Page 8 of Single Dad's Christmas Cookie

“Syrup and cinnamon,” Amelia demanded.

Her breakfast came topped with blueberries and maple syrup. Mine had a handful of nuts and a sparing amount of syrup drizzled over mine. I eyed the bowl in front of Amelia and thought that the blueberries looked like they would taste good.

“Can I get a handful of those blueberries?” I asked.

“Do you want a fresh bowl?” Emma asked.

I shook my head. “No, but a handful of blueberries on top would be great.”

I thanked her as she returned my bowl.

“What’s for dinner tonight?”

“You’re going to have a choice of two meals that will be in the refrigerator, and they will have some instructions on how to heat them up,” Emma said.

“You’re not making dinner tonight?” Amelia asked.

“No, Sherry and I are going to go see family in California. Remember?”

“That’s right, you leave today,” Amelia announced. She filled a spoon with oatmeal and then put it back in the bowl. She did this several times as if she expected the food to magically change, or, knowing my daughter, she was trying for the perfect balance of oat to blueberry to syrup ratio.

“Will I get to see Sherry before you go?”

“I don’t think we’re going to have time to stop by before we leave for the airport,” Emma said.

Amelia slid out of her chair and ran up to Emma, wrapping her arms around the woman’s hips. She squeezed tight. “This is for Sherry, since I don’t get to see her.”

Amelia sounded so disappointed.

Emma returned the hug before ruffling Amelia’s hair. “I’ll be sure to pass on that hug. Sherry will have expected me to give you one in return.” Emma leaned over and gave Amelia another hug.

There was a lot of hugging going on in this kitchen. I was feeling left out.

“Can I get one of those hugs?” I asked my daughter.

She ran across the kitchen and threw herself into my lap.

“So, what are we going to do?” she asked.

“What do you mean?”

“If I’m on vacation, what are we gonna do?”

I had to work. I could probably make arrangements to work from home, but that would still leave Amelia alone. She looked up at me with her big, dark eyes. I wasn’t about to tell her she would be left to her own devices, not that I would have left a six-year-old on her own. I didn’t trust the wealth of mischief this child could get herself into without some form of supervision.

“First thing we’re going to do is find somebody to cook for us while Emma and Sherry are on the West Coast.”

“I can cook,” Amelia proclaimed.

I laughed. “Oh, yeah? What do you know how to make?”

“I know how to make popcorn, all by myself.”

I glanced from Amelia to Emma.

Emma nodded. “It’s a button on the microwave.”

“I’m glad you know how to make popcorn. That’ll come in very handy when we watch a movie later, but that’s not dinner. I think we’re gonna have to find somebody who knows what they’re doing.”

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