Say you love me

Part 33

Christine did make coffee, to Pearl's dismay. Pearl was angry, "But Mummy, I wanted to have a tea party with Daddy!" She angrily shook her little fists. Chris was having none of it, she needed just a little time to herself. She pointedly said,
"You can have a tea party with Daddy later, but I want to talk to him for a while. Go play with Raisin!"
She ushered Pearl out, then sighed as she flopped into her chair, coffee in hand. John didn't know where to look, the situation was just so uncomfortable. Christine was still as beautiful as he remembered, but she looked different from three years ago. Older, more tired.

Christine spoke first. "She's been asking about you since she could talk." She sipped her coffee, remembering.
"What did you tell her when she asked?"
"What could I tell her, John? I never knew what to tell her, I always tried to change the subject." Chris continued.
"You never even called me once in the last three years! What could I tell her?" She slammed her mug so hard on the coffee table that some coffee splashed out and puddled on the table. John fumbled for the right words, but clearly there were none. "How could I just show up and pretend everything was fine after what went on between us? You left me, Chris."

"You didn't want her, John. You show up now and play with her and think that makes everything okay, but it doesn't! It doesn't!" Chris sniffed, trying to clear her throat. She wouldn't cry now, she couldn't cry. She'd cried too many tears over this and she couldn't anymore.

"I still love you," John whispered as Chris struggled not to cry. At first she wasn't sure if she heard him correctly. But she smiled through her tears and whispered, "I love you too."
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Eventually Pearl dragged John away to her room for her tea party, which she was ecstatic about. She sat John down at her tiny table, which he could hardly fit into. Lifting up her tiny teapot, she poured him a cup of fake tea into a tiny cup.
"How do you take your tea?" she asked politely with her pinkie in the air. "Oh, I love mine with sugar, please," John smiled as Pearl spooned sugar from the sugar bowl (where did she get that?!) into his cup. She handed him his cup and poured tea into her own. This was actually really fun. John listened as Pearl told him all about her favorite songs, her dog, and her best friend Alicia, scarcely stopping to breath. He loved to hear her endless baby talk, could listen to it all day. Eventually she talked herself tired, and John placed her in her bed and tucked her in. He stood up to leave as he heard Pearl whisper, "I love you, Daddy,"
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They made plans to have dinner the next night, with Pearl out of the way. Clearly they had alot to talk about. Deep down, Chris was excited.