Page 23 of The Lilac River

"You already had two plates of pot pie."

"I’m a growing girl!"

"You’re a growing negotiator."

"That too."

I shook my head. "Fine. Milk and cookies after your bath."

"Yay! Oh! Daddy, I forgot.” She dug around in her overalls, pulling out a crumpled paper. "Miss. Carmichael gave us this before summer."

Crumbs and what looked like half a gummy bear fell out.

"Bertie," I groaned, unfolding the note. "Why didn’t you give this to me sooner?"

"I was busy this summer!" she protested.

Scanning the paper, my stomach dropped.

Get To Know You Day.

Of course.

"Bertie," I said slowly, "you volunteered me to makethirty cupcakes?"

She gave me a beatific smile. "You make great mac n' cheese, Daddy."

"So why not volunteer me to make that?"

"Cupcakes impress teachers."

I sighed. "They have to be homemade. Not store-bought."

"I want Miss. Gray to love me!"

"Bertie, you know Mrs. Lagerfeld bakes your birthday cakes, right?"

She gasped like I’d confessed murder. "You lied to me!"

"It was more an emotional...embellishment."

She flopped onto her back. "I'm discombobulated!"

"And the Oscar goes to."

"But myworldis shattered."

Laughing, I held out my hand and pulled her upright.

"I’ll make the cupcakes, Munchkin. I promise."

"Yay! You’re the best Daddy ever."

"Damn right," I said, tucking the paper into my pocket.

"Now go watch your movie, Drama Queen."

"Okay, Daddy. See you in thirty minutes!"