Angel Falls (Angel Falls Series, #1), Babette Jongh [books for 6 year olds to read themselves .TXT] 📗

camouflage she provided for the humongous shoulder bag that hid bottled water and Ziploc bags of popcorn.

“This is so lame,” Jake complained for the thousandth time. “I can’t believe you’re making me go to a kids’ movie.”

I didn’t respond to his attitude. I took a step forward as the person in front of me did.

“I want to see it,” Maryann piped up. “Aunt Casey, you’ll love it, too. There’s lots of dancing.”

“I hope none of my friends see me standing here.” Jake looked around as if he’d just robbed a bank and cops lurked behind every corner. “Why couldn’t I just wait for y’all at your house?”

I handed over cash for my ticket. “Because you disobeyed me the last time you were there. You’re lucky your father didn’t ground you for the rest of the school year.”

Once in the darkened cinema, we made our way down a nasty, squelching tongue of carpet that stank of spilled Coke and ground-in popcorn. We settled into our seats, with Amy on one side of me and Maryann on the other. Jake sat several seats away, pretending he’d come here alone.

The already-dim house lights went out.

Amy squealed in alarm and squeezed my hand. “Can I sit in your lap?”

“Sure.” I hauled her over the seat’s plastic arm and passed my handbag to Maryann, who dug out a Ziploc bag of popcorn. When the movie started, Maryann leaned against me. Even though I held Amy on one arm, I put the other around Maryann and snuggled her up. She looked so much like Melody, with her thick dark hair and brown eyes, but she hadn’t inherited Mel’s attention-getting gene. In fact, she seemed to be perfecting the art of invisibility.

Jake demanded attention by being hardheaded and difficult. Amy demanded attention by being loving and sweet. Maryann didn’t demand attention, but I should remember that she needed it anyway.

After the movie, I took the children home to their house. We walked inside, welcomed by the savory aroma of spices wafting from the kitchen. We followed the enticing smell. The table was set with plates and silverware, and steam rose from a matching set of serving bowls and plates. Ben had cooked. An entire meal, vegetables and all.

“Wow, Ben, I’m impressed! Kind of unsure why you spent your kid-free day cooking, but...”

He handed me a glass of wine. “I thought I should thank you properly for giving me a full day of uninterrupted work time. Besides, I cheated. I cooked the meat on the grill and the biscuits are from a can.”

I took the glass and hung my purse on the back of a kitchen chair. “That works.”

“At least it’s not macaroni and cheese,” Maryann said. “Should I fix everybody’s drinks now, Daddy?”

Amy jumped up and down. “I wanna.”

Jake picked Amy up. “Come here, squirt.”

Amy pushed at his shoulders. “I am not a squirt.”

“Want to help me put ice in the glasses?” Jake made it sound fun by the inflection in his voice and the excited look on his face.

Amy bounced in his arms. “I can do that.”

“I wish Melody could see this.” I regretted the words the moment I heard myself say them. Thank goodness the kids hadn’t heard. They were too busy helping each other.

Ben put a gentle hand on my arm. “I’ve thought the same thing a million times. You know what I think?”

“No, what?”

“I think she can see them. I think that maybe somehow, she’s helping them get over her death and get on with living.”

“I hope so.” Tears pricked my eyes. “They still need her so much.”

Ben pulled me against his side. “Know what else? I think Melody knows you’re here for them when she can’t be.”

“Everything’s ready,” Maryann announced. “Come eat.”

Ben and I sat next to each other with the kids around us at the oval table with seating for six. Amy was on my right in her booster chair. Then Jake, then Maryann. The extra chair was on Ben’s left. I couldn’t help looking at it and wondering if somehow, Melody was sitting there.

When I shoved that strange feeling aside, I enjoyed sharing a meal with Ben and the kids, but something vital was missing. I filled a hole in this family’s life, but what about the hole in mine? What about my dream of having a husband who’d choose me first, not just as an alternate?

After dinner, Ben cleaned the kitchen. I supervised Amy’s bath time and dressed her in Hello Kitty pajamas. Then Ben and I tucked Amy into bed.

Amy locked her arms around my neck and pulled me close. She whispered, filling my ear with her hot, damp breath. “I need you to snuggle me up while I go to sleep.”

“Baby, I can’t.” Her toddler bed was exactly the size of a baby crib, though it was close to the ground and fashioned like a regular bed. “I can’t fit in your bed.”

“No,” she clarified, louder this time. I knew Ben could hear her from where he stood, leaning against the bedroom doorway. “I want you to snuggle me up in Daddy’s bed, like Mommy used to.”

“Tell you what.” I looked over to see the grin on Ben’s face. “I’ll give you another kiss now, and check on you in a few minutes.”

She sighed, disappointed but resigned. “Promise you’ll come right back.”

“I promise.”

Jake and Maryann had both retreated to their own rooms, under lights-out-at-bedtime orders. Ben and I went into the den and sat together on the couch, but not close. With his arm stretched across the back, his fingers touched my shoulder. “Casey, I’ve been thinking.” He flicked his fingers in a fleeting caress.

“Oh, please don’t do that,” I teased.

“I want to sell this house. The kids and I need to live where memories don’t tackle us every time we turn a corner. I loved Mel, but I need to move on.”

He had my attention. I searched his face, waiting.

“Would you help me find the right place? It wouldn’t have to mean anything about you and