“Come, let’s go have lunch.”
She climbed in, and he buckled her seat belt tight. All bundled up in her pink puffy jacket and purple hat, Lillie was a really cute kid.
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
Her face lit up, blue eyes shining like twin sapphires.
“Oooh, really?” She bounced a little in her seat. “I love surprises.”
He listened to her chatter away about her friends and thought how uncomplicated a child’s life was at that age. All they needed was someone to make them feel secure and loved. It was only when they grew up that they realized that sometimes those who were supposed to care for them were often the ones who hurt them the most in the end.
Twenty minutes later, the cab drew up in front of the restaurant. He paid the fare and got out, waiting for Lillie to follow. His heart lurched when, as they walked inside the restaurant, she slipped her hand in his. He looked down at her, and she gave him a smile; he squeezed her hand.
“Table for two?” The hostess smiled at him.
He nodded, and they made their way through the front of the restaurant which was decorated like a general store. Even he’d heard of Serendipity’s, and when he saw all the kids, he sent a silent thank-you to Zach for, as usual, coming through for him in the clutch.
“What would you like?”
She looked around the restaurant, and her gaze lit on the table next to them. Two children were sharing a hot dog that looked as tall as Lillie and a plate of french fries. A huge glass of some frozen chocolate thing sat between them.
“Can I have that?” She pointed to their plate.
Why the hell not? She could have whatever she wanted as far as Marcus was concerned. Anything to keep her happy and smiling. “Sure.” He called the waitress over and ordered. While they waited, he watched Lillie take in the sights around her, enjoying the crowds of midday shoppers.
Two young girls around her age came in with their mother and sat down two tables away, a pile of red shopping bags at their feet. They pawed through the bags until they each pulled out a big doll and began playing with them.
Lillie’s eyes grew even rounder. “Oh, those are the new American Girl dolls. Rebecca got one for her birthday last month.” The waitress came with their food, but Lillie’s attention remained on the two girls playing with their new dolls.
“Come, eat your food before it gets cold.” He put some ketchup on the side. “Do you like mustard on your hot dog?”
Distracted, she nodded. “Yeah okay.”
No human being could eat this thing in one piece, so Marcus cut the hot dog up into what he hoped were small enough pieces.
Finally, Lillie turned around and began to eat, although she still sneaked looks over to the girls and their dolls.
“What’s so special about them?” To Marcus they looked like big dolls, nothing more.
Growing more animated by the minute, Lillie proceeded to regale him with the history of every doll. She did manage to eat some of the food, but neither of them could finish or put much of a dent in the frozen hot chocolate drink.
After he paid the bill they walked outside to hail a cab to go home. As they waited on the sidewalk, Marcus noticed nearly every young girl walking with her family had one of the red bags from that doll store Lillie had talked about. He quickly Googled the address, and although Tyler had told him not to spoil Lillie with too many things, how bad could it be? It was only a doll, after all. And since Lillie loved surprises, he knew exactly what to do.
He put his hand out, and a cab pulled up in front of them. “Come on, let’s go.”
*
Three hours andtwo hundred and fifty dollars later, Marcus lay sprawled out on the sofa in his apartment, utterly wiped out.
“Never again,” he muttered to himself, rubbing his feet. It was a miracle he hadn’t gotten killed between women pushing strollers over his toes and the ear-splitting screams of little girls he swore he could still hear ringing in his ears. “No wonder so many mothers drink.”
Lillie came over to him, holding on to the doll he’d bought her. She hadn’t let go of it since the cashier handed her the bag in the store. “Do you feel better?” She put her hand on his head. “Uncle Ty always feels my head when I say I’m sick.”
If Marcus had his way, Tyler would be feeling other parts of Marcus besides his head.
“I’m okay, thanks.”
