Page 89 of Quintessentially

Pushing my chair back, I hurry toward the kitchen.

“Dax,” Molly calls as I lift her up and her little arms encircle my neck. “Do we really get to spend the night here?”

“You sure do. And I have a surprise for you.”

Her eyes grow wide. “You do?”

“I do.” I set her feet on the floor. “First, I’m going to kiss your mom.”

Kandace smiles as I tug her close and we kiss.

I can’t stop my laugh when I turn back to Molly.

She has her arms crossed over her chest and a sober expression. “Are you guys done? I want to see my surprise.”

My focus goes to Kandace. “Are we done?”

“No, but we can pick up later.”

“I’m good with later.” I reach for Molly’s hand. “Come upstairs so I can show you.”

The three of us go up the stairs. Once we’re to the landing, I go to the bedroom on the right. Standing at the closed door, I ask, “Are you ready?”

Molly nods as does Kandace. The thing is that Kandace knows what is inside. She helped me get everything set.

I open the door and Molly’s eyes grow wide again as she steps insideherroom. She points to the colorful letters on the wall. “That’s my name. It says Molly.”

The letters came from Quintessential Treasures. A couple in a nearby town makes custom woodwork items.

“That’s because this is your room.”

“My room?” She runs to the bed and lifts a stuffed Anna doll, fromFrozen.

While I thought Elsa is the rage for those movies, it seems Molly prefers Anna. Now that I’ve had the pleasure of watching not onlyFrozen 1but alsoFrozen 2, I understand. Anna is the one who tells the story, the hero who saves the day. My favorite character is Olaf.

“What do you think?” Kandace asks.

“I have a room at home.”

“You can have two rooms,” Kandace explains. “This way you can spend the night here sometimes.”

“With you,” she says, looking up at me.

I crouch down to my haunches. “Yes. If you want.” Her expression isn’t what I expected. “Molly, you don’t have to stay here.”

“I want to.”

I reach for her shoulders. “What’s the matter?”

Kandace also squats down. “Is something wrong? You were excited to come to Dax’s and spend the night.”

She looks at her mom. “You call Granddad dad.”

“I do.”

“Amber calls her dad dad.” She looks at me. “You’re my dad.”

“I am. You can call me whatever you want to call me.”

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