot. Helping my daughter out of her seat, I paused for a moment.

Should I hold her hand or carry her?

Fuck it, I missed a lot of years. I was carrying her.

I hefted her up in my arms, slammed the truck door shut, and walked into the diner. I carried her over to a table and set her down.

“Ok, Charlie, what would you like for breakfast?”

“Pancakes.” She smiled up at me and my entire world shifted. In that moment, I knew I would do whatever it took to not only keep her safe, but to keep her with me.

“Pancakes it is.”

She could have whatever she wanted. I would make sure that if there was something she wanted, and I had the power to give it to her, she would have it.

“Hey, Jack, who is this beautiful lady?” Joellen had walked up to our table without me noticing. She set a cup of crayons on the table in front of Charlie. “And what is she doing with the likes of you?”

“Morning, Joellen. I would like to introduce you to my daughter, Charlie,” I said with pride.

“Your daughter?”

I knew it would be a surprise for everyone for a while.

“I didn’t know you had a daughter.”

“I didn’t either. Until yesterday.”

“Wow, does Samantha know?” She eyed me with a frown marring her lips. Joellen took care of her employees. They were more than just workers. They were family. She knew I wanted Sammy, had been pursuing her.

“Sammy’s her mom.” I watched my daughter as she colored on the placemat that Joellen had placed in front of her. She paid no attention to our conversation.

“Wait, you and Samantha have a kid? Jack, she’s only been here two years, and that child is not two. I know you have a thing for her, but the math ain’t mathing here.”

“Sammy and I met five years ago, before either of us moved to Nebraska. We had one night, and we both left town the next morning.”

Joellen eyed me skeptically.

I knew what she was thinking. Why didn’t Sammy tell me two years ago? Well, that was the million-dollar question. Someday, I would get the answers. I just wasn’t sure I wanted to know what they were.

“I’ll have the usual, and Charlie wants pancakes,” I told Joellen, letting her know the conversation was over.

“Coming right up, Jack.” Joellen turned toward the kitchen, and I gave Charlie my undivided attention.

“Hey, Charlie, can I ask you a question?”

“Yes, Daddy.” She looked up from her drawing and smiled.

“How did you know I was your daddy?”