“So you’re a firefighter?” Walt asked, checking me out from the corner of his eye.
“Yes, sir,” I replied. I had nothing to hide. If questioning me gave him peace of mind, I was happy to oblige.
“You ever been married?” he asked, turning to face me while still keeping an eye on Sophie and Lou waiting in line.
“Once. Right out of high school. It didn’t last long. Been divorced for over ten years now. No kids,” I added, preemptively guessing what questions he might have.
“Ever dated anyone with kids?” he followed up, unfettered.
“No. Can’t say that I have.” Once again, I answered honestly.
“You know about my grandson?” he followed up, and I paused.
“Not all the details. From a few things Lou mentioned, I know that he’s remarried to someone named Nat. That’s about it.” A scowl formed on Walt’s face at the mention of the woman’s name.
“Watch out for that one. She’s a box of rocks that can trick you out of your family jewels. She knows exactly how to manipulate people to get what she wants.” I nodded, a broader picture of the situation developing in front of my eyes.
“What else do you know? Or do you have any questions for me while little ears are out of range?” he asked, and I hesitated. I definitely had questions, plenty of them, but something told me that Sophie had enough of other people talking about her. Anything I needed to know, she could tell me directly.
“As much as I appreciate the offer, I think it’s best if I wait until Sophie feels comfortable enough to share her story with me. From the bits and pieces I’ve managed to put together, it doesn’t sound like an easy situation. When she is ready, I’ll be there to listen. Right now, I care more about learning about her and Lou than her ex. No offense.”
I met his eyes head-on, and there was something in his gaze.
“Good on you. I think I know the answer to this already, but I’m too old to waste time or beat around the bush. What are your intentions with my girls? I know you just met me, and all, but those girls have been tossed around enough for their lifetimes. They deserve something solid.”
“I want to be there for them. I want to get to know them. I want to see if we can build something. But all of that is going to be on their terms. Time and patience, I have. This is all new to me, but I’m not one to fight my gut.” A familiar cheer had us turning just in time to see Sophie sitting down on a burlap sack,Lou in front of her.
Walt got his phone out and started taking pictures as the two girls sped down the slide, nearly flying off as they hit the bumps until sliding into the grass in a giggling ball of arms and legs.
“Linc! Did you see how fast we went? Pops, did you see?” Lou asked excitedly.
“That was definitely the fastest slide I’ve ever seen. And those bumps? You were flying, kid!” I told her, and was rewarded with a big, toothy smile.
As the day wore on, I was constantly impressed and surprised at how much energy Lou had. Her excitement was contagious, and it was turning into an awesome day. After the first round of rides, we hit the food stands. For a tiny girl, Lou put away a soft pretzel, a corn dog, and almost a full funnel cake. Undeterred, I could hear her bargaining with Walt for popcorn and cotton candy as dessert.
“I’ll brush my teeth and go right to bed if I can have some dessert. I’ll even eat extra broccoli tomorrow. I promise, Pops! Pinky swear!”
“Why don’t we try out some games?” I asked, worried about Lou going on a ride after eating that much.
“Really? Do you think you can win a prize?” she asked, her eyes getting big.
“I bet you can win a prize all by yourself, but I’m happy to help out. Wanna start with Whac-o-mole?” I asked, pointing to the familiar game. Lou was scrambling up into a seat before I’d finished the sentence.
“It would be cheaper to just buy her a stuffed animal. You know these games are rigged, right?” Sophie asked, her cheeks and eyes bright from all the excitement.
“Where’s the fun in that?” I told her, and she rolled her eyes good-naturedly.
Neither Lou nor I won at Whac-o-mole, ring toss, or the fishbowl game—thankfully. Determined not to let Lou go home empty-handed, we made our way to the high-striker game.A neon-green teddy bear bigger than Lou dangled behind the tower, and I knew I had to win it.
The teenager manning the game didn’t look up from his phone as he took my money.
“Grab the mallet and hit the lever. Hit the bell, win a prize,” he told me automatically as I picked up the hammer, testing its weight. My first swing was good, but it wasn’t a winner.
“Aww! That was so close, Linc!’ Lou groaned behind me. I was already passing another $5 bill to the kid.
Adjusting my stance, I eyed the machine again and readied my swing. This time, I hit the base square in the middle. The puck shot up and hit the bell, the sound sweeter than anything else at that moment. The kid looked up from his phone, a frown on his forehead, before taking me in.
“Alright, man, you won. Pick your prize.” He pointed to a row of small toys behind him.
