Free Forever This Time by Maggie McGinnis Page B

Emmy, who rolled her eyes.
    â€œYou say that to all the girls.”
    â€œOnly the specialest ones.”
    â€œThat’s not a word, silly.”
    Steph leaned down to stick the Popsicles in the tiny fridge by the bathroom, then motioned Ethan out to the hallway.
    Ethan got up, lifting the cooler. “Enjoy the butterscotch and beans. That is a terrible combination.”
    â€œMmm. Don’t tell Ben and Jerry’s. This one’s my invention.” She made a show of licking her spoon clean.
    He leaned down to kiss her head. “Got it. See you tomorrow. Maybe it’ll be cooler. Save me a ride on the Ferris wheel?”
    Emmy gave a weak thumbs-up as her head lolled back toward the pillowed back of the chair. Ethan sighed quietly as he watched her for a long moment, then turned toward the hallway, pulling the door almost closed behind him.
    Steph waited, smile now gone. “Thanks for the sherbet.”
    â€œWelcome. How’s she doing?”
    â€œShe’s spent, but her numbers are looking better.”
    â€œExcellent.” He looked at Steph’s eyes, which were hopeful for the first time in a year. “That is just excellent. We’ll get there, right?”
    Steph nodded carefully. “We will. But wow, what a trip. I don’t know how you do this all the time with these kids.”
    Ethan shrugged slowly. “I don’t know. I really don’t. I think my only saving grace is that they’re not my own. I don’t know how you do it.”
    â€œOne day at a time, that’s how.” Steph peeked back in at Emmy, watching her for a second as she rocked slowly at the window. “Emmy was asking me this morning who Avery is. I wasn’t sure what to tell her.”
    She searched his eyes. “I know how places like this usually get named.”
    He sighed as he leaned back against the wall. “Avery was a little girl I knew a long, long time ago.” He cleared his throat. “A—uh—friend of mine got involved with one of those Big Sis/Little Sis programs, and Avery was her little sis. She loved the park. Came here every time she could, knew every employee by name, could tell when the snack cottage had put three squirts in her Slush-Bomb instead of four. If we hadn’t pulled her off the Ferris wheel at four o’clock each day, she’d have slept there.”
    As he talked about her, Ethan could see Avery’s brown hair and tiny freckles as if she’d hopped up on his shoulders just yesterday. His chest ached as he pictured her skipping along the pathways and grinning in that impish way that had felled every adult in sight.
    Though the Ferris wheel had always been her favorite Snowflake Village ride, she’d also loved the little wishing well that used to sit next to the Polar Penguins ride. He’d never forget the first time he’d found her there with a tiny handful of pennies.
    *   *   *
    â€œWhatcha doing, munchkin?”
    Avery looked up, long brown ponytail looped through the back of her Red Sox hat. “Making wishes.” She closed her eyes and flicked a penny into the water, her concentration making her look somehow older than her nine years.
    â€œWhat are you wishing for?”
    â€œCan’t tell or it won’t come true.” Plonk.
    â€œEven me?”
    â€œEven you, Ethan. You’re special, but not that special.”
    He put his fist to his chest. “I’m hurt.”
    Avery giggled. “No you’re not.” She scrunched her eyes and tossed another penny in.
    â€œThat looked like an important wish.”
    â€œYup.”
    â€œSure you don’t want to tell me any?”
    â€œNope. You’ll just tell Josie.”
    â€œWill not.”
    â€œWill, too. You’re in l-o-v-e love.” She sang the last word, then ducked as he pretended to swat her. Avery looked pensive, then plonked another penny into the well. “It’s a wish for