Page 4 of A Little Christmas Wish

She blinked rapidly. “Do you think she’s going to be okay?”

“I know she will be.” He kissed her nose and started up the truck. “Of course, I also think we’re gonna be well acquainted with the principal’s office.”

Betsy was so deep in thought that it took her a while to notice that they weren’t headed home. She’d tried to tell Ink that they should take two vehicles so that he could go straight from the school to work, but he wouldn’t hear of it.

And now she had to wonder if he’d had a reason why.

“Where are we? Are we going furniture shopping?” The large gray building he parked in front of had tinted windows and no signage.

Strange furniture shop.

All they really needed were some pieces for their second living room and the guest bedrooms.

“No, it’s not a furniture shop.” He undid his belt and turned to her. “You’ve heard about LittleLand from Greer?”

“You mean . . . this is it? The shop for Littles?”

“Yep.”

“You have to be a member to go inside, don’t you?” she asked, feeling a bit nervous.

“I just got my membership last week.”

“So I get to go inside?” She bounced up and down on her seat.

“Yes. There’s a room in the house that needs some things to fill it.”

“My playroom?” she whispered. She didn’t understand, though. They’d moved everything from her playroom in the warehouse to a new playroom in their house. Ink had put a lock on the door so they could keep it private. Betsy wasn’t sure how much time she’d get in the playroom with Zippy in the house now. But that didn’t matter.

When the twins had moved out, she’d felt so lonely. Without a purpose. She didn’t have a proper job. She just did some website work for Ink and a couple of other businesses that their friends owned. But it wasn’t really something that took a lot of time or that she was truly interested in.

That was the problem.

She didn’t know what she wanted to do.

Not that she was using Zippy to fill a hole or anything. Betsy had thought long and hard before asking Ink how he felt about fostering. There were so many kids that needed good foster homes and she wanted to help.

But sometimes, she wished she had more direction . . . that she felt like she was contributing more to society or at least doing something helpful.

“Brown eyes?” Ink murmured. “Are you all right? We don’t have to go in if you don’t want to.”

Her eyes widened. “What? Yes, of course I do. I just . . . I’m not really dressed for a visit to a Little store.”

“I don’t think it matters what you wear,” he told her gently.

Appearances aren’t everything, Betsy.

“I don’t really need anything, though. We just moved all of my stuff over to the new house. I have plenty of things in my room. Toys, clothes, furniture. What more could I need?”

“There’s still room in the those cupboards and the closet. Plus, Daddy says you need more. And what Daddy says goes.” Ink nodded firmly as though that was that.

Betsy rolled her eyes at him.

“Did you just roll your eyes at me, Little girl?”

Uh-oh.

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