Feeling satisfied when the queue goes quiet, I move towards the end of the line, leaning into the tower of plates, going to take one when I feel a small hand brush against mine.
I look down to find Ellie by my side and my eyes soften. I hand my plate to her and smile.
“Thank you, Mr Maverick.” She smiles sweetly at me.
“No trouble, Ellie, do you need some help?” I offer, without thinking about what I’m doing before offering up my services. Ellie blushes at my offer but doesn’t reply.
“Where’s your Mama?” I ask her, whilst looking around for Mabel in the small crowd of people. “Uh... I’m not sure,” Ellie replies, as she looks around for her mama.
“Here, let me help you. What would you like?” I divert my eyes back to the bowls of food.
Ellie takes her time when picking out food for me to scrape onto her plate, becoming less shy with me as she confidently tells me about her horse and I return the favour by telling her about my girl, Storm.
Deciding she’s got enough food on her plate, she offers for me to come and sit next to her once I get my own plate of food which I accept with a whole heartedness I haven’t felt in a long time.
Taking a seat next to her, Ellie rambles on about her interests, not letting me get a word in edgeways but I don’t mind, I’m hanging on every word this nine-year-old says to me.
Before I know it, both me and Ellie finish our plates but neither of us make a move to get up and walk away. Still incredibly involved in our conversation,I’m learning so much about this little girl who upon impact I know that I could lose another part of my heart too, not only because she’s Mabel’s, but because she’s utterly adorable.
I see why everyone looks at her like she hung the moon in their worlds and how this tiny girl openly is letting me in and wants to get to know me. Even though she has no clue what I’d done to her favourite people, or that I’d broken her mama’s heart.
“You okay, baby?” My head snaps up in the direction of my own mom, who’s taking a seat next to Ellie, pulling her into a tight embrace. Unsure of whether my mom is talking to me, or Ellie I hang back on my response.
“All good, Nanna Kay,” Ellie responds, holding tightly onto my mama.
“Nanna Kay?” I question; eyebrows raising at my mom with a huge grin on my face at the name. My mom slaps my arm with the back of her hand.
“Yes, Maverick! Jane is Mamaw – and I am Nanna Kay,” she says with such offense that I can only but grin in her direction before tossing back my glass of whiskey down my throat.
My mom continues to hold onto Ellie, whilst Ellie recites our whole conversation to her, my mom giving me subtle looks during, like she thinks she knows something.
I decide that I should get another drink and try and socialise with other people in the group instead of my girls daughter.
“Ladies,” I say, tilting my hat down to them before making an escape towards the liquor table and pouring myself yet another needed drink.
Looking back towards the direction of Ellie, who’s happily telling my mom a story that she had already told me; I avert my gaze back out towards the others who are surrounding us.
I start to wonder two things at the sight that greets me with my nearest and most dear.
Who onearth is her daddy?
And where in the hell is he?
Twenty-one
Mabel
Spending the afternoon watching my daughter want nothing more than to spend all of her time alongside Maverick warms something in me that I never knew could be awakened.
Watching Maverick smile down at my daughter, laugh with her and take a genuine interest in the stories that she’s telling him warmed my once stone-cold broken heart.
As I come out from the kitchen after the food is sorted out to be enjoyed, my eyes look around for Ellie, only to notice that she’s eating a plate of well portioned food, next toMaverick, watching him with wonder in her eyes.
I decide to hang back into the background, nursing my glass of wine that I finally get to enjoy now that my jobs for the day are done and everyone’s finally eating.
Considering we were running behind only a few hours ago, everything’s going off without a hitch, and I can finally relax into our holiday festivities alongside those who lay claim to our ranch every year on this amazing holiday.
As the sun sets, we all move towards the large firepit that daddy put in for these types of occasions, taking sanctuary in one of the many yard chairs that’s set up around the pit.
