Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 86444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
“Let’s go prepare your bag,” I say, packing her diaper bag while I put her in the walker that she zooms around the house in. Once I have everything done, I pick her up and get her in the truck. I go through the players’ entrance, showing them the badge that Ralph got me. I grab her bag and buckle her in the stroller, and head to meet my parents, who gush all over her.
I get us settled into the players' box when I hear the cheers and see that they are taking the ice. “Are you ready to go see Daddy?” I ask, taking her from my mother, who wants to grab her back. “Let’s go see Daddy.” I walk down the steps to the arena where the other players' kids are standing. Manning’s son waves his hand at me, and I wave back while his mother glares but smiles at the same time. God, she’s horrible, I think to myself. I walk to the glass and point out things to her as she looks all around, taking in the lights. She jumps a bit when the puck hits the board, and then I spot Ralph skating over. His helmet not tied, and he smiles when he sees Ari. “Look at Daddy.” I point, and she smiles at him as he taps the blade of his stick on the window. “You want to show Daddy your outfit?” I say, turning to the side so he can see that his name is on the back, and then he throws his head back when he laughs at “is my dad” down the back of it instead of his number.
“What does yours say?” he asks me, and I turn to show him that it’s just a plain jersey, and he winks at us. “Love you,” he says and skates away, and Ari starts to cry for her father.
“It’s okay, baby girl,” I say, turning around and walking away. We get back to the box, and my mother tries to take her out of my arms, but Ari is having none of it. She wails louder, and for the whole game, she sits in my lap never once letting anyone touch her. We leave before the third period ends with my mother kissing her and my father helping to bring us to my car. We make plans to meet the next day for a late lunch.
We get home, and I take off her outfit and place her in her comfy pjs, then grab a bottle and settle with her in the rocking chair. “Are you ready for our story?” I ask her, and she just lies in my arms. I grab the storybook that I made for her and only her. “Once upon a time, there was a baby girl named Ariella.” I start the story, and she drinks her milk. “She had a mommy in heaven who loved her so much.” I show her the picture of Cassie. “She had a Daddy named Ralph.” I show her the picture of Ralph holding a small Ari in his arms. “The two of them loved her more than anything in the world.” I show her the picture of the two of them together. “Then one day, Daddy met Candace.” I show her the picture of Ralph and me. “And Candace fell in love with Ariella.” I smile at her as her eyes get heavier and heavier. I don’t finish the story because the bottle slips out of her mouth, and she is out like a light.
I get up and place her in the crib, covering her with her favorite blanket and setting the book back right next to her other ones. I look at the picture of Cassie, and just like every other night, I thank her for giving me Ariella.
One month later.
“What are you reading?” Ralph asks when he comes back into the room after going to do a last check to make sure all the doors are locked.
I look up at him from my phone, “did you see this article?” I ask him handing him the phone and we both laugh out loud when he finally reads it to me.
Sports Talk show host Layla Paterson bid twenty-five thousand dollars to go on a date with Miller Adams.
Only One Chance
Epilogue One
Ralph
One year later
“Mama,” Ari says as she walks in the sand, one of my hands holding hers as we walk down the beach. “Mama,” she says again, and I laugh because that is all she says all the time. I still remember when I waited for her in bed after she spent the past thirty-six hours holding Ari because she was feverish and teething at the same time, and she was miserable. But Candace just held her and spoke to her; fine, she shed tears because she couldn’t take away her pain. Even when Ari would fall asleep, I tried to get her to sleep, but she refused to put her down. I sat Candace down and asked her if it was okay for Ari to call her momma. She collapsed in my arms in tears and nodded her head. From that day on, she was Mama and not Candace.