Page 4 of Single Daddy To Go

She runs towards me. As I lean down, she throws her arms around my neck. I can feel her heartbeat. Her hair smells of Johnson and Johnson’s baby shampoo. My own heart swells with love and pride.

“Katie! Were you a good girl today?” I ask her.

She regards the question, deliberating, her little lips pursing in thought. The day care provider smiles, hiding a laugh. “Yes,” Katie says. “I was good today.”

I flash a look at the provider, entreating her opinion.

The woman’s cheeks turn pink again, a little less pronounced than the last time, but impossible not to notice. “She was great today,” the brunette says, smiling. “She sang the whole alphabet song today, didn’t you Katie?”

My daughter nods, seemingly proud of herself. “Do you want to hear it, Daddy?”

Normally, I’d want to get this pick-up done quickly and be off to my next thing, but I’m enjoying the brunette’s company, and the room full of children is strangely soothing. I could get used to this. I get down on one knee, so I’m closer to Katie’s level. “I would love to hear it, sweetheart.”

She starts slowly at first, as if she’s having some trouble remembering the words. I notice a chart of the alphabet on the wall, but Katie doesn’t look at it, singing the letters from memory alone. “A... B... C...”

As she keeps singing, Katie gets into the groove of it, her pace quickening as she remembers all the letters. When she gets to “Z” she’s positively beaming.

“That’s amazing, sweetheart!” I tell her, tousling her hair. “That was perfect. I’m so proud of you.”

She hugs me a little bit harder. I look over at the day care provider. “You’re doing a great job with her.”

The woman shrugs, smiling. “It doesn’t even feel like a job. Katie’s a lovely girl.”

I feel a tiny shred of shame for using one of my usual lines on the lady, but it wouldn’t be a “usual line” if it didn’t work. I make eye contact, and speak in a low voice. “I’m afraid you have me at a bit of a disadvantage. You know my name, but I don’t know yours.”

The woman shifts her body back and forth, subtly but unmistakably aroused by the attention. “Oh. Sorry. I’m Ally. Ally Summers.”

“No need for an apology. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ally Summers.”

She starts to laugh throatily, and then puts her hand over her mouth to stop it. Instead, the woman speaks quickly, trying to seem professional. I know the drill.

“Mr. Lockhart, Katie is a great girl and she’s doing really well here. She always eats her snack and naps during nap time, and she’s usually really good about getting along with the other kids. There was an incident today, however, when she refused to share a toy with a little boy named Victor.”

Katie’s energy rises. “That was Victor’s fault!” Her little voice is indignant. “He pulled my hair. I didn’t want to share with him. He’s a bad boy. I hate him!”

Ally chides her softly.

“Katie, it’s not O.K. to hate people. Remember yesterday when Victor shared his lunch with you? Remember how you love playing Duck, Duck, Goose with him? You don’t really hate him, do you?”

The little girl sighs and reconsiders.

“No. I don’t hate him. I used to think he was my best friend. But hedidpull my hair!”

“He just did it because he likes you,” Ally says, her voice full of patience. “It doesn’t mean it’s O.K. You can tell him to stop or come get me so I can talk to him about it, but sometimes little boys do that sort of thing because they want to be friends.”

“Really?” Katie’s eyes widen.

“Yes,” says Ally. “Boys don’t always know how to express themselves in the right way. Victor likes you.”

Katie’s brow knits.

“Boys are weird.”

Ally nods, smiling.

“Yes, Katie. I think you’re right.”

The luscious brunette turns her attention to me, smiling with those pouty lips.