Page 23 of He Has Santa (Boston Brawlers Hockey)
“How did you get my letter?” Her eyes are wide and hopeful and wary. I watch Logan’s face gentle, his eyes soften, and his hand reaches out to hold hers. She lets him. My heart speeds up mercilessly, and I feel the whole room vibrating with anticipation.
“I got the letter because I can make your Christmas wish come true.”
Her face goes from puzzled to excited to disbelief, and words rush from her mouth straight from her heart.
“You can get me a new Daddy?”
“I am your, Daddy, sweetheart. What do you think of that?”
Her eyes and mouth open wide, and she turns to look at me, looking at the very picture of a question.
“It’s true, Nicky. Logan is your real father.” Her face immediately puzzles. “I know David was your daddy for a while, but he was filling in for Logan until… we came back to find him.”
“What do you mean, Mommy?” she frowns now, and I can hear the threat of tears. My heart tumbles, and I look to Logan.
“It’s kind of like this, Nicky; you’re lucky enough to have two daddies. Dave was your daddy while I was gone, but now I’m back.”
“Because Daddy-David is gone?” she says in a small tragic voice.
Logan shakes his head. “No. I was going to come back and be your daddy even if David didn’t leave because I was your daddy from the beginning. And Nicky, I’m your daddy forever.”
“Forever?”
“Is that okay?”
She nods and looks back at me. “Does that mean Logan is going to live with us now?”
I shake my head. “No—”
“But if he’s my daddy, then you must be married?”
“It doesn’t always work that way,” I say.
She nods. “My friend Anna has a daddy who lives far away.” Then she turns to Logan and says, “You’re not going away, are you?”
“No. I’m here to stay.”
I bite my lip, hoping to God he doesn’t get traded. But I suck in a breath and realize I’ll do anything, including leaving my parents and the Tilt-a-Whirl bakery to follow him around so Nicky can have her daddy. And honestly, so I can be near the love of my life. He glances at me, and I do my best not to give away anything but confidence. His silent encouragement makes all the difference, settles me, makes the confidence feel like more than a veneer.
“So, you’re cool with this?” He says to Nicky.
She nods her head. “Having a Brawlers hockey player for a daddy is better than Uncle.”
He laughs, and so do I, though I’m half horrified at her brutal honesty.
“I guess this means you’ll be coming to all my games then, right?”
Her face lights up like the moon and the stars, and I give Logan a dirty look.
“Only the first period on school nights. You need your sleep, or you’ll never grow up to be a hockey star like your dad.”
“Okay,” she says and turns to Logan. “Do you really think I’ll grow up to be like you,Daddy?”
My heart melts into a puddle hearing her call him daddy, and I watch his face as it transforms from that strong, sure man to a messy emotional wreck.
“Sure do,” he says, his voice shaky, his face grateful, and I realize Nicky isn’t the only one who got a Christmas Wish granted today.
“This calls for a celebration,” I say, standing because I can’t remain such a puddle of emotions. I need to pull myself together, get past the knot of happiness, even if it means I have to face the longing for him.
