The Luna Choosing Game

For a moment, I sat there in shock, looking at Elva and her wide, earnest eyes.

Nicholas wasn’t exactly the last person I thought she’d say. He had been visiting her a lot lately, he always seemed to make time for her. But I would have thought Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny would

have taken higher priority for a three year old

My face burned hot at the implication that Nicholas would well, we would have to be married for

Nicholas to be Elva’s father, wouldn’t we?

I cleared my throat. “Um, Elva, honey Nicholas can’t be your dad

Elva tilted her head. “Why not?”

“Someday he’s going to have his own family to take care of His own wife, and his own kids. He won’t

have time to spend with you and me

Elva’s shoulders slumped “Why?”

“We won’t be living here anymore then, and he’d have to travel away from them to see us. You wouldn’t

want him to make his family sad, just so he’d come to see us?

“But I’ll be sad

Her face fell and my heart ached.

“Someday, I’ll find a nice man that wants to be a part of our family, Elva And he’ll be the best dad you

ever hope

the ground. “But

I

could say to comfort her. I understood her attachment to Nicholas He was a

best, maybe. He was good with Elva. He

imagined he would make an excellent husband. I remembered our days together. He

world, but

time and his money

we would always make

caressed my cheek with his thumb 1 can’t sleep knowing you are

unhappy”

of that caring man into a future where we would

C

+15 BONUS

just as we had done in the past, when one of us or

how warm he was

pulling myself back into the present There, I chastised myself for thinking

good

would never be together. And for good

I

maybe I would have never pursued him then either Our hearts had been

on the