Chapter 94

"Wow! That was fun!" Taren cheered as the sled came to a stop at the bottom of the hill, enjoying the feel of Kiki in his arms a bit too much. They had veered a bit off course, but he had made a few turns and quickly got them back on track.
He had guessed it was the same with his life. He had been so in love as a teenager and, somehow, his life had gotten derailed. Yes, Scarlett had left him, but he couldn't blame only her for his life. During their breakup, there had been enough blame to go around for them both.
But he had no regrets. Abby had been a result of their marriage and the best thing that had ever happened to him. And no matter what Scarlett had done to him, she had given him the greatest gift of all- his daughter.
Kiki laughed, bringing him from his reverie. Since he started seeing Kiki, he had thought of Scarlett less and less.
"Again, again!" Abby yelled, her voice music to his ears.
"Okay, pumpkin. Let Daddy get up first."
Kiki got up first and then turned to him and held out her hand. "Okay, old man."
"Hey! I resemble that remark," he teased as he grabbed her hand and pulled her down onto the snow. "Now who's old?"
"Why you!" Kiki giggled as she reached over and tickled his sides, causing him to laugh.
Abby jumped right on top of them. "Let's go again, Daddy!" She grabbed his hand and pulled. "Come on!"
Turning to Kiki, he said, "I guess we're being summoned."
Kiki giggled. "I guess so." She got to her feet and brushed the snow off her jeans. "What do you say? Another round?"
He rose to his feet and did the same. "I guess we'd better, unless we want a little girl uprising."
"Hey! I'm not little!" Abby yelled, taking hold of the sled rope. "I'm a big girl now!"
Taren cocked his head to the side and smiled. "Almost." She glared at him, reminding him of a feisty kitten with her feathers ruffled, but unable to do any real harm. "But you're getting there," he amended as he took the sled rope beside his daughter.
"Just don't grow up too fast," Kiki chimed, following behind. "Enjoy being a child for as long as it lasts. You'll be an adult a whole lot longer than you'll be a child."
Taren noticed that she was breathing a bit heavy. "Are you sure you don't want to sit this next one out?"
Kiki nodded. "Maybe just this one-."
Taren nodded, sure that she wouldn't let on if she was feeling bad. He made a secret promise not to keep her and Abby out for too long.
"So, are you ready to get back to school yet?" Kiki asked, out of the blue.
Abby laughed. "Nope. Not yet."
"What grade are you in?"
"First." Abby sighed as she looked back at Kiki. "The other kids don't know how to read and they keep wanting to play baby games."
Kiki chuckled. "Well, you'll just have to be patient with them. They need to catch up with you. Once they do, I'm sure they'll be more interesting."
Abby shook her head. "I doubt that."
Kiki laughed, sounding like bells to Taren's ears. "Well, maybe you can read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland to me before I go."
Abby scoffed as she let go of the sled rope and rushed to hold Kiki's hand. "You don't have to go, do you?"
Kiki smiled. "Yes I do. I have my own apartment and have to get things straightened out there. But I'll be back to visit soon."
Abby looked up at her with wide eyes, pulling at Taren's heart. He hadn't realized that not having a mother in her life had taken its toll on her. Other than his mother, she had no other mother figure in her life. Taren hadn't even dated in a very long while.
"Promise?"
"I promise," Kiki replied.
"Will you teach me how to paint, too?" Abby asked, her eyes wide.
"Of course." But she looked up at Taren and added, "If it's okay with your father."
Taren nodded. "Yes. You're always welcome here."
Kiki smiled at Taren, and then turned her attention back to Abby. "But what do you say we enjoy this new sled first."
Abby nodded, everything else but the sled all but forgotten. "Yippee!" Then she looked up at Kiki. "Let's go!"
"In a bit. But right now, why don't you go with your father?" Kiki smiled. "I'll go on the next round."
"Okay!" Abby chirped, taking her father's hand. "Come on, Daddy!"
Taren's lips curled into a smile as he let his daughter drag him up the hill. Taren hadn't seen Abby this happy in a long time. He was happy to see that Abby had taken up so readily with Kiki.
And Kiki had taken right up with Abby, too. He enjoyed watching Kiki with his daughter. She was patient and kind and appeared to like children.
Taren set the sled in place and turned to Kiki. "Will you be okay for a bit? We can go in, if you like."
Kiki shook her head and smiled. "No, you go ahead. I'll be fine."
Taren took a seat on the sled, and Abby settled in front of him.
"Ready, princess?" he asked.
Abby nodded, holding tightly to the sled rope. "Ready!"
Taren held onto her and Kiki gave them a hard push, sending them sailing down the hill. The rungs of the sled kicked bits of snow that sprayed into the air, as the wind rushed across their faces. Abby laughed and hollered all the way down the hill, until the sled skidded to a stop.
"Again, Daddy! Again!" Abby hopped up and reached for Taren's hand. He complied, letting her think that she had pulled him up.
Taren held his daughter's hand and pulled the sled with the other. "May I ask you something?"
"Sure, Daddy," she replied, looking up at him with innocent eyes. "What's up?"
Taren chuckled. Abby really amazed him. Here, she was just a little girl, but appeared to be so grown up at times.
Taren nodded toward Kiki, standing at the top of the hill with her arms wrapped around herself. "You like her, right?"
"Yes, Daddy," Abby replied, matter of fact, as if he should have already known the answer. "Why? Don't you?"
Taren laughed. "Yes, of course. She's great."
"Well, then, what's the problem?" she asked her eyes wide, as if it was the most natural question in the world.
Taren laughed, shaking his head. "You're a little too grown up for your own good sometimes. You know that, right?"
A broad smile spread across her face as she shrugged. "I'm not sure. I'm only six years old."
One corner of his lips curled into a smile, enjoying spending time with his daughter as they headed up the hill. "Would you mind if I started seeing Kiki?"
Abby looked down as if contemplating a serious question. "No, I wouldn't mind. I like her." Then she looked up, raising her eyebrows. "Do you?"
Taren nodded. "Yes, I do." He sighed and bit his upper lip and then released it. "Abby, I just don't want you to get hurt."
She looked up at him with hopeful eyes. "Daddy, you can't protect me from everything."
Taren gave her hand a squeeze. "Oh, yes I can- for as long as I can."
Abby sighed, nearing the top of the hill. "Okay, Dad. If you must."
Taren let go of the sled and scooped his daughter into his arms. "Just promise me you won't grow up too fast."
Abby kissed his cheek. "Now you sound like Kiki."
Taren smiled. "Well, don't." Then he looked into her eyes. "I think I need to put a brink on your head to keep you from growing."
Abby smiled, tilting her head to the side. "I don't think it'll work."
Taren laughed. "Yeah; it'll probably just give you a headache." He looked across to Kiki, still out of earshot, and then back to his daughter. "Do me a favor and don't tell Kiki any of this."
Abby nodded, a crease forming between her eyes, and then whispered, "Don't worry, Dad. I won't tell."
Taren smiled. "Since when did you get to be so smart?"
She shrugged. "I've always been. You just never noticed."
"Oh, I noticed all right." Taren kissed her forehead and then set her back down on her feet. Then he picked up the sled rope and finished dragging the sled up the hill.
"Kiki! Did you see that?" Abby yelled as she ran, closing the distance between them.
Kiki caught her and lifted her into her arms. "Yes, I saw. Pretty cool!"
"Yeah-." Abby looked over at her father. "Pretty cool."
They spent the afternoon taking turns sliding down the hill together until it was too cold to stay out anymore. Finally, he looked over at Abby and she was shivering.