Amanda looked up at David when he walked into the living room later that night. He nodded at her before settling on the couch beside her.
"Pastor Barrett agreed to help us."
Amanda smiled. "Good."
"Help with what?" Nathan asked from across the room.
"Officiating a wedding."
"Oh? Have you two set a date?"
"The twenty-fourth." Amanda replied.
"Of what month?" Carmen asked.
"August." David answered.
"Do you need the backyard?" Adam asked without missing a beat.
"We we're hoping you'd offer, yeah." David replied.
Once the conversation died down, Amanda wandered into the kitchen where she caught herself sighing for the umpteenth time.
"Is something bothering you?" Adam asked from near the counter where he had been getting a cup of coffee.
"Today… it's just made me think about my dad."
Adam nodded in understanding. John Williams had died of a heart attack when Amanda was seventeen.
"I just wish… Every little girl dreams of having Daddy walk her down the aisle, you know? And now he's not here to."
Adam smiled sadly at his coffee. "Yeah. I can understand that, too."
Amanda thought of Emily, Adam's deceased daughter that she had never met. "Yeah, I guess you do." She walked over and got her own cup of coffee. "A whole aisle just seems like a long way to go by myself. And, you know, the symbolism of it is kind of lost if there's no one to give me away."
Adam nodded. "Do you have an uncle, cousin, brother, or someone who could fill in for him?"
Amanda shook her head. "My parents and I were all only children."
Adam nodded, stipping his coffee as he considered the problem.
"You know," Amanda remarked. "I never thanked you."
Adam's eyebrows knitted together. "For what?"
"For coming up with the resolution. Without it, I don't think David and I would have ever gotten back together. It changed my life. So thanks."
Adam smiled. "It was my pleasure. And thanks for the dance."
Amanda laughed. "It was fun."
"It's been nice having you guys here. I've liked having a little girl in the house again."
"She likes being here. We all do, I think. Despite the circumstances."
"You know," Adam remarked. "If Emily had died, I'd like to think that she would have grown up to be someone like you." Amanda blushed furiously as Adam continued on. "Independent and sure of herself, but still sweet. Girly and businesslike and straight-laced and silly, all in one." His tone softened as he said, "I never knew the man, but I'm pretty sure that your dad would be proud of the young lady you've become. As a father, I know I would be."
"Thank you." Amanda stirred her coffee, watching the different shades of brown swirl around as a new thought came to mind. "Adam, could… would…" She blew out her breath. "Never mind."
"Could I what?" he pressed.
She sighed. "Well, you asked if there was anyone who I felt would be right to fill in for my dad at the wedding, and there is."
"Who?" he asked curiously.
Amanda's eyes barely flickered to his before lowering to her coffee once again. "You." And then she rushed ahead, not really hearing his answer. "But you don't have to, not at all. Don't feel obligated. It was just a passing thought, really. There's no need for you to feel like y-"
"Hey!" He cut her off mid-thought with a short laugh. "Did you hear me? I said that I'd be honored to."
Amanda froze, staring at him with wide eyes. "Really?"
He laughed again and crossed the space between them to put an arm around her shoulders. "Yes, 'really'."
She gave him a one-armed hug. "Thank you so much."
"No," he squeezed her shoulders in a fatherly hug. "Thank you."
Please review! Thanks! This should be 6 or 7 chapters long.:)
