The Indifferent Ex-Husband Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate

"Dad is just like Mom; they had you together and then took care of you. Dad is someone you can be as close to in this world as you

are to Mom," Sophia tried explaining in plain language, "Like when you go to school, Mia has both her mom and dad drop her off,

pick her up, and play with her. The guy sitting next to Mia’s mom? That's Mia's dad."

Theresa nodded, half getting it, half puzzled. "Then why don't | have a dad?"

"Theresa, you have a dad too," Sophia whispered to her, "It's just that before, when you had to study abroad with me, | forgot to

tell Dad."

Brandon caught Sophia's eye in the rearview mirror.

Sophia, holding Theresa, explained with gentle patience.

Theresa's eyes sparkled with excitement. "So, where is my dad?"

Sophia glanced at Brandon.

She saw his Adam's apple bob and his grip on the steering wheel tighten a bit.

They reached a crossroads just as the light turned from green to red.

Brandon slowly brought the car to a stop.

The hustle and bustle of the road cto a pause as well.

The car was silent.

Brandon didn't look back, but in the light, his chiseled face showed taut lines and his Adam's apple moved up and down.

Theresa looked at Brandon, her eyes full of questions.

Sophia hugged her tighter and whispered, "Theresa, say 'Daddy.""

"Daddy?"

Theresa tentatively spoke the unfamiliar words, her expression and voice filled with confusion.

Sophia saw Brandon turn his head slightly toward the window, his throat muscles working harder, clearly trying to keep his

composure.

Sophia's own throat felt tight, but she still nodded encouragingly at Theresa. "Yeah, Daddy."

Theresa's wide eyes slowly mixed confusion with budding excitement, still grappling with the concept.

She called out again softly, "Daddy?"

It was like she was talking to herself, slowly probing the meaning behind these words.

Brandon's throat seemed to catch even more.

He turned around and gently hugged Theresa.

Theresa looked up at him cautiously, a little hopeful and a little afraid of being let down, she asked tentatively, "Are you my

daddy?"

Brandon stroked her hair and looked into her eyes, nodding slowly and seriously, "Yeah, I'm your daddy."

The flicker of excitement in Theresa's eyes grew, and she couldn't help but seek further confirmation. "So, will you, like Mia's

daddy, taketo school?"

"Of course," Brandon's voice was husky but gentle.

"And, will you join Mommy and play with me? Eat together, go to lots of fun places, play in the sand together?" Theresa's voice was

small, her excitement mixing with her need for assurance.

"Of course," Brandon said hoarsely, "Wherever you want to go, Daddy and Mommy will go with you."

"Then," Theresa pondered seriously, "if Mommy gets hurt, will Daddy stay with her too?"

Brandon caressed her hair and nodded, "Of course."

Theresa's excitement surged, but remembering when her mom got hurt, she couldn't help feeling a bit sad, and she began to

complain to Brandon, "Last time, when Mommy hurt her head, | wanted to call you, but you didn't pick up my calls. A lady

answered, and | told her | wanted to talk to you, then she just hung up the phone."

Brandon fell silent.

Sophia couldn't help but glance at Brandon.

Brandon cleared his throat, noting the green light, and started driving again, asking her, "Did you dial the wrong number?"

Theresa looked puzzled at that.

Brandon instinctively responded, "I don't have any ladies at my house, | live alone."

"But, | used Grace's phone to call." Theresa was also confused, "There really was a lady talking, and a man too."

Brandon frowned, getting a rough idea that her call must have been intercepted because the line was busy.

"Do you remember what that man and lady were saying?" Brandon asked.

Theresa tried hard to remember, mimicking as best she could. "Sorry, your phone call, um, sorry,"

She couldn't quite get the rest out.

"Those weren't Daddy's friends on the phone," Brandon said softly, "They were people working on the phone line."

"Oh." Theresa nodded, her understanding still a bit shaky, but excited nonetheless, and she couldn't help but keep asking Brandon,

"So, sir, will you cto my house a lot?"

"It's Daddy," Brandon gently corrected her, "Daddy will live with Mommy and you from now on."

Theresa was still a bit confused, "Will you sleep with Mommy and me?"

Sophia was speechless.

Brandon glanced at Sophia.

Sophia coughed softly, diverting Theresa's attention, "Theresa, Daddy's driving right now, let's not talk and distract Daddy."

"Okay."

Theresa nodded obediently and fell silent, but she couldn't stop stealing glances at Brandon, whispering softly each time, "Daddy?"

as she grew familiar with and adjusted to the joy of this new word and role.

From the moment Sophia told her to call him Daddy, Theresa had been repeating the word with a mix of confusion and excitement,

even as she slowly confirmed the word "Daddy" in her speech, still without much emotional weight, mostly just a sense of

bewilderment and recognition of something new.

Sophia and Brandon didn't go out of their way to shatter or correct her perception, they just let her mull it over and savor it, giving

her tto gradually get used to it and accept it.

The car quickly pulled up at the base of Sophia's apartment complex.

Theresa, still pondering over the word "daddy," glanced out of the car window in confusion, then turned to look at Brandon.

Brandon was unbuckling his seatbelt, opening the door to get out, and then he opened the rear door and reached out for her.

Theresa climbed onto Brandon instinctively, her eyes still fixed on his profile without moving.

Brandon had already turned his attention back to Sophia, helping her to open the door and get out.

As Theresa gazed at Brandon's calm and handsprofile, she pursed her lips and, with utmost seriousness and caution, called

out to him. "Daddy."

Sophia saw Brandon's hand pause on the car door, his head tilting slightly away, but he held Theresa tighter, his cheek brushing

gently against hers, without saying a word.

Sophia's eyes couldn't help but well up a bit, and she turned her head away slightly.

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