Ezra glanced at his daughter and sighed. �Eat your vegetables, dear,� he cajoled.
Amanda made a face and slid the half-eaten artichoke away. �It�s yucky, Daddy,� she whined.
Ezra nodded and stood up. �Okay,� he said. �Well, at least you tried it.� He took her plate and set it down in front of Fox, who greedily cleared it of every morsel left.
Amanda hoped down from her seat and followed her father into the living room. �Daddy,� she called. �Tell me how you knew you loved Mama?�
Ezra smiled and sat down on the couch. �You want to know how I knew I loved you mother,� he repeated. The girl nodded and climbed up to sit beside him on the couch.
�Well,� Ezra started. �It was almost Valentine�s Day and I was still attending Harvard University..."
***
Ezra walked into the bar and peered around. The place was clearly decorated for the coming holiday. Cupids and pink hearts were covering the walls and bowl of chocolates had replaced the usual pretzels on each of the tables.
He�d been coming to this same place for nearly a month. It was a quiet, out-of-the-way place that featured a live band. The singer had a voice that Ezra could easily compare with that of the angels themselves.
He took his usual seat and waited for Linda Childe to get done with the set. As befitting the season, the song she sang was about true love found. Ezra smiled slightly as the song came to a close and the vision of loveliness came off the stage to sit beside him.
�Hi, Ezra,� she greeted softly, pushing her blond hair behind her ear.
�Hello, Mandy,� Ezra replied almost shyly. He was the only one she even let call her by that name. Most people knew her as Linda, but her real name was Melinda. Ezra didn�t even know where the diminutive had come from; only that it seemed somehow appropriate.
Mandy reached out to the bowl of chocolates and picked one up. She glanced at it for a moment then handed it to the southerner. �Here,� she said. �I want you to have this one.�
�Why?� Ezra asked softly.
�Read it,� came the reply.
The southerner glanced down at the chocolate in her hand. On the tinfoil wrapper were the words, �Be mine.�
Ezra smiled and took the candy. �Thank you,� he whispered. Mandy smiled and started to reach for another candy. Ezra reached out and caught her hand; then glanced at the candies in the dish and pulled out one. Handing it to her, he said, �This one.�
Mandy smiled and read the message. �Kiss me,� she said softly. Ezra blushed and Mandy chuckled. �You�re sweet.� Without another word, she learned over and drew the startled southerner into a deep embrace, pressing her lips to his.
***
�The second we kissed,� Ezra finished. �I knew your mother was the only woman I could ever love.�
�Except me,� Amanda piped up.
Ezra turned to his daughter and gave her a watery smile. He hugged her close and kissed the top of her head. �Yes,� he whispered. �Except you. I�ll always love you, Amanda.�
�I love you too, Daddy,� the child replied.
End |
