Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Daddy, Paw picked us up early from school and took us fishing,” Mia said, pushing a stray piece of hair out of her face. “We caught so many fish. He knows all the good spots.”
“Oh, you’re lucky,” I replied, standing after our hugs. “You got to ditch school and go on the boat.”
“Yay,” Ava shouted, giving a leap into the air.
“I like school,” Livie said, glancing up at me. Everything about her was in perfect order, not a hair out of place, not a speck of dirt on her. Even at three and almost a half, she’d mastered reading and carried a book tucked under her arm everywhere she went.
“But, Livie, Paw showed us how to skip rocks,” Mia interjected. “Daddy, his grandpa taught him on Dog River. My rocks skipped, but Livie’s and Ava’s sank to the bottom. They have to practice more.” She shoved the stray piece of hair back again.
“He said he was the Dog River festival skipping champion. Right?” Ava said, glancing back at me for verification.
“Yeah,” I said. Ava gave me a crooked, proud grin, turning to walk backward, and still face me.
“He was the champion for two years,” Mia said. “Paw told us you skipped years in school because you’re so smart. I think Livie’s gonna do that.”
“I hope not,” Livie said. “I wanna go to school every day.”
“Ava, flip around so you don’t fall.” At the gate, I glanced back at Duke and Dixie, still inside the SUV, now in the front seat watching us go.
“Paw didn’t take Duke and Dixie with you?” I asked, allowing the girls into the backyard first, leaving the gate propped open for the two rascals when Beau whistled.
“They came with us,” Mia answered first. “They rode with Paw to pick us up.”
“What’s Paw doing now?”
“Getting ready for his mountain trip,” Mia answered again. If her exuberance said anything, she must have had a great time today. “He’s gonna miss me, but he says not to miss him because he’ll be home in two weeks, but his days are in the future. So it’s at least one more, or one less...”
“I’m gonna miss him,” I said, heading slowly toward Beau’s shop. “Did he tell you what day he’s coming home?”
“That’s all he told us,” Ava shot out from over her shoulder, still feet ahead. “His friends wanna see something else while they’re there so he’s staying longer than he wants to. I think the rainforest. Then he’s coming home.”
“He’s going to India,” Livie added. “He showed us on a map.”
Beau stepped out of the shop about the same time I made it to West, lifting him from the swing. He was a little chunk these days. On the ninety-fifth percentile on everything physical.
“Ugh,” I teased, raising him high enough in the air to look into his eyes. We’d been warm this fall. West wore his sporty athletic shorts and an oversized sweatshirt. His feet were bare, never really feeling the shoes we chose to cover them, but loved to wear one of Beau’s ball caps.
“The dogs made it inside the Tahoe before I shut the door,” I said, tilting my head for a kiss.
Beau whistled. Not the loud shrill one, but enough that I heard the two animals scurrying across the concrete toward us.
“Why do y’all kiss so much,” Ava said, feigned yuck in her voice.
“We’re married. That’s what you do,” Beau said and kissed me again.
“They told me you picked them up from school early. It upset Livie, but overjoyed Ava and Mia, and took them stone-skipping.”
“And fishing,” Livie corrected.
“And fishing,” I said to Beau, who grinned. “You caught a lot of fish.”
“But we can never keep them no matter the size,” Mia said before taking off for the swing set, Ava on her heels.
“Paw, tell him about the dance school,” Livie said, wrapping both arms around my leg, clinging tightly, me being a life preserver in her sudden traumatic storm. Whatever the problem, I was on her side.
“Sweetheart, I told you that’s gonna have to wait until I get back. Classes are on Saturday and your dad has too much to do while I’m gone.”
Livie’s sad eyes bore into mine. “But Daddy, if I wait, I can’t start until after Christmas because of the practice for the re…re…”
“Recital?” I guessed, my hand reaching for her hair, loose today, and I caressed down. “I should be able to take them. It’s not a problem. We’re talking a couple of Saturdays.”
“It’s in Houston,” Beau explained. “It’s close to their school, and the other two aren’t interested. Saturdays are usually Amelia’s days to catch up on her shows. She needs that down time.”
Hmm. That did make it more difficult. I glanced down at Livie who instantly sprang a leak in her eyes with big silent tears. She understood the problem, but apparently was wanting an identity outside of her sisters. I read about this. I handed West off to Beau, and bent at the knee, rubbing my thumbs under her eyes, to help dry the sadness. “We’ll make it work. Is it ballet? You’d be a beautiful ballerina.”