Page 97 of Learn Your Lesson

“Change, change!” I chanted, and Ava and I grabbed the wheel as hard as we could, the teacup lurching to a stop before we began swiveling the other way.

Will looked green, his hands jutting out to stop us from turning the table more. “Alright, that’s enough.”

“Come on, Daddy! Spin! Spin!”

Just as I suspected, Will couldn’t resist his daughter — not when she was having what I was pretty sure was the best day of her life.

Reluctantly, and with a dramatic growl, Will used his massive grip to help us pivot the table. The teacup swirled with more speed and intensity than it had with just me and Ava spinning it, and eventually, Ava threw her hands up in the air and let out the sweetest peal of laughter.

It was the kind of moment that stuck in your mind like glue, a core memory of an innocent child without an ounce of stress or worry on her shoulders. She was free. She was living.

She was happy.

The corner of Will’s mouth tilted up, and we shared a look across the teacup.

As if the world wasn’t already blurred beyond us, the look he gave me made it feel as if there was no world at all outside of this three-foot circumference. His honey eyes held fast to mine, questions and declarations unsaid.

Time slowed, Ava’s laugh ringing out loud and lovely in the background as Will swallowed, his brows furrowing together.

Just as soon as the moment had come, it was zapped away, the ride slowing to a halt while Ava panted and clapped and demanded to go again.

We toppled off the ride in a dizzy daze, Ava and me laughing as we walked side to side in our attempt to makeit back to where Chef Patel and Juan were waiting for us without falling over.

“How was it?” Chef asked, handing Ava her Dumbo toy.

“Amazing!” Ava and I answered at the same time Will said, “I think I’m going to be sick.”

That earned a laugh from Juan and a wrinkled nose from Arushi, and then we all regrouped and headed on our merry way.

We zipped through Fantasyland and Liberty Square, pausing for a bit on Tom Sawyer Island while Ava took a nap in her dad’s arms. Chef Patel seemed grateful for the break, stretching out her legs and soaking up the sunshine while she dozed off in a little nap of her own.

Will and I sat silently next to each other, watching the boat travel back and forth, the people spilling onto the island and walking around a bit before piling back on to head back toward the rides and attractions.

It was the kind of day that made me happy I lived in Florida. The rest of the country was battling blizzards and freezing rain while we had a sunshiney day, the temperature in the seventies and a cool breeze flowing through the trees. It wasn’t a very busy day, either, especially considering it was a Sunday. And having the VIP tour made it easy to get through the park without much hassle of waiting in lines.

When we traipsed over to Adventureland, Chef accompanied Ava to the little girls’ room and Juan took his own leave. Will and I stood guard of all our belongings.

“It’s a very nostalgic place, isn’t it?” I commented, smiling at the sight of a family passing by — the mom pushing the stroller while a little boy rode on top of his dad’s shoulders.

“You come here a lot as a kid?” Will asked.

“Once.”

“Only once?”

“My mom wasn’t exactly a huge fan of Disney,” I explained.

“And I thoughtIwas the scrooge,” Will mused. “Who doesn’t likeDisney?”

I sighed, smiling even though my heart hurt a bit at the memory. “I begged my mom for the longest time to come here. She would never let me go when my friends invited me with their families. But one summer, between fifth and sixth grade, she finally brought me. It was just me and her.” I shook my head. “It was one of the best days of my life and one of the worst, too.”

I paused, unsure of whether to continue or not. I knew this was crossing a boundary Will had so clearly spelled out for us.

But then again… he’d asked, hadn’t he?

“Everything was fine until we passed by the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. You know, where you can get your hair and makeup done and they dress you like a princess?” I laughed a bit to myself, staring down at my dirty white sneakers. “I wanted to do itsobad. I remember watching the other girls come out of the castle after getting their makeovers and justwhiningfor my mom to please, please,pleaselet me do one, too.

“But, to my mom, it was the equivalent of me asking to do cocaine,” I said. “She loathed the Disney princesses. She never wanted me to watch their movies. In fact, the ones Ihadseen were because I snuck them at my friends’ houses and just didn’t tell Mom.”