A Child's Wish

“Yeah, my dad had one, too, but they cost a lot of money. We’re working on that, though.”

“You’re a nice boy, Kenny.”

“Nah.” He laughed. “I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.”

He got back his usual serious look. “You really think so?”

Kelsey flicked her hair back—she’d pulled out her ponytail on the way across the playground and pocketed the elastic. “I really do.”

“You know.” He switched hands on the stake. “No one’s ever told me that before.”

“Well, they should have,” she said, feeling pretty smart for once. “Because it’s true.”

“Well, Kelsey Shepherd, I think you’re nice, too.”

Her whole body got that funny feeling. “You do?”

“Yeah, but I’ll bet you’ve had lots of people tell you that.”

She couldn’t remember if they had. “Nope. Just you.”

He looked at her for a long time, and then stood up. “Well, I gotta go. My mom’s gonna be waitin’.”

“’Kay, me, too,” she said, wishing they didn’t have to leave. It was going to be hard waiting for next Monday to come. “Bye, Kenny.”

“See ya.”

She watched him run all the way to the end of the bushes and around the corner to the junior high. She might be losing her dad, and stuff was all screwed up with Meredith, but she’d met Kenny and she was getting her mom back.

Life worked out funny sometimes.

CHAPTER TWELVE

“YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL, do you know that?”

Susan gave him a hug, her face buried in his chest. He was a lucky man and he was going to concentrate on that fact.

“And you’re a good kisser,” she said.

He’d greeted her at her door with a kiss, but he hadn’t been the only one clinging. He bent to kiss her a second time.

Susan turned her head. “I didn’t call you over here to do this.” She sounded more emotional than he was used to. Sad almost.

He’d been a bit surprised, pleasantly so, at her Wednesday morning call, asking if he could get away for a lunch hour at her house. She’d had a patient cancel and she wanted to see him.

“So why did you ask me here?”

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since Saturday night…”

“So have I.” Mark turned her in his arms so that he could see her face clearly.

“Susan, will you marry me?”

“What?” She was staring at him as if that was the last thing she’d expected him to say. After Kelsey’s outburst he could understand that.

“I want to marry you,” he said slowly, clearly, wanting her to know that he’d given this a lot of serious consideration. That his mind was firmly made up. He hadn’t expected to pop the question standing in her foyer, but… “You’re everything I want in a woman. I think about you a lot.” He brushed her breast lightly with the back of his hand. “I’m obviously attracted to you,” he said with a chuckle. “You’re smart. Kind. Loyal….”