Page 33 of Coulda

Once in the kitchen, Amber offered, “How can I help?”

“Sit down and talk to me.”

“No, really. Put me to work. I’m glad to help.”

“Little girls don’t work at home. That’s their Daddy’s job. Allow me to take care of you, Ella,” Rio requested.

What could she say to that? Nodding, Amber slid into a chair at the table. She answered Rio’s questions about places she’d worked in over the years as she watched him deftly slice and dice some vegetables and cooked chicken before stir-frying them quickly with rice and some seasonings.

“That smells heavenly,” she complimented.

“Good. I hope you’ll enjoy the flavor as well. I do this a lot for myself. It’s fast, easy, and can be nutritious.”

“And it makes leftovers for the next day,” she observed.

“Perfect for a Little girl’s lunchbox for work.”

“I usually just throw a handful of crackers and some cheese together in a plastic bag and call it good,” she confessed. Amber couldn’t imagine taking the time to make herself lunch each day.

“I’ll make sure your lunch is ready for you to take,” Rio promised as he spooned a healthy portion of the concoction into a large bowl and carried it over to place on the table between their chairs.

“You’re not eating?” she asked in confusion.

“We’ll start with this and get more if we’re still hungry.”

Rio dipped the fork in the fried rice and lifted it to her mouth. He waited for her to react with a hum of delight before smiling and taking a bite himself.

“You’re an excellent cook,” she complimented after swallowing before letting him feed her again.

An idea burst into her mind to add fun to the meal. “You don’t have chopsticks, do you?”

“I do.”

Rio returned to the kitchen and dug through a drawer to find a pair of bamboo sticks. “You feed us while I write,” he instructed as he pulled a pad of paper close.

Feeling awkward, Amber fitted the utensils in her hand and scooped up a portion to offer to him. Rio opened his mouth and chuckled as a few grains of rice tumbled to the table.

“You’re good at that. I would have dropped the whole darn thing on the floor.”

Her embarrassment faded away. Rio was the same as he’d always been—fun and accepting of new things. With more confidence, Amber tried the chopsticks again to feed herself before holding out a bite to him next. This time, she didn’t drop a grain of rice.

Amber’s gaze dropped to the paper as he wrote Guidelines at the top of the page.

“Guidelines?” she read aloud before taking another bite.

“It’s a nicer word for rules,” he explained. “I’ve thought of this a lot as I’ve waited to have you in my life. Here’s what I would suggest.”

Rio listed three items:

Guidelines

Listen to each other.

Pay attention to what matters.

Daddy’s in charge. His decisions trump everything else.

“That last one is a bit over the top, don’t you think?” Amber asked with a laugh.Surely, he’s joking.

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