Zoey turned toward Clara, her large eyes projecting a heart-wrenching glimmer of hope. "What did Daddy say, Clara? He's coming now, isn't he?"
Clara froze. She forced a thin smile, the kind that tasted of bitterness and sorrow. "It seems your father will be a little late, sweetheart. His work at the office is truly piling up today," Clara said softly, carefully treading through her words so as not to shatter the remnants of hope in Zoey's small heart.
Instantly, the light went out. Zoey's tiny lips pursed into a pout, and she looked down at her lap. Her dream of introducing Celine to her father had vanished just like that.
***
An hour passed like a fleeting breeze. The small pocket of happiness beneath the garden tree was disturbed when Thom stepped forward. His face was as rigid as stone, his hand still gripping the phone he had just pocketed.
