Page 69 of Off the Stick
We’re in the kitchen prepping for our cookie-making extravaganza for Lennon’s birthday this week.I began this tradition last year when Lenni was old enough to help me with certain tasks in the kitchen.She stands on her pink polka-dotted step stool in an adorable kid-sized apron, her hair pulled back into a ponytail, and helps me roll out the dough we use to make her special cookies.
Next week, my baby turns five.She’ll start kindergarten next fall, and in the blink of an eye, she’ll be in high school, attending high school dances and getting her driver’s license.The corners of my eyes fill with tears, and I blink them away, trying to focus on the present and not what the future holds.
I fold the sugar cookie dough a few more times and then hand it over to Lenni so she can flatten it out with her rolling pin.
“Yep, Dane should be here any minute.I invited him over just like you asked.”
It was a few nights ago, when I was trying to get my ball of energy and chitty-chatty daughter to sleep, that she brought up Dane again.Her conversation style at bedtime is extremely meandery, even more so than during daylight hours, and it hits on several topics within a three-minute period.One of them this time was Dane.
“Mama, I don’t like bedtime,” she’d announced matter-of-factly.
I’d swept her hair from her face as she lay on her side, curled up with a pink bunny snuggled in her arms.
“Why’s that, baby?”
“Because I don’t like to close my eyes and fall asleep.”
I gave her a smile.“But sleep is good for you.We all need our rest because that’s when our bodies grow.”
A cute frown marred her heart-shaped mouth.“But when I sleep, I can’t play wiff Ax when he comes over to visit.”
Son of a biscuit.
My heart had dropped to my stomach.Had she heard Dane and me fooling around when he stopped over the other night after his game?We’ve tried being so careful to be quiet.We don’t need the inevitable questions that will arise if she wakes up to find Dane and me in an uncompromising position.
I quickly went with a diversion tactic instead of pretending Ax hadn’t been by.
Smoothing her hair down, I bent over and placed a kiss on her forehead.
“Well, how about we invite him over for our cookie-making extravaganza this weekend?I think he’s playing a home game Saturday night.”
With an appeased grin, she had closed her eyes.I bent down to give her another hug and kiss then walked toward the door.
“I love you, sweet pea,” I said from the doorway of her room.“Forever and always.”
Lenni smiled dreamily.“Fowever and always.”
You can only imagine the excitement Lenni has for today’s event.The moment she woke up, it was nonstop Ax this and Ax that.It’s highly amusing and very entertaining, but I think my kid might be a little obsessed with Dane.
Her mama might be too.
Speak of the devil.
My Ring doorbell notifies us of Dane’s arrival and Lenni, covered in flour, jumps from her stool and rushes to the front door.
“Hang on, sweetie,” I call out, grabbing a towel from the countertop and rushing after her.“We need to clean you off so you don’t get Dane all mess?—”
Towel in hand, I bend forward to wipe her off as she swings open the door, and there’s Dane standing at the threshold, dressed in snug jeans and a gray T-shirt the color of his eyes.I twist at my waist to stare at him.He looks like a snack.
“Hello, pretty ladies,” he says with that boyish charm of his, amusement in his voice.“Don’t you both look adorable in your matching aprons.”
I straighten up and smile, gesturing with my arms out to the side.“It’s our official cookie-making attire.”
Dane steps inside and sweeps Lenni off her feet, swooping her over his head and flying her around.Lenni giggles and laughs with abandon, and my heart expands to ten sizes bigger inside my chest.It’s such a sweet and tender reunion.
Under different circumstances, I could envision Dane coming home and Lenni squealing “Daddy” in delight.
I shake the mental picture from my mind and gesture toward the kitchen.“Lenni, let’s show Dane what he’s going to do.”
