Page 46 of Jackass

“What would you like to know?” I asked, biting my lip, uncertain about what he was going to ask.

“What’s her full name?” he asked, keeping his eyes on the road in front of us.

“Charlotte Jacqueline Reynolds,” I breathed.

Jack turned to look at me, but I couldn’t meet his eyes. I sat quietly, waiting for him to ask.

“Did you—?”

“Yes. I gave her the middle name Jacqueline for you. I wanted her to have a part of you with her always,” I said, turning to look out the window, so he didn’t see the tears building.

“Do you know what my firstname is?”

I turned to Jack, confused.

“It’s not Jack?” I asked, and he shook his head.

“Jack is my road name. Short for Jackass. I thought you knew that.”

“No, I’ve heard people call you Jackass, but I just thought it was a play on your name.”

Now I was curious what his real name was.

Jack looked in the rearview mirror. I wasn’t sure if he was watching the cars behind us or looking at Charlie. When I saw his smile materialize, I knew he was looking at his daughter.

“When I was a prospect, the guys started calling me Jackass whenever I did something they didn’t like. Which was pretty much all the time.” He laughed. “When I patched in, it got shortened to Jack.”

“What is your real name?” I asked. I felt almost like I was meeting him for the first time.

“When I was born, my parents didn’t want me. They left me at a firehouse. There was no information, no note. Nothing.”

I reached over to take his hand in mine. Suddenly, I understood why what I’d done hurt him so much. He felt unwanted.

“The hospital named me after the firefighter that found me. The name never felt like it was mine.” He peered over at me and smiled. “Until now.”

He had a beautiful smile. I waited for him to tell me his name.

“Charles Williams.”

My hand flew to my mouth, trying to contain my gasp. Tears fell freely down my cheeks. Somehow, fate had stepped in and led me to name our daughter after her father. Despite thinking his name was Jack, I had given my daughter a first and middle name to honor both names her father went by.

“I had no idea. I chose Jacqueline first because I wanted her to have a piece of you. The plan was for that to be her first name. It was Carrie that suggested Charlotte. Jacqueline Charlotte just didn’t flow, but Charlotte felt perfect as soon as I heard it, so I flipped them.”

Jack squeezed my hand.

“Matlock suggested petitioning for a divorce. He can have the papers drawn up and sent to your husband. Once you’re divorced, we can get married and have her name changed to Williams.” Jack looked at me. “I want you both to have my name.”

“Jack. I don’t—”

“Sammy, don’t tell me no.”

“Jack, if I send him papers, he’ll know where I am. Charlie would be in danger,” I pleaded.

“We already talked about that. The guys had a valid point. He’ll find you eventually, like he has before. This way, we would know to expect him and you and Charlie would be safe. There will be a brother sitting in The Diner every shift you work. And Charlie will always have a brother with her.”

I didn’t know what to say. My mind was still stuck on the part where he said we would get married.

“You want to get married?” I asked.