Veer

It was a tough subject to breach and a rough time to even think about bringing it up. Maya kept trying to talk to Jessa about her dad, but the timing just never seemed right. First the Kings were losing to the Blues so Jessa went to bed early and didn’t want to talk much, then Jeff was back in town and Maya didn’t want to bring up any more of the biological father stuff in front of him.

Finally, halfway through the Sharks series, Maya decided to bring it up. Jeff and the team were staying in hotels the whole series to keep their focus and this gave the girls a chance to talk on a gameless day with no Jeff to worry about.

“So Jessa what do you know about your dad?”

“He plays hockey and has to stay in some hotel even though he lives here.”

“Not Jeff, your real dad. Your father.”

“Oh. You don’t talk about him much. Grandma says you went to college together and loved each other a whole lot and made me but sometimes love isn’t enough when life gets in the way so daddy had to leave,” Jessa shrugged like she wasn’t a six year old saying fairly profound things.

“That’s about right. Have you ever wondered about him?”

“I’m six year old girl who’s only ever had just a mommy, so not really,” Maya laughed at her daughter.

“Okay so what would you think if I told you your father has been wondering about you?”

“What does he want to know?” Jessa scrunched up her face, almost scrutinizing the possibility.

“Well, you see your father- he met you when you were just a cute little baby, so he wants to know what a pretty little girl you’ve turned into. He just misses you.” Maya said, the words felt foreign coming out of her mouth, like she was defending the man who made her 20s much more difficult than they needed to be.

“If he misses me so much why didn’t he come visit earlier?” Jessa questioned. She did it so innocently, like she wasn’t bitter he was never there, just curious as to why he never took action.

“You see your father did some not so nice things and mommy didn’t want him around. But he also couldn’t leave Canada for a while so he couldn’t just come down here to see you.”

“So if you don’t want him around, why should I?”

“You don’t have to. But what he did, that’s a problem between him and me and is in the past. And he’s your father, so I was just wondering if you wanted to meet him. If you don’t want to care, you don’t have to.”

“I’m really little so I don’t think I care yet.”

“What do you mean bubs?”

“I just- I’m six! I don’t know much about mommies and daddies so him being my real daddy doesn’t mean anything to me,” she flung her arms up dramatically.

“Maybe when I’m older I’ll understand and want to meet him and play dolls and eat ice cream but right now I like just having you and Jeffie as my parents.”

“Okay, I’ll tell him that, but if you ever change your mind you can tell me. You have every right to be confused about this and think about it for days, weeks, months, infinity, even infinity times infinity!” Maya laughed reaching and pulling her daughter into a hug.

“Can I ask you something about him?”

“Shoot.”

“Where does he live?”

“You know what bubs, I’m not sure. He probably lives with his mom in Oshawa right now.”

“His mom? You mean I have another grandma you’ve never told me about?”

“It’s not that I didn’t tell you it’s-“

“Nope you stopped me from having lots of grandma presents and treats, can I meet her?”

“If you meet her, you will sort of have to meet your father.”

“Fine. I want to have another grandma, then I’ll have three! But can you not come?”

“I’m not going to just send you up there, I haven’t seen your father in six years, so you’re not going alone.”

“Then have your mommy take me this summer! I don’t want you to see him.”

“Why not?”

“If you loved him enough to make me, I don’t want you to see him and leave Jeffie. I like him as my daddy and you need to be in love with him forever so no seeing my real daddy because you might fall in love again and run away with him!”

“I can guarantee you I wouldn’t run away with him.”

“I don’t want to risk that, you can’t see him. Well at least until you’re married, then maybe that would be okay.”

“Okay fine, you can meet your grandma and your father this summer without me, but you better not fall in love with them and run away from me.”

“I could never do that! You’re the bestest mommy in the whole wide world!” Jessa looked completely shocked before planting a kiss on her mom’s mouth.

^^^^^^^^^^

The Kings won the series on a school night, so Maya and Jessa were unable to attend the last game because it was way past Jessa’s bedtime. But as soon as Jeff came home, the first time since this series began, a very sleepy Jessa ran down to greet him.

She pushed between the kissing couple and wrapped her arms around Jeff’s leg. Jeff picked her up and kissed her all over her face until she grimaced.

“You should be in bubs bed, it’s way too late for you.” Jeff said looking at the little girl who was yawning.

“But daddy, I missed you! And didn’t know if you won. Mommy was screaming but I didn’t know if it was good or bad,” she rubbed her eyes as Jeff carried her up the stairs.

“Well we won bubs, so you get to see me play more hockey! But until then you need to sleep because you have school tomorrow,” the small girl nodded as he tucked her in a kissed her once more.

Jeff made his way into his bedroom and began to undress as Maya lay down in the bed and waited for him to join her.

“It’s so nice to finally be home.” Jeff said as he crawled in bed and pulled Maya into him.

“I didn’t miss that itchy as fuck beard but it was super weird not having you around.”

“Was it weird because you finally talked to her about her dad?” Jeff gave her a pointed look.

“Yes, but she was super weirdly mature about, it made me regret some rearing techniques early on. She is a little too adult like.”

“So what did she say?”

“At first she was saying she was too young to get the whole biological dad thing so she would wait until she was older to meet him. But then she learned she had another grandma so she now has to meet both of them.”

“Okay,” Jeff said with a tinge of disappointment in his voice.

“Hey,” Maya placed a hand on his scruffy cheek, “she won’t let me go with her because she doesn’t want me to see him and then leave you because she likes you to be her daddy too much and we have to love each other forever.”

“Good, that’s the only way I want forever to pan out,” Jeff grinned before leaning in and kissing her deeply while cheating a hand under her shirt.