Page 142 of Fish out of Water
I’d been trying to teach her how to play one of the online games I loved for almost a month.
And she seemed to get worse at it every day.
“Come on.” I stood up. “Let’s go do something else.”
“Is it something I’m good at or am I going to suck at that too?”
“I hope you’re good at it, otherwise you’ve got bigger problems than I can fix.” I snagged her hand and dragged her up from the chair. “Let’s go, Banana Pants.”
“Ugh.” She dragged her slippered feet, skidding Bessie and Bertha across the tile as we headed upstairs. “I can’t believe I died again.”
I could. It was the only part of the game she was good at.
Dying.
But I didn’t give two shits. I loved that she tried. That she wanted to be a part of something I loved.
And now I wanted to be a part of something she loved.
I led her to the sliding door that led out to my sparse backyard. When I moved in it basically got sod and a fence and that was it.
It was time to change that.
Luckily I knew someone who could help with that.
“I got you something.” It wasn’t anything big.
Yet.
“And it’s in the yard?” She seemed mildly curious. “Is it alive?”
“Hopefully.”
Her eyes lit up. “Is it a puppy?”
Well shit.
Now I had to follow up puppy hopes with something that was definitely not a puppy.
Or any other sort of cute baby animal.
“No.” I pointed to the corner of the house where her gift was hiding just out of sight. “But now I’m wishing it was.”
Julia crept across the small stone patio, head tipping as she peered toward the only spot I could put something that she wouldn’t be able to see from any window. The second her eyes hit it she gasped, both hands going to cover her mouth as she turned my way.
Then she rushed toward it, eyes going up into the branches of the tree I’d special ordered. “It’s a weeping willow.”
“I was thinking we could plant some trees back here.” I stood back as she inspected the tree.
Julia beamed at me through the draping lines filled out with soft green leaves. “I love it.”
“You can pick the rest.” I reached out to slide one hand down the trunk. “I just read that these make good climbing trees.” I found her eyes. “It made me think of you.”
I just wanted her to be happy. To have her own version of what I had in the basement.
A spot to be who she was.
“Can we put in a little pond?” She slowly came around the tree. “Maybe with some koi?”
