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“Hi.”
“I’m Grace.”
“I know that, we’ve met heaps before. I’m Ted.” He held out his hand, and she shook it solemnly.
“But you don’t talk to me much like others.”
“Sure, I do.” Ted felt like the neck of his T-shirt had suddenly tightened. Those little eyes were staring intently at him like he’d committed some kind of crime like kicking her puppy.
“Don’t you like me?”
“Of course, I’ve just been kind of busy.” How was he having this conversation with a four-year-old?
“Can I sit next to you?”
He looked at the adults, but they all seemed busy doing other stuff.
“Sure.” He got off his stool and lifted her up onto the one next to him. Her little body had baby fat, and a memory rose of Emily snuggling in bed with him.
“You all good up there on your own?” Ted held his hand behind her in case she fell.
“I’ve been sitting here for years.”
“You being four, I guess that’s quite a few.”
His meal arrived first. The works. Bacon, eggs, hash browns, sausage, and tomatoes, with toast. He loved the food here. The hash browns were made out back and the best he’d tasted. You’d have to pull that out of him with a tow truck if Kirby was around, however.
“I like hash browns.”
Ted took one of his and wrapped it in a napkin.
“You have to blow on it, Grace, because it’s hot. You want ketchup?”
She nodded, so he dipped and handed it to her.
“Mrs. Drew told me I did the best sandcastle yesterday at preschool.”
“No kidding. You build it by yourself, or cheat?”
She got a little smile on her face, then looked to where her parents were. Ted did too, and saw they were in a discussion with Jack.
“They can’t hear, so lay it on me.”
“I cheated. I told Melissa that if she helped, I’d share my cookies with her.”
“So you got all the glory, and she got the cookies. Nice work.” Ted high-fived her. “I like someone who thinks about a project from all angles.”
“I like sausage too.”
He wrapped one in another napkin and dipped it in ketchup. Emily had loved ketchup too.
“Do you have sisters or brothers, Ted?”
Grace swung her legs back and forth, her little pink sparkly sandals making small tapping sounds on the counter.
“I have two brothers, and… well, I had a sister.”
“Is she in heaven like my mummy?”
