A Dad of His Own by Gail Gaymer Martin

chair, she eyed the telephone. Ethan. She promised to call him. No big party for Cooper this year unless his next treatment went dramatically better. Lexie lifted Ethan’s business card laying next to the telephone and gazed at his number.
    Since meeting him, Lexie realized someone besides Cooper now occupied her mind. Though she’d always beencareful with people, especially ones she’d just met, Ethan’s presence felt as comfortable as her favorite slippers. At first she questioned his motivation, but after his visit and seeing him with Cooper, she had a change of heart. Ethan exemplified what it meant to be a nice person. And that’s what still caused concern. He talked about God and faith. Religion seemed a big part of his life. She hadn’t read the Bible or attended church. She and Ethan were different, but she knew what good attributes were and Ethan had them.
    When she questioned his motivation, she’d asked herself if his religion was why he’d been so kind to them. But reality finally settled in. No relationship could last based on a person needing to be kind. That had nothing to do with wanting or enjoying the relationship. She needed to pay taxes but that didn’t bring her happiness. If Ethan needed to be kind because the Bible told him to, then he did it to please God and not himself. That motivation alone didn’t seem to fit Ethan.
    She shook her head, wishing she could make sense out of her thoughts. What did faith really mean? Often she longed to have something fill the hollow feeling that groaned in the pit of her stomach. Cooper gave her happiness, but she yearned for a kind of fulfillment she’d never had. A sense of completeness. Maybe that was it.
    Glancing down at her hand, she focused on the business card and made her decision. She lifted the receiver and punched in Ethan’s number. After three rings, she shifted to hang up and then heard the connection and his voice. “This is Lexie. I should have called you sooner, but—”
    “Don’t apologize. I’m really glad to hear from you. How’s Cooper? I’ve been worried.”
    The answer caught in her throat. “I wish the news were better. He’s having a bad time with his last treatment, and he has another one Thursday, but soon he’ll be up and good again. I just need to be patient.”
    “I’m sorry he’s having problems.”
    She swallowed. “His birthday is Thursday, but under the circumstances, I’m not planning a real party. He’ll be weak, and he’ll sleep after the treatment.”
    “That’s too bad.” He left a lengthy pause. “Could do something smaller.”
    Disappointment flattened his voice. He truly cared. Not having a party disappointed her, too, as it would Cooper. And she would have enjoyed getting to know Ethan better. He dropped into her thoughts too often. “We’ll still celebrate in our quiet way. I’ll bake him a cake.”
    “I like cake.”
    Lexie stared at the receiver, hearing him say what her heart wanted to hear. “Are you saying you’d like to come over anyway?”
    “Definitely. I’ve already bought his gift.”
    “A gift? Ethan, you already gave him the book. That was a wonderful present.”
    “But it didn’t come with a happy birthday card.”
    A grin cracked the tension in her face. “That’s true.” But her mind still grappled with negative thoughts. Yes or no? Encourage? Discourage? Despite the warnings that lodged in her head, she liked Ethan. She pried herself from the trench and went with her heart. “Come over about six. I’ll make dinner.”
    “I hinted for cake. I didn’t expect a meal.”
    Her grin deepened. “That’s all the better. Is six good for you?”
    “It’s perfect.”
    “Then we’ll see you on Thursday. Cooper may be sick, but when I tell him you’ll be here, he’ll be ecstatic. You and the book have been the topic of conversation since you were here.”
    “Really?”
    His tone had changed, and she didn’t like the sound. She’d made a mistake telling him how