Safe In The Lawman's Arms

“Well, I think she would be warm and snuggly,” Mike said.

“Oh.” Katy considered this.

“‘Inside the woods—’” Mike began.

“Does Lippity Loppity have a daddy?” Malory asked.

Mike flipped forward in the story, scanning each page. When he reached the end, he flipped back to the page they were on and shrugged. “It doesn’t seem to say.”

“But do you know?” she asked earnestly. “Does she have a daddy?”

“Everyone has a daddy somewhere,” Mike said quietly. His gaze flickered toward Malory again, and she felt a soft flutter within. She put a hand on her belly. Mike was right. Everyone did have a daddy, even if that daddy didn’t want her. How did you explain that to a child? Sadness welled up inside Malory. She knew the fatherless feeling all too well, and unfortunately, so would her baby.

“Are you my daddy, Uncle Mike?” Katy asked, big blue eyes fixed on Mike’s rugged face.

“I, um—” Mike cleared his throat. “No, Katy, I’m not your daddy.”

“Oh.” Katy’s whole frame sank down in disappointment, and while Mike read the rest of the story, her glum expression didn’t change.

“‘And Lippity Loppity never went near the woods again,’” Mike read. “‘The end.’”

Katy didn’t speak, nor did she lift her head.

“Is she sleeping?” Mike whispered.

“No.” Malory slid off her seat and moved next to Mike on the couch. Katy looked up at Malory dismally.

“What’s the matter, sweetie?” Malory asked quietly.

Katy didn’t answer and likely couldn’t put her thoughts into words. She was too young to grapple with the harshness of her reality. Malory held out her arms.