Page 83 of Skye's Fall

“Whatever the princess wants,” I roll my eyes, grab my robe, and go to the bathroom to get ready, even though I’m invisible to her right now. She really is a daddy’s girl.

Today she gets to see all her friends and family. It’s days like this that I am glad that I have friends, to give us a break. But it’s also Friday and that’s always special to Hickory.

Ariel is already in the kitchen, mixing batter so I just fall in step and help out.

“Morning,” she says as we switch sides.

“Morning.”

“She wants eggs for breakfast?”

“She always does.”

Ariel laughs just as Stella bounds into the room. We named her after her grandmother. I think it brought him closer to her. And now we have someone who will carry on her name. Linc’s dad had suggested it. I think if his dad truly cared for the woman and wished he could have had that chance at love. For now he has the garden.

“Here you go,” I hand Stella a plate of eggs and a glass of orange juice.

“Thank you,” she smiles at me as she shovels the food in, just like her father.

“Slow down,” Linc chides as he takes a seat as Brick comes in.

“Uncle Brick, I’m going to ride the horses today,” she tells him.

“You are? I bet that will be fun.”

“Will you come watch me?”

“I will, just holler for me and I will come running,” he says and Linc laughs.

“What?”

“You don’t run,” Linc snorts.

“The hell I do.”

“You said a bad word,” Stella climbs off and grabs a jar and holds it out for Brick to put a dollar in.

We started a swear jar and she’s collected a good chunk of change, not sure what she will do with those earnings yet. We don’t bring it up, hoping she just keeps on saving. College is expensive these days.

“I’ll load up the horses and meet you guys there,” Brick kisses Ariel and heads out to the barn.

“Can I go with Uncle Brick?” Stella hands her plate to me and I look at Ariel.

“She can come with us. Your dad will be there so he can help watch her,” Ariel takes her hand and leads her away.

I sigh, knowing she’s in good hands. Sometimes it’s hard to let her go, but I’m trying to more and more. She’s going to be on her own someday and I won’t be there.

“We have some time to ourselves,” Linc wiggles his eyebrows.

I don’t say anything in return, I just grab his hand and all but drag him to the bedroom. We don’t get many times like this. And by these times, I mean naps.

* * *

Lincoln

It’s amazing how life can come full circle. I’m watching Skye dress for the day, because we have to get down to the diner.

“You’re staring,” she says. She thinks that she’s ugly since she’s filled out some and has stretch marks.