Chapter 3 - The Question Maisie Wasn’t Supposed to Ask
Declan waited four days before asking to see Maisie again.
He didn’t send flowers.
He didn’t send money.
He sent one text.
If you decide I can meet her properly, tell me where and when. I’ll follow your rules.
Sienna stared at the message for twenty minutes.
Then typed:
Saturday. Lincoln Park Zoo. Noon. One hour.
His response arrived immediately.
Thank you.
Saturday afternoon, Declan appeared wearing jeans and a dark jacket.
No visible security.
Sienna knew better than to believe they weren’t nearby.
Maisie spotted him first.
“Hospital Guy!”
Declan actually smiled.
“That’s better than most things people call me.”
Sienna gave him a look.
“Keep it six-year-old appropriate.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Maisie’s eyes widened.
“You called Mom ma’am.”
“I’m trying to survive the afternoon.”
Maisie laughed.
The first thirty minutes were painfully normal.
Maisie wanted to see the lions.
Declan bought three bottles of water and obeyed Sienna’s rule about gifts.
He listened while Maisie explained the difference between alligators and crocodiles.
He asked questions.
Real questions.
Not the fake kind adults asked children while checking their phones.
Finally, they sat on a bench.
Maisie ate pretzel bites.
Then she asked, “How do you know my mom?”
Sienna froze.
Declan looked at her.
She gave a tiny nod.
“We were very close once,” he said.
“Like best friends?”
“Something like that.”
“Did you kiss?”
Sienna nearly inhaled her water.
Declan looked down.
“Yes.”
Maisie’s mouth dropped open.
“Mom!”
“Please eat your pretzel.”
“You kissed Hospital Guy?”
“His name is Declan.”
“So you admit it?”
Declan covered a smile with his hand.
Sienna glared at him.
“You’re enjoying this.”
“More than I should.”
Maisie narrowed her eyes.
“Why did you stop being friends?”
The humor disappeared.
Declan answered carefully.
“I had to leave.”
“Why?”
“I made some bad choices.”
Sienna watched him.
That wasn’t entirely true.
But it wasn’t a lie.
Maisie picked at the salt on her pretzel.
“Did Mom miss you?”
Declan looked at Sienna.
“She had every reason to forget me.”
“I didn’t ask that.”
Sienna almost groaned.
Six years old and already conducting cross-examinations.
Maisie turned toward her.
“Did you?”
Sienna sighed.
“Yes.”
Declan went still.
“I missed him.”
Maisie nodded as if filing away evidence.
Then she asked the question neither adult was prepared for.
“Are you my dad?”
Everything stopped.
Sienna looked at Declan.
Declan looked at Sienna.
Maisie looked between them.
“You both have the same weird face.”
Sienna laughed once despite herself.
Then she put her bottle down.
“Maisie.”
“Yes?”
“Why do you think that?”
“You have pictures.”
Sienna’s stomach sank.
“What pictures?”
“In the blue box.”
“The box in my closet?”
Maisie suddenly realized she had admitted to snooping.
“I was looking for tape.”
“For three hours?”
“I got distracted.”
Declan’s eyes never left Sienna.
Maisie continued.
“There are pictures of Mom and you when you were younger. And you have my eyes. And Mom cries when she thinks I’m asleep sometimes.”
Sienna felt her throat close.
“Baby—”
“So are you?”
Declan crouched in front of her.
He didn’t touch her.
He waited.
Then he said, “Yes.”
Maisie stared.
“You’re my dad?”
“Yes.”
“Where were you?”
The question destroyed him.
Sienna could see it.
Declan took a breath.
“I didn’t know about you.”
“How?”
“Because I had to leave before your mom knew you were coming.”
Maisie looked at Sienna.
“You tried to tell him?”
“Many times.”
“Did you ignore her?”
“No,” Declan said immediately. “I never got the calls.”
“Why?”
“Because I was somewhere I couldn’t be contacted.”
Maisie frowned.
“That sounds suspicious.”
Declan almost laughed.
“It does.”
Then her expression became serious.
“Do you want to be my dad?”
There it was.
No strategy.
No criminal empire.
No money.
No reputation.
Just a six-year-old girl waiting for a simple answer.
Declan’s eyes glistened.
“Yes.”
Maisie looked at Sienna.
“Is that okay?”
Sienna swallowed.
“We’re going to figure it out slowly.”
Maisie looked back at Declan.
“What do I call you?”
“Whatever makes you comfortable.”
“Declan?”
“That works.”
“Hospital Guy?”
“If necessary.”
She smiled.
Then she held out one pretzel bite.
Declan accepted it like she had handed him a crown.
Sienna watched them and felt something inside her begin to shift.
Not forgiveness.
Not yet.
But possibility.
Then Declan’s phone vibrated.
He glanced at the screen.
His face hardened.
Sienna noticed immediately.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Declan.”
He stood.
“We should leave.”
Her heart accelerated.
“Why?”
A black SUV had stopped across the street.
Another vehicle pulled behind it.
Declan’s security men appeared seemingly from nowhere.
Maisie grabbed Sienna’s hand.
“What’s happening?”
Declan’s voice remained calm.
“Nothing dangerous. We’re just leaving early.”
One of his men approached.
“Boss.”
Declan looked at him.
“Talk.”
The man lowered his voice, but Sienna still heard.
“Victor Lasko knows about them.”
Declan’s expression became ice.
Sienna felt Maisie’s fingers tighten around hers.
“Who’s Victor Lasko?”
Declan looked at Sienna.
“The reason I spent seven years making sure nobody knew you mattered to me.”
And suddenly Sienna understood something terrifying.
Declan’s past hadn’t found him again.
May you like
It had found her daughter.
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