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“That was…”
“Yeah,” I said, breathing hard.
“I was going to say, worth the wait.”
“Yes, that too.”
She finally propped herself up on my chest and looked at me.
“Are you okay? Really?” She questioned.
“I’m okay,” I answered, running my fingers over her back. “I’m better than okay.”
Even though the grief was still there, I had a feeling it would always be there, but it had made room for her. Someone who laughed and could love and would write the dirtiest scenes, leaving them for me to read to watch me squirm.
She pressed her lips to my chest and settled against me. Neither one of us moved, neither of us mentioned her going back to her room, and for the first time, she stayed.
The next morning Sophie caught me during a weak moment when she asked if we could attend the Maple Lane Harvest Festival. She stood in front of me, hands clasped under her chin, looking up at me with a look that reminded me of Rebecca. Ember glanced in my direction, waiting for my response, and the moment our eyes locked, without even thinking, I said yes.
It was the weekend before Halloween, and the festival lit up the entire downtown strip. Sophie walked between Ember and me, carrying the backpack she insisted on taking, vibrating with excitement. Every time she ran ahead, I’d take the opportunity to step closer to Ember and our hands would accidentally brush against one another.
The town looked like it had gone full-on movie set. Warm lights draped over every storefront. The store display windows featured fall or Halloween scenes. There was a giant scarecrow in the square, and right beside that they were getting set up to run the bachelor and bachelorette auction. Food trucks and game vendors lined both sides of the street. There was something for everyone: an apple cider stand, roasted candied nuts, funnel cakes, waffles, and a ton of chocolate and candy vendors.
Sophie pulled us in every direction: the ring toss, the face-painting booth, the haunted house, and the miniature Ferris wheel that was strung with colored lights.
“Can I go on the Ferris wheel? Can I? Daddy, please?”
“Soph, it’s freezing. Might be better to stay down here.”
“I’ll wear my hat! Ember tell him.” Sophie cried.
“Hey, I’m Switzerland.” Ember said, holding up her hands, laughing.
Sophie looked up at her, “What does that mean?”
“It means I don’t have a say.”
I looked at Ember and then down at Soph, who looked up at me with sad eyes. Those eyes were all it took, and I walked over and bought three tickets. The three of us crammed into a bucket seat designed for two adults. Sophie wedged herself between us. We rose slowly over the town and looked down at the bright lights. Sophie pointed out The Book Nook, the Cafe, and the bakery and insisted we needed to get funnel cakes after. When we hit the top, the wheel paused. Sophie covered her mouth and gasped.
“You can see the whole town! Mom would have loved this”
My chest seized and Ember’s hand found mine as she smiled at me.
“She really would have Soph. You are right,” I said, taking in the town below us.
The moment we were down, Soph pulled us toward the funnel cake cart, and while we were waiting our turn, Ember took her over to play ring toss. I watched Ember while I waited, cheering on Sophie. Then the three of us found a bench near one of the gigantic oak trees and shared the large pumpkin-shaped funnel cake.
Sophie looked up at me halfway through eating the funnel cake with powdered sugar on her nose and chin.
“Daddy, I have something for you,” she said, opening her backpack.
“Here, Soph, let me wipe your hands.” Ember said, grabbing a package of baby wipes from her own bag, carefully cleaning her little hands.
Sophie waited patiently while Ember cleaned her hands and then she pulled out a box wrapped in brown craft paper that was adorned with an assortment of Halloween stickers.
“I wrapped it myself. I made the paper. Do you like it?” She asked, placing the box in front of me.
“I do, Soph, this is great,” I said, wiping my hands on my napkin, and then picking up the package and unwrapping it.
