To say that “He’s here?” Iris squealed. “In New Mexico?” Taryn smiled. “Yes. He came to see me at the office earlier this afternoon.” Iris jumped from the brightly-colored Southwestern patterned couch to the floor where her baby sister was sitting on a soft blanket. “Your daddy’s coming to see us, Clara Jane!” she said happily, sweeping the infant up in her arms and dancing about the large, airy living room with her. Clara giggled at her sister, her wide brown eyes full of wonder. “Maybe you should go change her and get her into a clean outfit,” Taryn suggested. “Isaac will be here anytime.” Iris stroked Clara’s white-blonde curls back from her forehead and kissed her gently. “Okay,” she said. As Taryn watched Iris take Clara back to the nursery, she dropped her head into her hands.
What have I done? She thought to herself. This never would have happened if I had just trusted my instincts and trusted Isaac. Taryn went to her bedroom and changed from her work suit into a long green t-shirt and denim shorts. The moment of truth was drawing near. Just as Taryn was coming back out into the living room, she heard a tentative knock at the door. She walked slowly to the foyer, and took a deep breath as she swung the door open. There was Isaac, as big as life, weighed down under several shopping bags. Taryn smiled in spite of herself. “You’ve been shopping,” she observed. Isaac grinned. “What gave it away?” Taryn took two of the bags and opened the door wide for Isaac. He followed her into the bright white living room, which was full of brightly colored furniture and southwestern accessories and artifacts. “This is a nice place,” Isaac said. “Thanks,” Taryn replied. “Have a seat.” Isaac sat in the chair that matched the bright couch. Taryn sat on the couch and faced him. “I know you’re going to have a hard time forgiving me for this,” Taryn said. “But I want you to know that I am sincerely sorry. I really thought I was doing the right thing. It had nothing to do with me not loving you or with me not wanting us to all be together. I just didn’t want you to feel like you had to give up everything for me.” Isaac ran his hands through his thick hair and sighed heavily. “We would have worked it out,” he said. “It hurts that you didn’t know me as well as I thought you did. It hurts that you took away something that was just as much mine as it was yours. I loved you, Taryn. And I loved Iris. Your leaving affected my whole life. You never even told me why. That letter was the coward’s way out, and it was weak. I knew there was something else under the surface, but you really covered all your bases. No one would talk to me. I called your mom, Cam and Lindsey, Gregor … they all knew about the baby, but I didn’t. How is that fair?” Taryn’s wide brown eyes filled with tears. “I said I was sorry, Isaac,” she said. Isaac shook his head slowly, and resisted the urge to touch Taryn’s face. “That’s not enough,” he said. “I don’t know what else you could do or say now, but that just doesn’t cut it.” At that moment, Iris appeared in the doorway with Clara, freshly changed and clothed, balanced on her hip. Isaac’s heart jumped. He thought that Iris must have grown at least two inches since he had last seen her. Her legs had gotten impossibly long, and there was a different maturity in her long face. Her once quite long golden brown hair had been bobbed just like her mother’s, and Isaac noticed that her once innocent brown eyes held a new level of knowledge. He noticed with a smile that she was wearing the necklace he had given her the Christmas before last. It was an iris made of rhinestones that Isaac had had made especially for her. Isaac rose wordlessly from the couch, and walked over to where Iris stood holding his daughter. He crouched in front of her. “Hey, kid,” he said softly, his voice catching slightly in his throat. “It looks like I’m going to have to put a brick on your head to stop you from growing.” Iris’ bottom lip began to quiver. “Hey, Ike,” she said quietly. Isaac touched the side of Iris’ face gently. “I missed you,” he said. A tear trickled slowly down Iris’ cheek. “Not as much as I missed you,” she squeaked. Careful not to crush the baby between them, Isaac drew Iris into a hug and buried his face in her soft hair. He closed his eyes and let the feeling of finally seeing her again wash over him. Iris began to cry quietly, and drew back to look at Isaac. “I can’t believe you’re really here,” she said, giving Isaac a weak, watery smile. Iris gently held Clara out to Isaac. “This is your daughter,” she said. Clara lifted her trusting brown eyes to Isaac, and he gently took her from Iris. Taryn covered her mouth with both hands to keep from crying as Isaac gazed upon his child for the very first time. “Hi, Clara,” he said quietly, holding her up to get a good look at her. “What a beautiful girl you are. Just like your sister and your mom.” Clara smiled happily at Isaac. “I think she knows who you are,” Iris said. Isaac lowered Clara to his hip and looked at her intently. “You think so?” Iris sat on the footstool in front of a wooden rocking chair. “She likes to be rocked,” she told Isaac, nodding toward the chair. Isaac took a seat in the rocking chair, carefully balancing the baby on his lap. Clara gurgled happily. “She’s gorgeous, Taryn,” he said. Taryn nodded. “We think so.” Isaac studied Clara’s face. “She’s definitely a Hanson. She looks a lot like Zoe did when she was a baby,” he observed. “Really?” Taryn asked. Isaac nodded. “Well, any of the little ones, really. I remember Mackie and Avie looking a lot like this, too. The blonde curls and all.” “She seems to like you,” Taryn said with a smile. “I like her,” Isaac said, lifting Clara into the air to look at her again. “How long are you staying, Ike?” Iris asked. Taryn and Isaac exchanged an uncomfortable look. “I’m not sure,” Isaac admitted. “Can you stay for dinner?” Iris pressed. “I could take you all out for dinner,” Isaac suggested. Iris looked at her mother. “Can we do that?” she asked pleadingly. Although Taryn herself was uncomfortable with the idea, she saw how much it meant to Iris. Forcing a smile, she agreed. “Okay, but we can’t be out late,” she said. “It’s a school night.” Iris smiled. “Great! I’ll go get Clara’s bag around.” Iris left, and Taryn and Isaac sat for a moment in tense silence, watching Clara. “I hope I didn’t put you on the spot,” Isaac said. Taryn smiled brightly. “We’re going to have to learn to interact, Isaac,” she said. “I guess there’s no time like the present.”
Iris was excited when Taryn told her who was coming to visit would have been a gross understatement.
