“It is,” Jamie says calmly. “You’re just moving it too much.”
She tries again, her tongue poking out and her eyes narrowed in concentration, but she still veers left, barely moving the target.
Ella drops her head. “I can’t do it,” she says, defeated.
Jamie crouches beside her so he’s eye level. With a steady voice, he says, “Hey. You definitely can. Just pick one spot and keep it there.”
He demonstrates it to her quickly, just enough to show her the idea, then places her hands on the handles.
“Try again,” he says, subtly holding the bottom of the gun to keep it steady. She hasn’t notices.
When she presses the button down to release the water, the stream wobbles, then quickly steadies.
“There,” Jamie says quietly. “Just like that.”
The target begins to rise.
Ella gasps. “It’s moving!”
“Keep going,” he says. “You’ve got it.”
She keeps going, managing to hold steady until the target reaches the top with a soft ding.
“I won!” she yells, bouncing in place.
“I knew you could do it!” he says.
She throws herself at his legs, and he laughs, ruffling her hair. The attendant unhooks the pink bear and hands it to Ella, who clutches it to her chest, squeezing it harder than her Mr. Nibbles bear.
“What are you going to name it?” I ask.
“Mr. Squishy,” she declares without hesitation.
“Perfect. Do you think Mr. Squishy would like to go on the Ferris wheel?” Jamie asks, pointing to the ride. It’s big, and I’m not sure how she’ll handle it.
Ella nods, looking at Jamie with awe. My chest constricts the same way it did at the ballet class. Ella’s got what I always wanted. A father who cares for her. A family whowantsher, and I couldn’t be happier for her.
“Let’s go,” I say, clearing my throat.
By the time we get to the Ferris wheel, the sun is starting to set, and Ella’s clutching Mr. Squishy in one arm and holding Jamie’s hand in the other.
A second later, his other hand brushes mine again before he curls his fingers around mine, and I smile.
Yeah, this isours.
We climb into the gondola, and Ella immediately presses her face to the window, still talking to Mr. Squishy about how high we're going to go.
Jamie pauses, nodding at the seat beside me. “Can I, uh, sit here?”
I smile and shift just enough to make room. “Yeah, of course.”
His hand finds mine on the bench, and I lace them together.
The gondola lurches forward, then starts to move as the wheel lifts us slowly above the noise of the carnival. Ella’s completely absorbed in the view, pointing out the lights below.
Up here, everything feels quieter.
Everything except my beating heart.