Promises to Keep - Ann Tatlock [105]
“What about it?”
“Well, maybe it depends on the dream, you know?”
“What do you mean?”
“Sometimes it may be the dream that keeps you from flying, if it’s the wrong dream to have.”
Several long seconds passed before I said, “Sometimes I don’t get you, Mara. I don’t get what you mean.”
“Never mind, Roz,” she said, lifting her shoulders in a tiny shrug. “I’m just thinking out loud.”
“I think you think too much.”
We laughed a little at that, and Mara said, “Yeah, maybe we could spend a day in Chicago with our dads. That would be something.”
“It sure would,” I agreed. “Hey, when Mom comes to pick me up, do you want to come over for a while?”
Mara nodded. “Sure.”
“You can call your mom from our house and tell her we’ll bring you home later.”
“All right.”
“Or maybe you could spend the night. No, I know, maybe you could just live with us!” I said with a laugh. “Wouldn’t that be fun?”
“Yeah,” she said excitedly. After a moment, though, she added, “But I’d miss my mom and dad.”
“Oh. Yeah, I know what you mean.”
“So I guess I’ll just go on living with them.”
I nodded. We smiled at each other and went on eating our ice cream.
Even though Daddy was married, Miss Fremont still allowed him to come into the classroom to leave notes in my desk. I found one there on Thursday morning, February 22, exactly one week before leap year day. Can you meet me at the café after school today? he asked.
I could and I would. At the end of the day, I took the school bus to the public library, then walked from there to Hot Diggity Dog. The trek was no easy task, since I was headed into the wind. Nearly frozen by the time I arrived, I didn’t bother to take off my coat when I slid into the booth.
“Cold enough for you?” Daddy asked with a laugh.
I was too cold to answer; I only nodded. Daddy hollered for Darlene to bring me some hot chocolate, which warmed my hands first and finally, slowly, my insides.
“Well, kid,” Daddy said at length, “just one more week and we’ll be together.”
He held out a hand across the table, and I took it. In spite of the rough calluses crossing his palm, his hand felt warm and safe to me.
“I can’t wait, Daddy.”
“Me either, honey.”
“Things are going to be good this time.”
“You know it, kid. And look. . . .” With his free hand he dug into his shirt pocket and pulled out a small hinged box. “Look here at what I got for your mother.”
He pulled his hand from my grip so he could open the box. The lid flipped up on the hinge, like a pried-open oyster shell. Instead of a pearl, though, there was ring inside with a large red stone, surrounded by smaller stones that looked like diamonds. I felt my eyes grow wide in amazement.
“It’s beautiful, Daddy!” I said.
He nodded. A certain pride settled over his face. “Your mother has always wanted a ruby. That’s what this is.”
“A ruby? Wow. It’s the prettiest ring I ever saw. Can I try it on?”
“Sure, honey. It’ll be too big for you, but go ahead.”
I pulled the ring from the box and slipped it on. Daddy was right; it was too big, but I held it in place by squeezing my fingers together. Turning it this way and that, I watched how the stones dazzled even in the dim overhead light. “Wow, Daddy,” I said again. “Mom’s going to love it.”
“I think she will,” he agreed.
“Is she supposed to wear it in place of her wedding ring?” I asked, “because she doesn’t wear her wedding ring anymore.”
Daddy looked pained at that. “Do you know what she did with her ring? Did she sell it?”
I shook my head slowly. “I don’t know. I don’t think she sold it. Maybe she just put it in her jewelry box.”
“Well, if it’s gone, I’ll buy her another one.” He tried to smile, but it was lopsided and brief. “This one isn’t a wedding ring. It’s more of a . . . I don’t know . . . a promise ring, maybe. It’s a token of my promise to make a new life for us.”
I looked from Daddy to the ring and back again. “It sure is pretty, Daddy. You picked out the best ring ever.”
“I’m glad you like it, honey. That means a lot to me. Maybe that means your mom will like