satisfied and happy. It still wasn’t perfect. Jared didn’t love her, and it would forever sadden her that her dream had the chance to blossom because of her sister’s death. But they were together and building a family that, while it was different from the one Steve and Jen had created, Kate knew it would be as strong as long as they worked hard at it.
Chapter Six
"Auntie Kate?"
Kate looked up from the pot she was washing to see Amelia standing a few feet from her. They’d finished up another delicious meal. Her fifth so far. Another two and she’d have a whole week’s worth of menus to rotate.
"What’s up, sweetheart?" It was rare that Amelia sought her out for anything. She’d been so strong for such a young child. Kate had only seen her cry once since the death of her parents and grandparents.
Amelia edged a little closer , and Kate left the pot to soak in the sink so she could focus on her niece.
"Umm, the girls’ group at church is talking about having a dinner." Amelia moved her foot back and forth over the floor, her expression serious.
"That sounds like fun. Do you need me to make something? I think I could manage to pull something together that wouldn’t embarrass you too much. Just give me some warning and a smile."
A brief smile flitted across the nine-year old’s face before turning sober again. "I don’t know what we’re doing for food yet but it’s something else."
Kate put an arm around Amelia’s shoulder. She moved them to the breakfast nook hoping that she was up to dealing with whatever was bothering Amelia. Since she so rarely came to her for help, Kate didn’t want to mess things up.
"What is it about the dinner that’s bothering you, sweetie?"
"It’s a father-daughter dinner," Amelia whispered, her voice ragged.
"Oh sweetie." Amelia came right into her arms, tears filling her eyes. "You’re missing your dad, aren’t you?"
Amelia nodded. "All the other girls will have their dads but I won’t."
Kate prayed for wisdom to say the right thing. "It’s okay to cry, honey. It’s okay to feel sad."
"I...miss...them...so...much," Amelia gasped the words out between sobs.
Kate cradled her niece close. She spoke soothing words of comfort and stroked a gentle hand up and down Amelia’s back. It had taken seven months to get this point and Kate knew that Amelia must have a lot of grief bottled up inside her.
They stayed that way for almost ten minutes. Finally Amelia’s sobs subsided to mere hiccups. She slumped wearily in Kate’s arms.
Once she was sure the tide of emotion had passed Kate spoke to her again. "I know you miss your daddy, Amelia , but I also know that if you want to go to that dinner there’s someone who would gladly go with you."
Amelia lifted her head and looked at Kate with red, swollen eyes. "Uncle Jared?"
Kate nodded. "I think he would be honored to go with you. He’ll never replace your dad, just like I’ll never replace your mom, but we’d be happy to step in where we can. I think in this case your uncle would love to go with you."
" Aunt Kate is right." Jared stood in the doorway, Dani in his arms. His gaze locked on his tearful niece. "I would be honored to go with you. If that’s what you want."
Amelia nodded. She slipped off Kate’s lap and headed for her uncle. Jared squatted down so he was at eye level with her. "Maybe Aunt Kate can take you out and buy you a special dress for the dinner. How would you like that?"
"I’d love that."
Kate smiled and caught Jared’s gaze over Amelia’s head as he drew his niece close for a hug. She wondered if he was as overwhelmed with love and pride for Amelia as she was.
Kate remained in her chair even after Amelia took Dani and went in search of the other two kids. Jared came to join her at the table.
"I hope I didn’t interrupt. When Amelia disappeared I thought I’d see what had happened. Are you okay?"
Kate smiled at him. "I’m fine. I was scared I was going to mess up , but I
Chapter Six
"Auntie Kate?"
Kate looked up from the pot she was washing to see Amelia standing a few feet from her. They’d finished up another delicious meal. Her fifth so far. Another two and she’d have a whole week’s worth of menus to rotate.
"What’s up, sweetheart?" It was rare that Amelia sought her out for anything. She’d been so strong for such a young child. Kate had only seen her cry once since the death of her parents and grandparents.
Amelia edged a little closer , and Kate left the pot to soak in the sink so she could focus on her niece.
"Umm, the girls’ group at church is talking about having a dinner." Amelia moved her foot back and forth over the floor, her expression serious.
"That sounds like fun. Do you need me to make something? I think I could manage to pull something together that wouldn’t embarrass you too much. Just give me some warning and a smile."
A brief smile flitted across the nine-year old’s face before turning sober again. "I don’t know what we’re doing for food yet but it’s something else."
Kate put an arm around Amelia’s shoulder. She moved them to the breakfast nook hoping that she was up to dealing with whatever was bothering Amelia. Since she so rarely came to her for help, Kate didn’t want to mess things up.
"What is it about the dinner that’s bothering you, sweetie?"
"It’s a father-daughter dinner," Amelia whispered, her voice ragged.
"Oh sweetie." Amelia came right into her arms, tears filling her eyes. "You’re missing your dad, aren’t you?"
Amelia nodded. "All the other girls will have their dads but I won’t."
Kate prayed for wisdom to say the right thing. "It’s okay to cry, honey. It’s okay to feel sad."
"I...miss...them...so...much," Amelia gasped the words out between sobs.
Kate cradled her niece close. She spoke soothing words of comfort and stroked a gentle hand up and down Amelia’s back. It had taken seven months to get this point and Kate knew that Amelia must have a lot of grief bottled up inside her.
They stayed that way for almost ten minutes. Finally Amelia’s sobs subsided to mere hiccups. She slumped wearily in Kate’s arms.
Once she was sure the tide of emotion had passed Kate spoke to her again. "I know you miss your daddy, Amelia , but I also know that if you want to go to that dinner there’s someone who would gladly go with you."
Amelia lifted her head and looked at Kate with red, swollen eyes. "Uncle Jared?"
Kate nodded. "I think he would be honored to go with you. He’ll never replace your dad, just like I’ll never replace your mom, but we’d be happy to step in where we can. I think in this case your uncle would love to go with you."
" Aunt Kate is right." Jared stood in the doorway, Dani in his arms. His gaze locked on his tearful niece. "I would be honored to go with you. If that’s what you want."
Amelia nodded. She slipped off Kate’s lap and headed for her uncle. Jared squatted down so he was at eye level with her. "Maybe Aunt Kate can take you out and buy you a special dress for the dinner. How would you like that?"
"I’d love that."
Kate smiled and caught Jared’s gaze over Amelia’s head as he drew his niece close for a hug. She wondered if he was as overwhelmed with love and pride for Amelia as she was.
Kate remained in her chair even after Amelia took Dani and went in search of the other two kids. Jared came to join her at the table.
"I hope I didn’t interrupt. When Amelia disappeared I thought I’d see what had happened. Are you okay?"
Kate smiled at him. "I’m fine. I was scared I was going to mess up , but I
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