“Yeah, I’m good.” I lean into him, his scent of cedar and baked cookies filling my nose. “Sorry for running off.”
“I understand.” He gestures to the petting zoo pen. “But Harvey doesn’t.”
I bend down, and Harvey puts his snout in my hand. “Sorry, big guy. Won’t happen again. You be good for the kids, okay?”
“Worse than chickens,” Silas grumbles with a snort as he heads to the booths.
“Are we all set up?” Shane asks me.
“Afton and Oscar set up while we looked for you.”
“Where’s Afton?”
“He had to go do something for the show. But he’ll be back.”
“I’m sorry I worried you.” I follow him to the booth, where his cookies and brownies are set up with my eggs.
We sit, and he takes my hand. “I’m here if you need me.”
“I know.” I squeeze his hand back as a few kids run up to the table for cookies.
“Oh, how cute. You all match,” I say as I notice they’re all dressed like superheroes.
“We like superheroes.” One of the kid’s grins.
“We all do.” I hand him a brownie with a wink.
“Thanks, Shane and Snow.” They take off running to the next candy booth.
I watch them and their enthusiasm. “They were cute.”
“Do you ever want kids someday?”
“I do. Someday. Little ballerinas to teach.” I stare at the clear blue sky, thinking of tiny little baby fingers, little toes. Of one day becoming a mother and what it will be like. Not now, but later . . .
“Do you ever want to go back to dancing?” he asks.
Do I? Ariel has asked me that. Ever as well. Even Timber brought it up once. Weird that she brought it up with her hand up one of the horses’ asses as she helped it give birth. Or vaginal canal? Whatever, it was just gross.
“I don’t think I want to go back. I might want to teach one day, though.”
“I could see you doing that.”
“I think it would be fun.” I smile as several more kids in costumes run up for sweets.
“Can I get a few eggs?” a small girl asks. “My mom asked me to get some.”
“Is your mom here?”
“She is.” The girl points to a lady standing near the front of the tent we’re in.
I put three eggs in a small carton. “All right. Here you go.”
She points to the sign. “Aren’t you supposed to charge me a penny?”
Leaning in close, I cup my hand, and whisper, “Take them. It’ll be our little secret.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” She smiles a toothy grin and takes off running toward her mom.
Things like this truly warm my heart.
“You’ll be a good mom someday.” Shane smirks.
I just grin and stroke his hand as we give sweets to little kids.
I like this.