Page 79 of What Remains True
She followed him down an aisle to a whole wall of bird feeders and different types of seed. “This is a little overwhelming.” She twisted the tag on one of the bird feeders. “My first apartment didn’t cost that a month.”
“Somehow I doubt that.”
She pressed her finger and thumb together, then widened it. “Slight exaggeration.”
He showed her his favorite bird feeder. “I can give you a ten percent discount on this one.”
“Sold.”
Adam lifted a big sack of seed over his shoulder. “It’s a better deal in the big bag, and you’ll be surprised how much they eat. Did you walk down?”
“I did.”
“I should have known. I’ll drop this off at your house on my way home.”
“That would be great.” Humming from the next aisle over caught her attention. “What is that sound?”
“That’s Zan. She’s being artistic in her Cinderella fort.”
“Cinderellaandfortare not two words I’d usually associate with each other.” Merry Anna followed the humming around the corner. Sure enough, Zan was sprawled out across the floor on her belly, coloring on a large piece of paper. Her tongue was working as hard as the crayons, and one foot was in the air bouncing and flexing. Now that Merry Anna was closer, she could make out the song.“Old MacDonald.”
Merry Anna realized that the fort was actually a tarp over a fence-style dog kennel. “Adam! You can’t put her in a dog kennel!”
“She’s fine. And it’s six feet wide. Hardly a crate. She’s having a ball, and it’s not like she can’t get out. Watch this.” He made a little whistling noise, then said, “Zan, do you want a snack?”
“Yes!” She jumped up, abandoning her art in less than a heartbeat to run for the door. She lifted the latch, stepped over the gate, and ran over to him.
He picked her up and swung her in the air.
She screamed, in a giggling girlie way. “Do it again!”
“Look at her fly!” He lifted her higher, leaving her up there for a two-count before crashing her downward.
Adam turned to Merry Anna. “See? I’m being responsible. You told me to figure this stuff out, so that’s what I’m trying to do. We come to the store, and she works on her coloring while I help customers.” He handed Zan a fistful of coins. “And I pay her in snacks.”
Zan grabbed the coins and ran toward the vending machine. Her shoes slapped the concrete floor as she ran.
“She looks perfectly happy,” Merry Anna said. “So why is it thatyoudon’t?”
“Part of figuring it all out is considering all the ways this could go.” He shook his head. “I wasn’t looking for a ready-made family right now, but I don’t know. She’s a great kid. If I wanted kids—or had a kid—I’d want a little girl just like her. She’s special. I am happy, but I’m also a little worried.”
“Because of Carly?”
“No. It’s about Zan. Her energy and heart. I…I just can’t imagine if I’m not her father. I feel so close to her. Is that strange?”
“Not at all. I completely understand. Don’t get ahead of yourself. Whichever way this goes, it will be as it should be. You’ve got to trust that.”
“That paternity test is a big deal. Lives are going to change.”
“That’s true, but lives change all the time—an accident, losing a job, a natural disaster, winning the lottery, divorce, falling in love.”Did I saylove?
Their eyes held.
“Unexpected things happen,” he said.
Is my imagination going wild, or did he feel that too?
“It’s a lot,” he said.
