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Grinning cutelywithoutgreen teeth, she high-fives me. Then she asks, “Soooo, do you love Annie?”
Well, I’m not going to confess that to a kid before I confess it to the woman herself, but I can’t lie either.
“Rae,” I sigh dramatically, “I’m crazy about her.”
She gasps deeply, as if it’s a real surprise to her…although, for all her wisdom, she’s just a kid, so maybe itdoessurprise her.
“When are you going to tell her?” she asks excitedly. “You should tell her so you can come back! She’ll be so happy!”
“Well, I have to wait for the right time!”
“Nowis the right time!”
“I wish,” I chortle. “Hopefully, she’ll let me hang out with you guys really soon and I’ll be able to see how things look. I don’t want to accidentally upset her again.”
She says, “Aw,” but there’s only slight disappointment about her. Then she’s on a new topic: “Will you fix the rest of my broccoli?”
“Sure will.”
She passes me her plate. “Thank you. You’re stronger than me. I can’t make them the way I want them.”
“Yeah, uncooked broccoli is harder to mess with than the kind we eat with Annie.”
“Very much harder.”
I’ve just given the broccoli tops back to her when Bill and Abby appear. The girls are thrilled to see each other, and Rae is extra-thrilled to introduce me, not remembering the three of us know each other.
“This is my Uncle Landon!” she says proudly, holding her hands out to me in a showy fashion.
Bill and I exchange grins.
“I know Landon!” Abby replies. “He’s my daddy’s friend!” I kneel down as she comes in for a hug.
“Hi, Abby! How have you been?”
“Good! I didn’t know you’re Rae’s uncle!” She turns to Rae. “Oh, this is my daddy, Rae!”
Those introductions get made and compliments pass all around. Abby looks cute, but I have to say, she has on quite a bit of pink—dress, shoes, corsage—so I think Rae looks cuter. Thinking about how Liv would agree with me, I smile.
“Will you eat with us?” Rae invites them.
Abby is already getting in the seat next to her, so she says, “Yes!”
They titter happily. Bill sits on Abby’s other side, and he and I shoot the breeze while we all eat.
After maybe twenty minutes, the upbeat, lyric-less music lowers and a warm woman’s voice announces, “Welcome, welcome, all! Daddies, special gentlemen, and beautiful young ladies, we have a fun night planned! Feel free to visit our refreshment tables, capture some memories in the photo booths, and dance a few songs before the cupcake-decorating contest!”
Excitement is audible around the cafeteria. Rae and Abby add to the gasps and squeals.
“Did you hear that?” Rae exclaims to me. “A contest!”
It’s a cool surprise—it wasn’t listed on the flyer. I point at her. “We are going to decorate the Rapunzel out of those cupcakes.”
She points back at me. “We are going to decorate the Flynn Rider out of those cupcakes!”
“Aw, man,” Bill laughs. “I missed thisforyou, Landon.”
Yeah, God, I’m happy to be here.
