Page 13 of The Wish List
The thought of spending the day with them made me feel something I hadn’t felt in years. An elusive fluttering of happiness filled my chest.
“I would be honored to come here for Christmas.”
She beamed at me, her smile wide.
“Then consider yourself invited.”
* * *
The snow began as we went sledding, the fluffy white flakes falling rapidly. The walk to the park was short, AJ chatting incessantly. There were two places to sled, one a small slope, the other much higher. Both were fairly busy with families and kids, the noise and excitement level high.
“There’s a skating pond farther down the path,” Rosie explained.
“I don’t know how to skate,” AJ said with a frown.
“I can teach you,” I offered.
“I don’t have any skates. Neither does Momma.”
“I bet I have an older pair kicking around that would fit you,” I said. “My sister left her skates last time. I bet they’d fit your momma.”
“I’d like that!”
Rosie didn’t look as enthused as her son did, which made me chuckle.
At the bottom of the hill was a food truck, and the scent of coffee, hot cocoa, and something sweet filled the air.
“That’s where Momma sits while I sled sometimes.” AJ pointed to the picnic tables set up. “She only goes a few times.” He bent his finger for me to come closer. “She gets tired ’cause she is old.”
I bit back my laughter. “I don’t think your momma is old.”
“She says so.”
“Trust me, trudging up the hill, I feel old,” Rosie said, sounding amused.
“Okay, well today, AJ and I will trudge.” I pressed a bill into her hand. “You sit and enjoy the coffee. We’ll have some cocoa when we’ve made a few trips.”
She began to protest, and I leaned down and kissed her. “Please. I want to do this.”
She smiled, and it felt as if the sun came out. “Okay.”
“Let’s go, bud.”
We headed to the hill, and I paused. “Which one?”
He hesitated. “That one.” He pointed to the smaller of the two.
“I don’t mind walking up the bigger one,” I offered. “It’ll be fun.”
He kicked the snow. “The little one is fine.”
I got down on one knee. “What is it, Asher?”
He looked up, hearing his full name. “I went down the big one once, and I fell off the sled. I’m scared to try again.”
I pursed my lips and nodded in understanding. “That would be scary. But this time, I’ll be with you. We can go down together. I won’t let you fall.”
He looked over my shoulder at the higher hill. “You won’t?”
