Page 26 of Family Bonds: Alana & Brennan
“I like choices.”
“Spaghetti and meatballs, grilled cheese, or fish sticks and fries.”
“Spaghetti,” Becca said.
“Then that is what we’ll have.”
He parked in the driveway a few minutes later, grabbed his daughter out of the back and unlocked the back door, which was closer to the bottom of the driveway.
He set her down and she rushed to take off her jacket and boots, leaving them on the mat for him to move out of the way once his coat was off.
She was off and running for her toys. She knew the rules. Play in the dining room where he could see her while he cooked.
The water was on the stovetop next to a pan of sauce with four frozen meatballs he’d chucked into it to warm up also.
He made his way to the front door, unlocked it and grabbed the box off the porch. Becca heard him and was on his heels. “Open it so I can see them.”
“Remember, they aren’t for you to play with.”
“I know. They are for kids in need. Do you think Santa knows they need more? How come he doesn’t give it to them?”
He hated questions like this. There was never a good way to answer them.
“Santa has to divide everything up evenly so he can’t always give so much more to other kids.”
His daughter was too young to know or remember that some kids got more from Santa than from their parents. He wouldn’t do that. One or two gifts from Santa and that was it. The rest of it came from him.
She’d get something from Rene, but whether or not she saw her mother was still up in the air.
He expected to hear from his ex soon. Probably last minute asking him if she could stop over.
She’d have a longer trip to get to him this time.
If she remembered, which he doubted. He’d sent her a text to let her know and never heard back.
He did his part, like he always did.
“What do you think Santa will bring me this year?”
“I don’t know. Do you think you’ve been a good girl?”
Becca was nodding her head up and down rapid enough to have her ponytail swinging around.
“I think you’ve been a good girl too.”
“Then I should get what I ask for.”
“You asked for a lot,” he said. “You won’t get it all.”
“I should if I was good.”
If only life was that simple.
“I guess you’ll find out in a few weeks. But you won’t get upset if you don’t, right?”
“I’ll try not to.”
He heard the sizzling and rushed to the kitchen and turned the sauce down where it was bubbling. The water was boiling so he dropped the pasta in and stirred it around.
