I stroked her head. "I understand, baby. After Gillian left I didn't have any family, I left school because I couldn't stand to be there. I was totally adrift. Who I was had destroyed my whole life. And that's not fair."

"I'm not totally adrift. I'm lucky, 'cause I have you."

I kissed her on the forehead, which caused her to make a little happy noise. "I have you, too. I don't think you have to be afraid of your family. Your dad will come around. Especially once I prove to him that I'm not going to drag you into the poor house. When he sees that we're happy together....