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“Is that an invitation, Mr. Silver?”
I lowered my head to her ear. “That depends. Have you been a good girl or a bad girl this year?”
A sly smirk tugged at her lips as they curved up in an almost feral grin, her eyes glinting with mischief. “I’ve been a good girl. But I want to be a bad girl tonight, you know, just to see what it’s like to be your bad girl.”
I rubbed against her hip. “Your wish is my command,” I whispered, my tongue running along her ear. She pulled away, nodding to Kensi, who jumped off her seat, and headed our way.
“I finished my hot chocolate. It’s snowman time.” She clapped.
Another half hour and my daughter would pass out for a nap, giving me alone time with Laura.
“Alright, team,” I said, rubbing my hands together. “Let’s get to work on this snowman.”
Kensi took charge, instructing Laura and me on where to place the snowballs as she supervised. We rolled giant spheres of snow across the yard, each one growing larger and heavier as they picked up layers from the ground.
“His base needs to be bigger!” Kensi was eyeing our progress like a boss. “If he’s going to be the best snowman ever, he needs a solid base.”
“Roger that, boss.” Laura playfully saluted Kensi before getting back to work on the snowman’s base.
As we built the snowman together, Kensi and Laura’s synchronous laughter rang through the chilly air. In that moment, all my worries melted away, giving me hope this would be the best Christmas ever.
Kensi was in her element, barking orders like a pint-sized general as Laura and I rolled enormous snowballs across the yard. The snowman’s base had finally reached Kensi’s exacting standards, leaving us to tackle the midsection.
“You ever think about having more kids?” Laura asked, flashing a smile as we hoisted the second snowball onto the base.
“More little monsters running around?” I feigned horror, chuckling at the thought. “I’ve considered it, but as you can see, Kensi keeps me on my toes enough as it is.”
“Fair enough,” she said, brushing snow off her mittens. “But really, I’ve always wanted a daughter. I mean, I’d be thrilled with a son too, but something about having a little girl... I don’t know. It just feels right. Not now, of course. Shit, am I ever not ready for that now, but one day, when the time is right, you know?”
“Sounds like you’d make a great mom,” I told her sincerely, watching her eyes light up with warmth. “But if you ever want life to fuck up your plans, don’t speak them out loud.”
Laura paused, patting the snow to make the ball compact. “I’m on the pill if you’re worried. Kids right now are out of the question, but when I watch you and Kensi together, it’s hard not to wish for something like that in the future.”
“Life has a funny way of surprising us. Kensi was adopted, but she wasn’t planned. It was a quick decision, and before I knew it, I was a dad of a newborn baby girl.” I gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “What I’m trying to say is, you never know what the future holds.”
“Hey, you two!” Kensi called out. “Less talking, more snowman building!”
“Got it, Chief!” Laura shouted back, her earlier melancholy replaced by a playful grin. We sculpted the snowman’s torso under Kensi’s watchful eye.
I glanced over at Laura, “Life’s too short not to take chances, even if they scare the hell out of you. Being a father is the best job I could have, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Her eyes sparkled, but her forehead creased with lines of worry. Reading her was like trying to decipher the Enigma machine.
The snowman was complete, a proud sentinel guarding our fledgling igloo. Laura seemed absorbed in adding the final touches–twigs for arms, an old hat, and a crooked carrot nose. Her eyes sparkled with a childlike delight, lifting Kensi’s spirits.
“Daddy, I’m going to the bathroom.”
“Wash your hands, Kensi.”
She ran inside. “I should check on her in a minute, because I’m sure she’ll fall asleep on her way back.”
Laura set her empty mug of hot chocolate on the table. “Was it more difficult to maintain your relationship with Tiffany after you had Kensi?” Laura asked gently, her hazel eyes filled with curiosity.
“Truth be told,” I admitted, “our relationship had already been strained by then. When Kensi arrived, we tried to make it work for her sake, but we just drifted apart. We’ll always be committed to raising Kensi together, though.”
Laura nodded, her gaze lingering on the igloo we built before the snowman. The snow glistened under the sunlight, casting a soft glow on our cozy creation.
“Would you like to see the inside?” I asked, offering her my hand.
