A Mother to Love. Gail Martin Gaymer

go. I don’t want to hold you up from—”

      “That’s no problem.” He winked at Carly. “You and I saved the whole day for Angie, didn’t we?” She gave him a smile and nodded. “We have nothing else waiting, and we know you want to buy some flowers and get some planting done.”

      “I do.” She pointed to the staircase. “So, let’s get busy. I’ll show you what needs to be done upstairs, and while you’re doing that, Carly can help me decide on the flowers.”

      “I can?” Excitement flickered on her face along with the telltale dimples that validated she was Rick’s daughter.

      “Absolutely.” She loved seeing the child’s enthusiasm. “You can even help me plant some of them. How’s that for an idea?”

      “Daddy, I can help plant.” She bounced on her toes.

      “I know. Angie is a glutton for...” He rolled his eyes. “Never mind.”

      Carly tilted her head. “What’s a glutting?”

      “A really nice person, I think.” Rick patted her head as his eyes shifted to Angie. “Let’s see what you have upstairs.”

      She beckoned him to follow. Carly joined him as they traveled from room to room while she pointed to the various items needing to be hung.

      “You really have a nice place here, Ang. I didn’t pay attention when I was toting boxes.”

      Ang. No one had called her that since her dad had years ago. It had been a special signal they were pals. He’d never had the son he’d wanted, so she’d become his buddy. She loved their relationship. He’d taken her fishing and sometimes had let her help him do minor car repairs or maintenance. She’d forgotten it all now, but it had meant the world to her then.

      Her mind snapped back and she shrugged. “Sorry. I went on a short memory trip. I like it here, too. Thanks.”

      He gave her a playful wink and didn’t seem concerned about her distraction.

      When she had finished pointing out the tasks, Carly joined her downstairs without looking back, and they headed outside. As she studied the yard, Carly did the same.

      Angie lifted a pen to the notepad she’d brought. “What do you think? Where should we put the flowers?”

      Carly skipped across the lawn and selected an empty space in front of the lilac bushes that would experience morning and early afternoon sun before being dimmed by the shade of the foliage in late afternoon. “That’s a good spot, Carly.” Her mind sought the kinds of flowers that could work, ones that thrived with partial shade.

      “Back there.” Carly pointed to an area along the fence just beyond another cluster of large lilac shrubs.

      She studied the place, which would have full sun most of the day. “That’s a good place. We could plant roses.” She made a note.

      Carly spun around and headed back to her. “Roses are pretty.”

      “They are.” She tucked her arm around the child’s shoulders, not sure how she would respond, but Carly drew closer without hesitation. Angie loved the feeling of Carly beside her and enjoyed showing affection to the little girl. From what she’d learned from Rick, Carly’s mother worked a job that resulted in travel and long office hours. The girl spent hours in an after-school program and often child-care services.

      Angie’s chest tightened, picturing the bubbly child, eager to please and anxious to help, being raised by people other than her mom. Angie understood that some jobs were demanding and the woman had to make a living, but she couldn’t alter the emotion she felt for Carly. A lump formed in her throat and startled her. She’d been well loved by both parents as a child, and she wanted that for Carly.

      She and Carly moved to the side of the house and into the front yard, where beds had once held flowers. They made notes of the kinds of plants she could buy. Though she had enough ideas to cost a fortune, she knew she could start small and add perennials each year.

      Taking a break, they sat on the porch steps and talked about different kinds of flowers. Though Carly knew more about flower colors than kinds, she mentioned roses and tulips. Planting bulbs in autumn would add colorful spring blossoms to the landscape. Angie made a note in her book to help her remember.

      “What do you like to do for fun, Carly?” The question came out of nowhere.

      Carly looked thoughtful as if she had too many to list. Yet no ideas seemed to come.

      “How about swings and slides at the park?” Angie watched her face brighten.

      “We have swings at school.”

      “Can you go up high on them?” She watched the girl’s face twist in thought.

      “I don’t know how.” She faced Angie. “Do you?”

      Tender feelings slid through Angie. “You’ll learn when you’re bigger, but one day we’ll have to take you to a park. Your daddy can push you a little bit high.”

      “Really?” Her eyes sparkled. “And can we go on the slides?”

      “You can. I think I’m too big.” She pictured herself trying to squeeze her hips down a slide. The picture made her smile. “Does your daddy take you to the park?”

      “No, but we go shopping and buy groceries. And he takes me to the hamburger place that has tunnels and ladders, and he watches me play.”

      “That’s fun. I don’t think they had that kind of play area when I was a little girl. You’re lucky.”

      “I am, because my daddy is fun.” Her head lowered as if in thought and then popped up. “Daddy reads me stories, and we laugh. And he buys us pizza.”

      “You are a very lucky girl.”

      “Maybe he’ll buy you pizza, too.” She looked thoughtful before nodding her head. “I’ll tell him to.”

      Angie silenced her gasp. “You don’t have to. Let’s see if he thinks of it by himself.” All she needed was to have him think she’d put the bug in Carly’s ear to invite her for pizza.

      Carly nodded. “Okay. Let’s see.”

      “See what?” Rick came around the corner of the house, a bright smile on his face.

      “Nothing.” Angie jumped up. “We were talking about playing on swings and slides at a park. Carly would like that.”

      His eyes widened. “Good. We have a park somewhere near us. Good idea.”

      She suspected Rick hadn’t thought of the park. The child needed fun and ways to play, and she wondered what they did together other than grocery shop and eat burgers and pizza. Little kids needed stimuli.

      His unexpected appearance surprised her. “Are you done with everything?”

      “I think so. Do you want to check?”

      The thought ran through her head and out again. “No. Later. Let’s go to the nursery for the flowers.”

      “Let’s go.” Carly clapped her hands and skipped toward the car.

      Rick reached for her, but before he captured Carly she spun away from him toward the car, wearing a silly grin as she beckoned to him to follow. A tender feeling oozed through Angie as she viewed the father-daughter antics. Though she had lost confidence in men and had no desire to marry, today a sweet sensation ran through her, and for once she understood the joy of being a family. With the image in her mind, she melted.

      * * *

      Rick pulled into Sunburst Garden and parked. He hadn’t felt this alive in years. Carly’s smile and excitement sent guilt creeping up his back. Why hadn’t he thought to teach her things like planting a flower or doing simple tasks? She’d cozied up to Angie as if she was a female Pied Piper. Though logic said he should feel