The Most Popular Boy in School Asked My Daughter to Prom – Then He Walked Over to Me During the Slow Dance and Said, ‘I Did My Part, Now You Do Yours’
He nodded.
“You vanished for years. You never sent support. Never sent a letter. Never showed up at a birthday. Nothing.”
“I know.”
“I just want to fix things. I have money now… I can help you both.”
“And now you decide to come back during her prom? Through him?” I pointed at Mason, who looked like he wanted the floor to open and swallow him. “Do you have any idea what you just did to her?”
Darren’s face crumpled, but I saw it clearly then: Darren hadn’t changed a bit. He was still the same boy who’d made me believe we had a future before announcing he was leaving.
Then, like something clicking into place, a thought came to me.
“Do you have any idea what you just did to her?”
I looked at Darren for a long moment, then I let my shoulders drop.
His expression changed immediately. Hope rushed in where shame should have been.
“Maybe you’re right,” I said quietly. “Maybe this has gone too far already.”
He nodded quickly. “Exactly.”
“If Elsie finds out you arranged all this before she hears you out, she’ll run.”
“That’s what I’ve been saying.”
“So let me talk to her first.”
“Maybe this has gone too far already.”
He took one eager step toward me. “You’ll help me?”
I lowered my eyes like I was thinking, like I was torn, like there was still any part of me left that would protect him.
“I’ll bring her,” I said.
He exhaled hard. “Thank you.”
I smiled.
It was the first lie I’d told all evening.
“You’ll help me?”
