“She cares deeply about pancakes.”
“I can work with that.”
“And stickers.”
“Still manageable.”
“Dinosaurs.”
“Getting more complicated.”
Ethan laughed.
Claire smiled into the phone.
Finally he said, “How about this Saturday?”
Her heart jumped.
“You mean it?”
“I’ll come with you for breakfast. After that, if everything feels comfortable, maybe I give you two a little space.”
“That sounds perfect.”
“One more thing.”
“Yes?”
“If Maggie becomes too much, tell me.”
Claire almost objected.
Then she heard what Ethan was really saying.
He wasn’t warning Claire.
He was protecting his daughter from being politely tolerated.
“I will,” Claire said.
“And if I become too much?”
“You?”
“Overprotective dad.”
“I’ll tell you that too.”
“Deal.”
After they hung up, Claire stood in the middle of her silent kitchen.
Then she did something ridiculous.
She opened her laptop and created an itinerary.
Breakfast.
Children’s museum.
Lunch.
Bookstore.
Hot chocolate.
Small craft store.
Possible early dinner.
Backup indoor activity.
Estimated travel time.
Parking options.
She stared at the spreadsheet.
Then she deleted it.
Maggie was five.
This was not a corporate retreat.
Saturday morning, Claire arrived at Ethan’s small house ten minutes early.
It sat on a quiet street lined with modest homes and wide front porches.
A tiny pink bicycle leaned against the garage.
Someone had drawn a lopsided rainbow in sidewalk chalk near the steps.
Claire loved the place immediately.
Then she panicked.
What if Maggie didn’t like her anymore?
What if Claire said something wrong?
What if Ethan watched her for twenty minutes and decided she had the emotional instincts of a desk lamp?
The front door opened.
Maggie appeared.
“You came!”
Claire’s fear disappeared.
“Of course I came.”
Maggie ran onto the porch, stopped herself before hugging Claire, then looked back at Ethan as if checking permission.
He nodded.
Maggie wrapped both arms around Claire’s waist.
Claire stood frozen for half a second.
Then she hugged her back.
Mr. Buttons was crushed between them.
