A Forever Thing: A Contemporary Christian Romance NOVELLA by Debra Ullrick Page A

Yeah.” She put it away into the cupboard to the right of the sink.
    “I know he did. He couldn’t stop talking about what a great job we did or how great his house looked. The mantel and tree were the best, don’t you think?”
    ”I like the big snow globe in his yard the best. Wonder how they got that merry-go-round inside of it.”
    “I don’t know. What did you think of his eight-foot blow up tree?”
    “I couldn’t believe how tall it was. Way taller than Officer Baker, and he’s tall. I have to bend my head way back…” She demonstrated just how far back. “To see his face. I couldn’t even bend back far enough to see the top of the tree. When Officer Baker held me up, then I could see it.”
    Kelly handed Angie a cereal bowl and glanced up at the retro cat clock. “Oh, look at the time. We’d better get these breakfast dishes finished and get ready for church. Don’t forget. After church, Tate is taking us sledding.”
    “Mom,” Angie dragged out, clearly exasperated. “You told Marissa I could spend the night at her house tonight, ‘member? Can’t Officer Baker take us another time?” She frowned and chewed on her lip, which meant the wheels in her head were spinning. She was conjuring up something. Something Kelly usually didn’t want to do. “Why don’t you go with Officer Baker, Mom?”
    Kelly held back her surprise. Because of comments Angie had made over the past three years, Kelly wasn’t sure her daughter had ever wanted her to spend time with another man who wasn’t her father. Especially alone.
    What was Angie up to?
    Whatever it was, Kelly feared the outcome. “That’s okay. We can make it another time, I’m sure.”
    Angie stopped drying the plate she had in her hand and pressed her hip into the counter. “Mom, can’t you see what I’m trying to do?”
    Kelly rinsed another dish and set it in the dishrack. She fought not to look at her daughter until she got her feelings fully under control. With her hands lingering above the soapy water, she turned and faced her daughter. “No. I don’t. So why don’t you tell me.”
    With a dramatic sigh and roll of her eyes, Angie shook her head. “I’m trying to get you two together.”
    Kelly’s hands plopped into the water and made a huge splash. “What? What do you mean you’re trying to get us together?” This can’t be good.
    “You know.” Her daughter waddled her head. “Boy meets girl. Girl meets boy. Boy and girl fall in love and they get married.”
    Where did her daughter get this stuff? Wherever she did, she was grounded for life from them.
    She struggled not to overreact, pulled her hands out of the water, and wiped them off on the towel in Angie’s hand. But before she could say a word, Angie continued, “I like him, Mom. Being with him is like being with Daddy.”
    “But Officer Baker isn’t your dad, baby.”
    Angie sighed and closed her eyes for a second. “I know that, Mom. No one can ever take Daddy’s place.” Her eyelids lowered, and she scuffed the side of her bunny slipper on the hardwood floor. “But, I miss having a daddy. Is that bad?”
    Feeling her daughter’s emptiness and need, Kelly took Angie’s hands in hers. “Baby.” She waited until Angie looked at her. Hurt filled her daughter’s gaze. “It’s not bad to want a daddy. Every little girl wants one and needs one. Your daddy would want you happy. You know that, right?”
    Angie nodded.
    “If and when I ever decide to get married again, I want to make sure that it’s to someone who loves you as much as I do. Someone who will be a great father to you and treat you well.”
    “Officer Baker does.”
    “How do you know that? You’ve only been around him a few times.”
    Angie tilted her head and let out another long dramatic sigh. “Because, he didn’t arrest you. That’s how I know. He cared about how I felt about that. Those other police officers treated me like a really bad person. I’m really not one, Mom. I just