Page 44 of Trained By Her Daddy

Chapter 16

“Tell me about your visits to the pumpkin patch, Jake. I’ve never been to one, and I can hardly wait to go.”

“When I was growing up, it was our family’s favorite fall field trip. I always loved trying to find the roundest pumpkin, or at least one attached to a vine—which meant I could watch Dad cut it loose in front of us. He had the neatest jackknife that he carried in a holster when we went to the farm.”

“Well, I owned it until my errant child took it from my drawer to show his friends.”

“Yeah, well that’s not a memory I care to relive right now.”

I knew there wouldn’t be details forthcoming about his spanking, but I bravely egged him on anyway. “I’ll bet someone didn’t sit comfortably for a while.”

Jake cleared his throat and totally ignored my comment. “After finding the perfect pumpkin, we’d venture into a large store to buy caramel apples, homemade apple pies, and apple cider.”

“I tasted a red candy apple once, but I’ve never eaten one covered in caramel. Could we make them?”

John’s smile widened. “I’m certain your dentist wouldn’t approve, but I’ll think about it. What else do you remember about the farm, Jake?”

“We would stay for a couple of hours, and then we’d jump into the car and head for home. Dad would always promise to bring me back for the haunted house tour before Halloween.”

“Yes, I already know about him keeping promises.”

John’s nod was slow but sure. “Indeed, she does.”

“Depending on what farm you go to, there are tons of activities like hay bales to climb, zip lines, pony rides, and corn mazes. So, my clothing tip would be to wear jeans and a long-sleeved shirt to help prevent cuts and scrapes. As for shoes, you should wear the closed-toe variety, since working farms usually have fields, gravel paths and uneven ground. In other words, sandals or flip flops are probably a bad idea.”

“Good advice for my shoe maven,” John said, throwing me a wink.

“Tell me about your first amusement park experience, Lori. Dad mentioned it, but he never got into the details.”

“Oh my God, we had a blast at Six Flags in San Antonio! I think we rode a total of five rollercoasters, and my favorite one was the Iron Rattler. It has a drop of 171 feet and a top speed of 70 mph.”

John’s eyebrow lifted slowly at the obvious memory. “We rode that one four times.”

“And you can even do some shopping at the park,” I said without missing a beat. “Your dad bought me the cutest pink bunny with floppy ears, and I named her Pinkie. I’d never had a stuffed animal before.”

Jake’s jaw dropped. “You didn’t own a stuffed toy when you were a child?”

“No. My parents didn’t like to waste their money on that type of unnecessary item.”

“What about Christmas… I-I mean Chanukah?” He stumbled a bit, but then corrected his error immediately.

“We lit a menorah, of course. But there were no gifts. My dad said the holiday was about the oil lasting for eight days, not about giving gifts to each other. He also mentioned that Christmas wasn’t supposed to be about monetary offerings either.”

“It isn’t,” John noted, crossing his arms. “But just the same, you will still have presents to open on Christmas morning, young lady.”

Jake’s eyes bugged out as he tilted his head. “Young lady?”

“I loved playing Santa Claus when Jake was a kid,” John continued, clearly ignoring his son’s reaction.

“Wow. I always thought it would be so much fun to celebrate Christmas because it seems to put people in such a good mood that time of year. The lights on the houses, all the commercials about baking and the family sitting together around the table—who wouldn’t love to celebrate that holiday? And I adore the notion of children believing in Santa. When did you find out he wasn’t real, Jake?”

John playfully put one finger to his lips. “Who said Santa isn’t real?”

“Your dad promised we’d see him and his helpers at Holiday in the Park this winter. Did you know from Thanksgiving to New Years, Six Flags is transformed into a cool winter wonderland with millions of colorful twinkling lights and musical shows? Do you want to join us, Jake?”

Leaning back in the recliner, he threaded his fingers together behind his head. “Dad, we all know my original intention of getting you two together was purely a business decision. But now I can see how perfect you are for each other. No one could’ve made a better match if they’d tried.”

I felt a sense of relief wash over me that Jake was finally comfortable with us living together. “I’m so glad you came to help us celebrate Memorial Day. I know some people think the holiday is only about picnics and food gatherings, but your dad said it really should be about remembering the people who gave up their lives so we could have freedom in the United States.”

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