Chapter Thirty-three
Thirty-three
Mabel
Holding my breath, I take another once over in the mirror at the beautiful playsuit that Iris and Hope helped me pick out for the fair today.
The belt sits in the right place, and my red lipstick couldn’t have been more perfect if I tried, but yet the panic running through me isn’t calming down. I don’t know why but I’ve got a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. The one I tend to get when something is about to go horribly wrong.
I run through the work schedule in my head one more time, Colter text me this morning to say that the ponies were done and set up for the rides and Mrs Hamilton was, and I quote ‘stressing but cheerful,’ so it’s not that.
The herd’s been moved this morning into our CCTV checked field so it’s not that either. I take my phone from my dressing table and check the video feed just to give myself another peace of mind.
Hearing my bedroom door creek open, I turn around to see Ellie looking completely adorable in the new dress I ordered her the other day.
“What you think, Mama?” she asks, giving me a twirl.
“I think you are gonna’ be the prettiest girl at the fair.” I reply back to her with a wink.
“You look beautiful, Mama,” she says back to me.
“You think so?” I ask, giving her a twirl of my own. “I think Mr Maverick’s gonna’ loose his mind,” she says, and I throw my head back in a laugh. I forget sometimes that she’s a pre-teen and may have watched a few too many romance movies with me over the years.
Checking my watch, I realise that I’m running a little behind on schedule due to this uneasy feeling. “He’ll be here soon,” I smile at my daughter, who squeals with excitement.
Right now, I couldn’t tell you who’s more in love with him, me or my little girl.
He’d not only confessed his undying love to me last night but also told me how much he’d fallen in love with my daughter and that in itself made my heart gleam.
I give myself a quick spritz with my favourite perfume, holding it up to Ellie to see if she wants some, which gains me another shriek from my overly excited daughter.
I give her a quick once over with my perfume and smile at us both in my mirror. “We’re a pair, aren’t we?” I beam at us both.
“Sure are, Mama.” She glows back at me, holding onto my arm as I snuggle into her.
Looking into the mirror at the pair of us, I hear a loud knocking on my front door which makes Ellie squeal once again.
“He’s here, Mama!” She says, bolting out of my bedroom door.
I look back into the mirror and give myself another once over, smoothing out the frills on my playsuit and rearranging my belt one last time.
It’s now or never.
Walking back down the hallway I spot Maverick standing in the kitchen, holding two beautiful bunches of flowers of roses and lilies.
My favourite.
He remembered.
I catch Maverick’s eye as he looks from my daughter up to me and time stops.
We stand there, eyes locked in with each other, and I turn my mouth into a grin at the sight of him. Maverick looks like he never left, black buttoned up shirt, dark blue Levi jeans over a black pair of Cowboy boots; he looks like home.
I watch his shoulders move up and down, taking in a long steady breath. I walk towards him; eyes still locked with his.
“Mama, look, Mr Maverick brought us flowers,” Ellie starts, pulling my attention away from Maverick. “No one’s ever brought me flowers before,” she finishes, and I smile down at her.
“That’s a lie, Ellie-belly, I get them all the time,” I scoff with a laugh at my very own open-willed child.
“Yeah, but it’s not like the film’s you watch, Mama.” She eye rolls towards me, making me blush as she does.
Maverick steps towards me, taking my hand in his as he hands over the bouquet. “Thank you, they’re beautiful,” I say taking them from him.
“Not as beautiful as you,” he replies, leaning down and placing a kiss on my cheek, causing the heat to return into my cheeks.
“Right, little lady,” Maverick starts before turning away from me and looking down at my daughter, before leaning down to her eye level on one knee. “Are we ready to rock this fair?” He asks.
“Hell yes!” Ellie squeals in delight and I throw my head back in laughter.
God help whatever man asks her out on a real date someday.
****
Nursing a whiskey, I look towards my daughter, who needs no encouragement when it comes to Maverick winning her any stuffed animals, he sees from the fair games. Ellie using words of hope as Maverick tries once again to win her the biggest one the stool has to offer.
One thing I’m learning about Maverick today is that if the game included a gun, or an aimed throw, he’s winning. Not just a small win either, he’s winning big.
Looking down from my plastic glass of whiskey down to the four enormous teddy bears he’s won so far, I shake my head at the toys.
After the second one I begged him to stop, mainly because I still have no idea where I’m planning on putting the creatures.
“Yes!” I hear from Maverick, and I throw my head back and laugh.
“Mama, look, another one!” Ellie squeals as she jumps up and down in excitement and I shake my head once again at the pair; make that five ridiculously large stuffed animals I’m going to need to find a home for.
“Okay, okay, I think that’s enough offensively large stuffed toys for now,” I say, calling it quits on Mavericks winning streak. “Anyone hungry?” I ask, knowing that the group is waiting for us over at the food marquee.
“Race ya!” Maverick shouts over to Ellie, before starting in a run, slow enough that she can easily overtake him and win.
I look back down at the five stuffed animals and sigh. “I’ll get them then,” shouting to them both before knocking back the remainder of my whiskey.
Opening my eyes, Maverick stands in front of me, throwing four of the animals on his back.
“Don’t worry, baby, I got them,” he winks back at me before breaking into a jog to chase after my daughter who I see is about fifteen feet in front of us.
I shake my head again, as I pick up the large pink teddy bear that’s sporting a ‘I love you’ heart and start to walk in their direction.
Watching Maverick and Ellie today warmed something even further in me, my frozen soul finally coming back to life after all these years.
He treats her like she’s his own, I always knew he was made to be a father.
Watching him try to be one to my girl makes me fall even harder in-love with him.
The way he lights up around her and looks at her.
Watching Ellie fall in step with him so naturally makes my womb ache for more.
More children, more life, more everything with him.
Walking into the tent, I see Maverick and Ellie sitting over to the left on benches with my brother and our friends, who are already deep into a feast that could have fed the hundred or so people in here.
Still holding onto the large stuffed bear, I watch Maverick eye me from the side, smile at me and then make his way in a light jog towards me.
“I got you.” He smiles down at me, taking hold of the bear, before giving me a small peck on my cheek and I once again melt inside at his touch.