Vignette - Little Bird

"No! I didn't hate her! I loved her! Wh...why didn't she ever say anything to me?"

Monica shrugs. "I dunno. I couldn't ever figure it out. I knew how you felt. No matter what I said, I couldn't convince her that you would welcome her back. She was so ashamed."

"Oh, God..." My face drops into my hands. I'm on the verge of a long-overdue cry.

The waitress brings our breakfast. I wipe my eyes with the napkin.

"There is one other little thing I need from you," Monica says, picking at her omelette. Her voice is tentative. She glances at me nervously from under her brow.

I'm almost afraid to ask. But I know what I have to say. "Whatever you need, sweetie. It's yours."

"Well, you know I'm nearly thirty," she says, acting oddly timid. "My clock has been ticking loud, and, um, I'm going to need a daddy for my baby."

A mouthful of egg spews across the table. Everyone around us is staring. The two attractive ladies next to us roll their eyes and shake their heads.

I tell Monica quietly, but resolutely, "No. Absolutely not. We can't do that. It's too dangerous. Think about the problems our baby could—"

She's snickering. "No, Steven. I don't want your baby. I've already taken care of that. A couple of months ago."

The blood drains from my face. "You mean...you're...?" I gesture down toward her belly.

She nods. The grin on her face is the happiest I've ever seen her. The pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into place.

Monica says, "Even from half a continent away, you were the greatest father in the world. I can't wait to see what you do with children in the same house."

"Well, it helps that you were the greatest daughter in the world."

From the corner of my eye, I see our conversation has attracted the attention of the next table. Fuck 'em. We're from South Carolina, where every family tree has a circle in it.

"Why didn't you say something before?" I ask Monica.

She lowers her head, unwilling to meet my gaze. "I needed to know if...if you felt the same as I did. I've loved you like this for as long as I can remember. I kept waiting, hoping that Mom would come to her senses. I wanted you both to be happy, and wasn't going to get in the way. But now...now that she's..."

I reach across the table, holding her hand.

She wipes her eyes and laughs nervously. "Sorry. I...I just get so emotional these days."

"You're fine, Monica. Better than fine. You've never looked more beautiful." I tell her, "And nothing would make me happier than to take care of you and my grandchild for as long as you want to live with me."

She raises her red eyes. "Your little bird is ready to come home, Daddy. This time, she's never gonna leave again."

## END