“I thought you might enjoy meeting my nieces,” Isaac said after a few moments of silence. “They feel like they already know you. When I came to live with them, they wanted to know all about me, and I couldn’t very well tell them all without including you.”
Addie looked at the girls. “I’m glad I could entertain you both, but I’m really no princess.”
“We know, but in our fairy tale you are,” Mina answered, and Lena nodded enthusiastically.
“Girls, remember I told you that I would need to speak to Princess Addie for a few minutes by myself?” He pulled out a small ball. “I want you to go up there away from the water and play catch for a little while. Stay where I can keep an eye on you.”
Mina took the ball and then grabbed Lena’s hand. “Come on. We promised, and then afterward we can go to lunch with Princess Addie.” They hurried to a place where they could play and immediately began to toss the ball.
“Why did you promise them lunch with me?”
“I didn’t think you’d mind. I remember how much you love children.”
“I do love children, but this situation is already awkward enough.” Addie looked back to the water, knowing that if she looked at Isaac, she might not be able to say the things she needed to say.
Isaac sat down beside her on the bench. His nearness immediately sent her back in time to memories of them in Dawson City. Addie had snuck away so many times to meet Isaac at the little cemetery. It was on a hillside just outside of the town proper. They would sit side by side amongst the wooden crosses. It was peaceful there, and it would be most unusual if anyone came there to look for them.
“Addie, what’s wrong?”
She shook off the memory. “Everything. At least for the two of us.”
“But why? I’ve searched for you so long. I thought you were a mirage yesterday when I saw you on that stage. I thought I was just so desperate to see you that I conjured you up in my mind and gave life to you.”
Addie didn’t trust herself to speak. She focused insteadon her breathing, reminding herself that hurting him now would be better than marrying him and letting him find out the truth later. Again, she reasoned with herself to just tell him the truth, but she refused. She knew Isaac too well. He would tell her their love was stronger than any ugliness of the past. He would assure her so convincingly that Addie would believe it too—until the past caught up with them.
“You aren’t listening to me. What’s wrong, Addie?” Isaac touched her chin to turn her face to his.
Addie stiffened. “It’s too late, Isaac. You have your life, and I have mine. The promises we made were those of children in an uncertain life. There’s no future for us. I’m sorry.”
He was completely crestfallen. “That can’t be, Addie. Yes, we were just children, but our love was real enough. My love is still real.”
“I can’t talk about this anymore.”
She got to her feet, which caused Mina and Lena to come running. “Is it time for lunch?”
Addie felt horrible for hurting them. “I’m sorry. I have to go to my job, and I cannot take time out for lunch. I’m sure your uncle will still take you for something good.”
“But you must come with us. We want to hear you tell us stories about when you first met Uncle Isaac.” Mina’s tone was pleading, and Lena just stood by nodding over and over.
Addie felt guilty for disappointing them. It wasn’t their fault, after all.
Not far from the boat dock a vendor was setting up his stand. The sign read that he could offer them ice cream cones. That wouldn’t be a good lunch. Addie glanced around but found nothing else available to them at the moment.
“I’m really sorry, girls. Perhaps another time.” But Addie knew there’d never be another time. There couldn’t be.
Isaac felt gut-punched as Addie hurried away from the lake. He had been so sure that only the shock of his showing up unannounced had kept her from wanting to be with him the day before. But the scene he’d just endured made it clear that it wasn’t shock that was keeping her from him. Addie didn’twantto be with him anymore. He frowned.
“It’s okay, Uncle Isaac. You said that you and Princess Addie were destined to be together forever. Maybe after she’s done with work, you can propose, and then she can quit working because you’ll take care of her.”
Isaac looked down at Mina. He’d like to believe her words, but there was a sinking feeling inside that suggested it might be otherwise.
Oh, Addie, what did I do wrong? Why are you running away from me?
“I’m hungry, Uncle Isaac,” Lena said, tugging on his coat. “Can we go eat and then find Princess Addie again?”
He glanced in the direction she’d gone. Would she ever meet with him again? He could easily force his attention on her. She worked at the expo and his students would be expecting to hear her presentation. She would be in a position where she couldn’t refuse his presence. But that wasn’t what he wanted from her. He wanted her to rejoice that they were reunited. He wanted her happiness. And above all, he wanted her love.
Hiram recognized Isaac Hanson right off. The woman and children were a mystery, but not for long. With the little girls calling out for their “Uncle Isaac,” their relationship was clear. The woman was shadowed, and her hat made it difficult to see her face. Still, there was something about her that made Hiram continue to watch her.
