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A family photo.
Josie tried to push the thought aside, but that’s what it felt like, sitting there with Jacob behind her, and Addie to her right, leaning into her sand-dusted arm.
Normally she hated the feel of sand in her clothes, and on her skin, but not today. Because today was all about Addie, and that made everything better.
“How about that carousel, kid?” Jacob pointed east. “It’s pretty cool-looking.”
“Yes, and I want to ride the wildest horse, the kind that go up and down, not the boring kind that just sit there. Okay, Dad?”
“The beach is pretty quiet today, so I think we can make that happen.”
Young parents dotted the beach with little ones. What appeared to be preschool groups had been hosting picnics in the shaded park when they first arrived, but as the afternoon grew later, they’d packed up their things and headed home.
They walked through the park in the lull between little kids’ awake time and high schoolers’ streaming to the beach after school. Once they got to the carousel building, Addie adamantly refused to ride a horse, even a brightly painted one. “Dad. Josie!” She stood on the grass with them, waiting for the ride to slow down, but there was nothing slow about her enthusiasm as she watched. “Forget the horses, Dad, we can ride those anywhere. Do you see the rabbit?” She shrieked in excitement as the ride spun by. “And there’s an ostrich or something like that, and there’s a lion and a giraffe, and what are those, Dad?” She stepped closer until Jacob put a warning hand on her shoulder. “They’re not horses, are they?”
“They’re mules,” Josie explained. “When my mom and dad brought us here, they were painted like zebras, but when the carousel went through a major overhaul, they realized the original artist had actually carved mules because mules helped build the Erie Canal. They’re pretty cool, right?”
“So cool,” Addie declared. “I want to ride a mule first, and then maybe the ostrich bird, and then maybe a lion, or a horse, or that huge rabbit! Is that okay, Dad?” She peeked up at him quickly. “Do we have enough money for that?”
“I really appreciate your asking. I think we’re good,” Jacob told her. “And you’re right, we don’t want to be greedy or expect too much.”
“Because that would make God’s heart sad.” Addie shared a look with Jacob that said she understood. “I’ll try not to be greedy, Dad, but I love having fun!” She raced forward once the ride stopped, chose a mule, refused Jacob’s help and climbed on.
“Here we go!”
When Jacob stayed there, she shooed him away from her side before the ride started. “Dad.” She faced him at eye level, clearly taking charge. “Dads only ride with little kids who don’t know to hang on. I’m six.” Her frank expression said “I’ve got this,” and Josie was happy to see Jacob back off.
“All right, then.”
He stepped off and took a place at her side, watching, and when the back of his hand brushed hers, he folded her hand into his, nice and snug.
She should pull away.
She didn’t. She glanced down, then up.
He was smiling, and he squeezed her hand lightly to let her know he caught the look, but kept his eyes on Addie. Then when the ride got started, he slanted a look her way. “My hand likes holding yours, Josie.”
“Jacob.”
“Shh.” He pressed her hand lightly again. “I don’t need reminders that this is all going to come to an end, but right now, it feels more right than anything’s felt in a long time. Except for her.” He dipped his head toward the carousel and waved with his free hand when Addie came around. “A guy. A girl. A cute kid and a day at the beach. Sounds like a handholding kind of moment to me. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“If there’s a custard sundae at the end of all this, then I’m in.” She kept it light, when the last thing she wanted to do was keep it light.
“Is Abbott’s as good as Stan’s?” he asked, and she winced on purpose.
“Better. But I won’t ever tell Stan that, because he’s a pillar of the community. But whenever I get up into the suburbs near Rochester, I sneak over to Abbott’s Frozen Custard. It’s a thing.”
