Page 32 of Single Dad's Christmas Cookie

It took Nova no time to get Amelia ready to leave. We were in town and parked in a matter of minutes. “Daddy, Daddy, look!” Amelia danced ahead of us, pointing at everything.

I didn’t think I would call the few scattered booths a festival, more like a farmer’s market without the farm produce. Therewere vendors of various kinds, from local maple syrup farmers to handmade knitted gifts. And many food vendors.

Amelia ate chicken on a stick while Nova selected a meat pie. And I found a sausage pierogi and sauerkraut sandwich.

“You like German food?” Nova asked.

“Polish,” I corrected. “And yes, I do. You?”

She shook her head. “I can’t get past sauerkraut. But pierogi always sound like they should taste good.”

“Stay right there,” I told her.

I jogged back to the pierogi booth.

“Is everything okay?” the guy who fixed my sandwich asked.

“She’s never had pierogi,” I said, gesturing back toward Nova.

“What? No. I got what she needs right here.”

I handed over a few bucks and returned to Nova with a small paper tray with pierogi and a plastic fork.

“Trust me,” I said as I handed it over. “No sauerkraut. You’ll love it.”

She eyed me warily as she took a bite. Her expression went from skeptical to surprised as her eyebrows relaxed.

“This is good. What’s in it?”

“Can I try one?” Amelia asked.

“That one is potato and cheese,” I said as Nova handed Amelia a speared pierogi on the fork.

“It’s too simple. There has to be a trick,” Nova said.

“No trick. Pierogi can be simple or more complex.”

“Are you going to want me to make German, I mean Polish, food now?” Nova asked.

“I wouldn’t object if you decided to experiment.”

“Snow!” Amelia announced. She began dancing around with her tongue sticking out.

“Too bad there isn’t enough for sledding,” Nova said. “I had expected there to be a lot more snow up here around Christmas.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll get plenty of snow. By February, you’ll be so sick of it, you’ll deny ever having said you wanted more.”

“Is that Santa?” Amelia stopped when the sound of sleigh bells could be heard.

I glanced around. “Not Santa, and not a sleigh, but look.” I grabbed Amelia and spun her until she was facing the direction of a horse drawn carriage.

“That’s so pretty,” Nova said. “Like the front of a Christmas card.”

“Come on,” I said as I scooped up Amelia. “Let’s go for a ride.”

I strode off in the direction that looked like a stand for the carriages. Nova scurried after me. “Are you serious?”

She kept asking if I was serious the entire time until we were stepping up into a carriage.

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