It was a big promise, but Lily was a confident girl. Somehow, one way or the other, she was going to make Maggie and Wyatt a dinner that was not only edible, but amazing. Or at the very least, she hoped that it would be a dinner that would end up in their bellies and not in the trash can.
“Hey, I wanted to ask you girls something.” Wyatt stood up from his chair and walked toward the kitchen counter. “I saw an ad in the paper today about an event they're having just outside of town. It's a little ways away, but looks like it could be fun.”
Lily's eyes widened and she glanced toward Maggie to see that hers had done the same.
“An event?” Lily asked. “Sounds vague, but interesting.”
Wyatt laughed, grabbing the local newspaper from the counter. He flipped a few pages and then turned it around so that Maggie and Lily could see. “How would you guys feel about checking out the Renaissance Fair tomorrow?”
Without skipping a beat, Maggie shouted, “Yes!!”
The picture on the ad was of a man dressed like a knight. He was covered in silver armor and on a horse. He was holding a giant sword as he rode his trusty steed through the grass.
“Oh, my God,” Lily said, smiling. “I've heard of those fairs, but I've never actually been to one.”
“Me either,” Wyatt said. “Looks like fun, though. I'm sure Maggie would have a blast anyway.”
“So you were thinking about doing it tomorrow?” Lily asked.
“Yeah.” Wyatt closed the newspaper and plopped it back down onto the kitchen counter. “I'm pretty swamped at work, but I'm thinking that I'll just get an early start in the morning and tie up some loose ends by lunch time. I should be able to get back here in the afternoon, then we can head to the fair right away.”
“I think that sounds like a blast,” Lily said, feeling genuinely excited about going. “I'm totally up for it. Do people dress up for these things?”
Wyatt shrugged. “I think the kids do for sure. Maggie has her pirate costume from Halloween last year. What do you think, Maggie? Do you want to dress up as a pirate for the fair tomorrow?”
Her response was priceless. She curled her index finger into the shape of a hook and growled, “Arrrrr, Matey!”
Both Wyatt and Lily started laughing.
“I'll take that as a 'yes',” Lily said.
“Alright, well I'm looking forward to it.” Wyatt made his way back to his seat at the table.
Lily stood by the counter, gazing at Maggie and Wyatt for a moment. In just a few seconds, Wyatt had managed to make Maggie the happiest girl in the world. Her face was beaming. She was so excited about the fair and getting to dress up as a pirate. It was so clear that Wyatt knew what would make Maggie happy. Lily was certain that before he had even mentioned going to the fair, he had known that it was a great idea and that his daughter would be excited about it.
There's one thing for sure that I admire about Wyatt, Lily thought. He's definitely the best father in the world. I don't think I've ever seen anybody love their kid as much as he does.
The thought came into her mind and right after, she had the strangest sensation ever. There was a tightening in her belly, as though her body was speaking to her. She placed her hand down over her belly button, feeling the sensation increase. It was almost as if her uterus was cramping.
That's weird, she thought, lifting her hand away from her body.
She did her best to ignore the feeling and, after a few seconds, it faded away. It took her a moment to realize what had triggered it, but it wasn't like it was the most difficult mystery in the world. She had been thinking about Wyatt as a father and admiring the way he interacted with his daughter. That was all it took for her body to remind her of what she really wanted most in life.
I've never experienced that sensation before, she thought. I mean sure
, I've often thought about becoming pregnant, but that was a legitimate, physical sensation.
It was like her womb had called out to her, reminding her of just how badly she wanted to have a baby. It was as though her body was pointing at the clock on the wall, trying to tell her that time was passing by. The hands were turning and each minute that passed brought her closer to a time when she could no longer bear children.
I want a baby so bad, she thought, gently bringing her hand back to her belly. The sensation didn't show up again, but she kind of wished that it would. I want to be pregnant again. God, how I want that.
She gazed at Wyatt as she wondered what it would be like to have a child inside of her again. And, as much as she tried not to, she couldn't imagine having any other child except for his.
Chapter 14
Wyatt
Wyatt sat in front of the desk at his office. He was plowing through some financial documents that needed reviewing. It was a job that would normally have taken a few days, but he had every intention of getting it done in just a few hours. He'd made the promise to Maggie and Lily that they could go to the Renaissance Fair that afternoon and he wasn't about to back out of it.