Page 44 of Blindsided By the Enforcer

He slowly makes his way down the stairs. Annie walks beside him to ensure he doesn’t fall while she’s holding the heating pad.

We make our way over to the living room where there is a tree with gifts under it. Her dad lies back on the couch and Annie sets him up with the heating pad.

“Is Mom around?” she asks.

“I heard her leave early this morning,” her dad replies regretfully.

“That’s fine. No big deal.” Annie smiles.

I can see the hurt on her face so I’m pretty sure her dad can too.

“She left her presents under the tree,” he explains, as if that is supposed to appease a twenty-one-year-old girl.

Annie nods.

“I’ll get you a glass of water to take the ibuprofen,” she says to him and leaves the room.

He lets out a sigh. “One of the worst feelings as a parent is feeling like you let your kid down.”

“But you’re here,” I say.

He shakes his head. “It isn’t enough.”

I want to tell him my mom just left my dad because she was sick and tired of feeling abandoned by him, but I keep my mouth shut. I just met this guy. He’s nice and kind, but I don’t want to overstep.

Annie returns with a glass of water in hand.

“Here you go.” He takes the pills and swallows the water.

“I can’t skate with you today, Annie girl,” he says, looking sad.

“That’s okay,” she tells him. “I just want you to feel better.”

“I don’t want to take away from your tradition, but I’d be happy to skate with you,” I offer.

“Cade was going to join us,” Annie says to her dad.

“Does he know what’s involved?” her dad asks.

Annie shakes her head.

“What am I missing?” I question, looking between father and daughter.

Annie bites into that luscious lip of hers and releases it. “Daddy and I always figure skate to Mariah Carey’s, ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You.’I was always into figure skating and we started one year, then the next and so on. Now we head out to the pond and sing and dance, and it’s just a good time.”

“I can figure skate,” I inform her. “I had to take lessons when I was younger to help me with hockey. I never saw myself dancing on the ice. I mean, there’s a first time for everything.”

“Good man.” Her father claps my back and cries out from pain.

Annie offers to go make some breakfast for us, so I naturally offer to come help her.

When we get to the kitchen, I tell her I can make breakfast since she’s been feeding me since I got here.

“You really don’t have to, Cade,” she says. I take her in wearing a funky looking red-and -green Christmas sweater with a Santa and a snowman. She’s wearing it with a pair of tight black leggings and a pair of what looks like fluffy warm plaid socks. With her red hair and soft freckles, she looks like one of Santa’s helpers. She really is different from other girls I’ve met. Scarlett’s idea of getting dressed up for Christmas was probably a red corset made of lace.

“I want to. Why don’t you sit down and relax? I’ll turn on the Nespresso to get started,” I guide her to the kitchen table.

“There’s some gingerbread syrup in the fridge I like to add to my coffee this time of year.” She smiles. The way she’s slouched over tells me something is weighing on her.

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