AllFreeNovel
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“You Simon?” the guy asks, getting out of his truck.
He’s decked out in a powder-blue suit with a bow tie. His top hat has a flower in it, and I have to stop myself from staring. This is definitely not my scene.
“Yes, that’s me,” I say, moving forward with my hand extended for him to shake.
He goes in for a fist bump, and it gets even weirder.
“I’m Jenkins. The uni is in the trailer. Give me a moment to get her out. She loves the kids, you know? A real party animal,” he says, guffawing at his own joke, and I chuckle just to have something to do instead of stare incredulously at him.
I watch as he disappears into the back of the trailer, and then he unloads the “unicorn” I ordered for Ivy’s party. It’s a white horse with colorful and glittery streamers braided into her mane and tail. She has a long rainbow-colored horn strapped on the bridle, sticking out from the space between her ears, and a pastel-purple saddle.
Ivy is going to love her.
“Lead the way,” Jenkins says.
I take him around the side of the house and through the gate that leads to the backyard.
“Real nice place you’ve got here. Maybe you could spread the word about my gig to your friends who have kids, so I could bump up my pay a little. Be able to afford something like this.”
Jenkins keeps talking, but I don’t pay any attention as soon as Ivy spots us. The excitement and happiness on her face is payment enough for the time I spent tracking this unicorn down.
“Oh, a unicorn!”
Her shouts can be heard all over, and other kids perk up, paying attention. They descend on us in a horde, running full out across the backyard and skidding to a stop in front of the horse. I expect her to shy away, but it seems that she’s used to the attention; she doesn’t even bat an eye. Thank goodness I already put Waffle in his kennel for this. He would be losing his mind.
I watch Ivy, thinking that she’s going straight for the unicorn, but she barrels into me, hugging my legs. I bend down to pick her up, and she throws her arms around my neck.
“Thank you, Daddy,” she whispers in my ear, and I think it melts my heart a little. Okay, maybe a lot.
I glance over her shoulder to see Alice, a hand pressed to her mouth and a sparkle dancing in her eyes. She winks at me, and I wink back.
This might be the best party I’ve ever been to myself. Ivy runs off to fawn over the colorful beast, and I get to my feet, making my way to stand beside Alice.
“You made her the happiest little girl,” she says.
I wrap an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in. She places her hand around my waist, squeezing slightly.
“I couldn’t have done it without your tip,” I tell her, and she laughs.
We watch Ivy together, and for a moment, I feel like my family is complete.
Then, I remember that the finale for the show is coming up, and I don’t know how our story ends. I then realize that I don’t want it to.
