As she skips, she looks up from the floor and straight at me, eyes narrowing as she sizes me up and down. She comes to a complete stand still.
“Who are you?” She asks with concern, tilting her head.
I run my hand through my hair. “My names’ Maverick,” I say, giving her a reassuring smile. She’s looking me up and down. “I’m a friend of Colters.” I smile yet again. I don’t know whether to say dad or not, I could be completely wrong.
“Huh…” she says, edging slightly closer to me. She tries to look closer at me, so I decide to do what everyone should do when talking to a child; I bend down to her level and lean on my left knee.
“You look like my Uncle Jake.” She says. I see her better. Sky blue eyes, seems to run in the family.
“Well, that’s because he would be my brother,” I smile directly at her with the best smile I have.
“Huh,” she saysagain, tilting her head to the other side.
Looking again at the little girl that is now eye level to me, I notice that she looks a lot like Mabel. This girl’s got her same facial features, button nose and freckles included.
“Well, nice to meet you,” I say, holding up my hand to shake hers. She raises her hand into mine and shakes it with a grin on her face.
“My names’-” She starts, before a raised voice behind me pulls my eyes away from the girl and into the direction of the voice. It’s Mabel coming up the path.
“Ellie, what are you doing?” Mabel asks, staring between me and the girl whose name I now knows name. Ellie takes her hand out of mine and straightens up.
Ellie; that was going to be our daughters name.
I feel the ache in my heart even more.
“I’m talking to Maverick,” Ellie says, pointing to me.
“I can see that, sugar.” Mabel smiles at the little girl, still walking towards us.
I take this as my queue to stand up as I’m still leaning on my knee. I offer Mabel a shy shrug, avoiding eye contact with her.
“This is Uncle Jake’s brother,” Ellie tries to act sweet, pointing at me.
“Huh, no kidding,” Mabel laughs, finally reaching us, sounding slightly out of breath.
Damn, I don’t know who this little girl is but thank our Lord I finally see my girl smile at something.
“Come on, honey, let’s leave Mr Maverick be,” Mabel says, taking Ellie’s hand and leading her up the long path, further away from me. I stand in place for a moment.
I’ll let her walk away with, who I assume, is her niece. She doesn’t want to see me anymore than she has too.
Mabel doesn’t turn to look back at me, just keeps walking straight with her head held up. Ellie, on the other, hand turns to me, still walking with Mabel and offers a smile and a very big wave. I let out a laugh and give her a big wave back.
I look forward to asking Colter about that little girl on Monday morning when we’re finally out working.
Seeing Ellie and Mabel no longer in sight, I walk up the path heading towards my truck, doing my best to stay out of sight so I don’t upset anyone else today.
Ellie was a welcomed treat; the innocence of children is an amazing thing.I also can’t stop thinking about her name.
Mabel and I always said our first girl would be called Ellie. Mainly because I loved the nickname Ellie-Belly.
Iwonder if the Riggins family call her that.
Thirteen
Mabel
Settling Ellie into bed early, I smile down at my daughter who is wearing her favourite pink bow night dress, wrapped up in one of her many blankets that she insists on keeping, no matter how ratty they’re becoming through the years.
