Page 48 of With All My Heart, Joy

The ice rink at Silver Lake Community Park was crowded when they got there. Loud, upbeat Christmas carols played from speakers, and skaters bedecked in brilliant hats and coats rotated in a slow-moving circle around the rink.

“Let me help you get those skates on.” Lacing the white figure skates would take all night if Isaac left it to Paisley. Finished with hers, he put on his hockey skates, and then together they clomped to the entrance of the rink. Paisley’s face was animated with happiness as they teetered onto the icy surface and began to glide at a snailish pace near the outer wall. Isaac never strayed far from the railing. He needed something to grab so Paisley wouldn’t take him down with her whenever she fell.

“Jinga bell, jinga bell,” Paisley crooned, wiggling her shoulders back and forth in rhythm to “Jingle Bell Rock.” Isaac would normally laugh and be silly with her, but his mind wandered to Joy’s words in her letter. Could Paisley truly accomplish something with her life? He’d been so focused on her care that he hadn’t thought much about her long-term future.

“Whatcha want to be when you grow up, Paisley?”

“A model.” The answer came without a second’s delay. She’d thought about it before, then, and had her answer ready. Isaac’s first instinct was to gently tell her to find another dream. He’d heard of models with Down syndrome, but it was incredibly rare. How he longed to protect his daughter from the heartache and rejection that would accompany a goal like that. But instead, he squeezed her mitted hand.

“If anyone can do it, you can. You’re very beautiful.”

She turned a smile on him that rewarded his encouraging words. “Like you!”

He was beautiful, huh? Giving in to the desire that bubbled inside him, he let out a hearty burst of laughter. A head turned in his direction, fast and startled.

“Joy!” Paisley let go of his hand and took off like a shot across the ice. Isaac pushed away from the wall, chasing after her. Joy was here—with a group of friends, shooting a video. He saw the annoyed looks exchanged as Paisley careened into the group, putting an early end to the video. The guy holding the recording device jerked it down with a huff.

“Thanks a lot, kid.”

“Hey.” Joy shot him a warning look as she gripped Paisley’s arm to hold her steady. “Watch it, Danny. These are my friends.” Her stern face transformed into one of delight as she pulled Paisley into a hug. “Hey girl, I missed you! I had no idea you would be here tonight. And look at those fancy skates. You look like a real figure skater.”

Paisley glowed under the compliments, wiggling as much as an eager puppy. “I love skating!”

“So I see. Does your dad like skating?” Joy’s eyes searched beyond Paisley cautiously, connecting with Isaac’s in a guarded motion. He held himself stiffly, offering what he hoped was a reserved dad smile. Seeing her, hearing her—it made him want to grin like a fool.

“I like making her happy,” he said. “And catching her when she falls.”

Joy’s laughter tinkled through the air. “Sounds like a good time.”

“Skate with us, Joy. Skate with us!” Paisley tugged on Joy’s arm hard enough to put her in motion on her skates.

“Paisley,” Isaac said firmly, moving closer. “Joy is busy.” And he was under scrutiny by her group of friends, all in the same early-twenties age range as Joy. He’d never felt like such an old geezer before.

And he’d thought there was a chance she might care for him. What an idiot.

He tried to pull Paisley away, but her grip on Joy’s arm was like iron, which meant Joy got dragged along with Paisley.

Isaac pressed his gloved fist to his forehead. This was ridiculous. “Paisley, let go of Joy.”

“No!”

Joy gave a tinyit’s okaywave to Isaac, then set her free gloved hand on Paisley’s head. “I can skate with you for a few minutes if you like.”

He’d never seen a happier Paisley.

“I’m so sorry,” he murmured over Paisley’s head as his daughter positioned herself in the middle, taking them each by the hand.

“It’s fine, really.” It was too dark to see her eyes, but there was a strain in her voice.

“Are you okay?”

She was quiet as they glided on the ice. Paisley hummed along to “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” between them.

“Fake friends.” The two words told him all he needed to know. These were the friends who just wanted their moment of fame on her platforms. Not real friends who cared about her needs.

“I see. Well, I daresay you’ve got a real friend holding your hand.” He looked pointedly at Paisley, and when Joy met his gaze, she smiled in the passing illumination of an overhead light.

“Circle, circle!”

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