Page 56 of Endless Southern Love

With Ana living here now, I’ve had time to catch up on work and some of my bigger projects. Goldie is still living with me full-time, so Ana comes and goes from my house. It’s easier this way and we both agreed she will stay at my parents until she finds a place, and not in my guest bedroom. I don’t want to give Lemon any excuse to feel like I’m doing something behind her back.

Tonight is the school carnival. I’m not sure how this is going to go. My heart races with anticipation of seeing Lemon. I’ll be in her environment, where she has to be on her A game. She can’t flounder or show any weaknesses in front of school board members, and she doesn’t need me complicating the night for her.

This will be the first time since Ana arrived that we’ll be out as a family. It’s a waste of gas for us not to go as a family. It’s not like I’m going to stand on the other side of the room and then yell switch when it’s my turn with Goldie. We’ve never done that before. Even when Ana was with Franco. We’ve always been a united front.

Tonight’s carnival is a fundraiser for the school. There’s a silent auction which I donated to. Much like I have in years past. At first, I donated a free mowing job, but then Ana filled out the form and the next thing I know, I’ve been volunteered to dig another garden. My luck, someone will want something massive, and it won’t be just tilling the land. I’ll probably have to plant everything too.

We arrive together, in Ana’s rental. Next week, Jed and I, along with Landon and a few other guys are taking Ana to Jacksonville. It’s a community effort. I have a U-Haul reserved near her house there, and she’ll go through and point out everything she’s taking. Franco assures me he won’t be there, but you never know. I started reading a book on how to help Ana with what she’s going through. Offering her unconditional support is paramount in her heading process. Plus knowing we have her back, no matter what, helps. I think Franco knows to stay away from the house while we’re there.

After parking, I get out and help Ana and Goldie out of the car. We each take one of her hands and make our way into the school, along with other families. By the time we reach the gym, there’s a line to get in.

“Daddy, we have to buy tickets,” Goldie says as she tugs on my hand.

“For what?”

“For all the games,” she says. “There’s bobbing for apples. And I think we can throw pies at our gym teacher. And a dunk tank.”

I look at Ana. “This sounds like the carnival from the movie, Grease. Do you remember it?”

Ana laughs. “I assure you the elementary school is not full of hormonal debauchery.”

“The high is,” I mumble as we step forward. There is a list of packages we can buy. Of course, I get the biggest one, even though I’m sure Goldie won’t need all these extra tickets.

We take our pile of tickets and the printed map we were given into a toilet papered gymnasium. I look around at all the streamers, balloons, and all the booths. Kids run around screaming, while some parents gather. Teachers are dressed up in what I’m assuming are their Halloween costumes even though we are weeks away.

“Wow,” I say as we stand there with Goldie tugging on our hands. “The staff really outdid themselves.”

“Thanks, I’ll pat myself on the back.”

I look at Ana. “You did this?”

She beams and nods. “Goldie brought home a note saying they needed volunteers and I figured since I’m here, I might as well make myself useful. So, while she was in class, I started helping with the planning.”

“I’m happy to see you’re trying to fit in, Ana.”

“Me, too. Now come on before our daughter rips our arms off.”

We let go of Goldie’s hands and follow her around. Ana takes a lot of photos of Goldie and me, and I take pictures of her and Goldie. A few people offer to take one of the three of us, but we decline. It’s not that we don’t want one, this isn’t the place to do them.

While we wait in line, I scan the area for Lemon, looking over heads, around people and everywhere else I can, but don’t see her. I figured she’d be here, but maybe this is something she skips. Not that I can blame her. It’s loud and the kids are a bit wild.

Goldie is intent on throwing a pie at her gym teacher. Thankfully, the teacher is sitting rather close to the table with the whip cream pies, so the little kids have a chance. Goldie counts out the tickets needed and picks her pie. Ana has her phone out and is videoing as our daughter hurls a pie at her teacher. I don’t know what this teacher did to my daughter, but Goldie throws a perfect shot right to his face.

Smack!

Goldie cheers, fist pumping and giving me a high-five.

“Mommy, did you get it?”

“I did, pumpkin. Nice job!”

“So, what did you do to my daughter for her to want to throw a pie at you?” I ask the gym teacher I oddly have no idea who he is.

He wipes whipped cream from his face and sighs. “I made the mistake of calling her Goldilocks. She didn’t like that.”

“You do know Goldilocks is blonde?” Ana asks him.

He nods. “Believe me, I learned really fast.”

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