Emma's Secret: A Novel

and Sheila had stopped by and tried to connect with Emma, she pulled away. Why she struggled with getting close to them.
    Why did they not think about this? Emma didn’t even remember them, so to throw her into a relationship with them, expecting her to trust them…how many times did they have to hurt their youngest daughter before they realized it?
    “Do you remember our talk the other day about nicknames for people?” He watched as Emma bit her lip before she nodded.
    “So how about we call Mommy’s daddy another name? Like Grandpa or Grandpa Dan? I used to call my grandpa Pops.”
    The tension in Emma’s body released, and she picked up one of her ponies. “Can everyone have their own special nickname?”
    Peter nodded. He had a feeling he knew where she was going with this.
    “Mommy won’t be upset?”
    Peter relaxed his shoulders as he casually looked over them into the kitchen. Dan stood at the kitchen table beside Sheila, but his gaze was fixed on Emma.
    “No, sweetheart, she won’t be upset.”
    Emma cast her eyes downward as she fiddled with the pony in her fingers. Peter stood up, leaned down, and placed a small kiss on the top of her head; then he held out his hand.
    Dan continued to watch them. Peter understood what his father-in-law must be feeling, because he’d been there. He’d been faced with a problem that he couldn’t solve.
    He led Emma out into the kitchen and released her hand. Daniel squatted down beside her. Both Megan and Sheila stopped their chatter at the kitchen table.
    “Is something the matter, honey?” Dan asked.
    Emma stared Dan in the eyes as she straightened her shoulders.
    “Can I call you Grandpa?”
    Peter watched Dan carefully and noticed his shoulders bunching, and the puff of his chest. He heard the slight gasp from Sheila and caught the way Megan’s hand reached across the table and clamped down on Sheila’s hand. He knew from the look in Megan’s eyes that she understood Emma’s question, even if Sheila and Dan didn’t.
    “Of course you can, sweetheart. That’s what I am, your Papa.” Dan lifted his arms and held them out, but Emma’s shoulders sank, and she looked down at her hands.
    “No. Not Papa. Grandpa.” She tentatively raised her eyes as if worried about the reaction she’d get.
    Dan’s arms lowered.
    Sheila twisted in her seat, and before she could say something, Peter cleared his throat. “That’s right, Emma. Remember, we talked about nicknames? Grandpa will work.”
    Peter caught Megan’s sharp glance but ignored it. That wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have right now.
    With a deep nod of her head, a slow smile crept along Emma’s face before she stepped toward Dan and touched his hands.
    “Let’s go watch baseball, Grandpa Dan.” She pulled his arm and led him into the living room.
    “Well,” Sheila muttered, “how am I supposed to tear that man away from that sweet angel to take Alexis out for ice cream?”
    Peter glanced at the watch on his wrist. “Give him ten minutes and then go. That will still give you time to enjoy your cone while we head out and get everything set up.”
    Sheila shook her head. “Do you honestly think ten minutes is going to be enough for him? He’s been waiting two months for her to warm up to him. No, he’s not going to want to leave her side now.”
    Peter turned to head back into the living room to finish watching the game, but he didn’t miss the whispered words from his wife.
    “That’s exactly how I feel every day.”

    Squeals of laughter amid the roaring engines of go-karts greeted Megan as she opened the Jeep door. Excitement bubbled inside of her as she thought about Alexis’s reaction when she pulled up. A large sign strung across the front entrance said
Happy Birthday, Alexis.
Perfect. Absolutely perfect.
    “She’s going to hate you for that.” Peter hefted a large plastic bin into his arms while she slammed the trunk door closed.
    “I know.” Megan couldn’t stop the smile from growing on her face.
    An older woman waited at the front door for them. She had short-cropped gray hair and wore a bright-yellow top with the company logo on the front. Her cheeks were rosy as she waved wildly at them.
    “There you are; I’ve been waiting for you to arrive. I’m Wilma; we spoke on the phone. Bob, my husband, is out back supervising the go-karts and will be ready for your group when they all show up.” Wilma led them into a large room where there were several tables set