pleased her to know he liked her friends. But then, she’d predicted that he would.
Mark turned to Anne Marie. “You’re the one who started this Twenty Wishes business.”
“Four of us—all widows—came up with the idea together,” Anne Marie said.
“Do you have any wishes?” Ellen asked him.
“Yes, indeed,” Mark said. “Several.”
“Have you ever made a list?”
“I can’t say I have, Ellen. Do you recommend it?”
“Oh, yes,” Ellen returned seriously. “It’s helpful if you have a real list. Otherwise you might forget.”
“That’s true,” Mark concurred.
“Your heart has to let your head know what it wants,” the child added.
“You sound very wise for one so young,” Mark said, raising his eyebrows. “Where did you learn this?”
“Anne Marie told me. It’s true, too. I didn’t even know how much I wanted a mom until I put it on my list of Twenty Wishes.”
“You wrote that down?” Anne Marie asked, apparently surprised by this revelation.
Ellen nodded, her eyes downcast.
“You never showed me that.”
“I know,” the girl said. “I wrote your name in pencil beside my wish ’cause if I could choose my own mom, I wanted you.”
Anne Marie slid her arm around Ellen. “If I could have any little girl in the world, it would be you.”
“Anne Marie’s adopting Ellen,” Barbie explained for Mark’s benefit.
“We’d better scoot.” Anne Marie smiled. “Like Ellen said, we’re on our way to karate.”
“Karate Kid and Mom, the sequel,” Barbie joked.
“After that, we’re going to see Melissa and help her work on wedding plans,” Ellen said excitedly.
“That’s my stepdaughter,” Anne Marie told Mark.
“I might get to be in the wedding! Melissa said she needs a little girl to help serve the cake and Anne Marie said what about Ellen and Melissa said she thought that was a good idea.”
“I think it’s a grand idea myself.” Barbie knew the difficult relationship Anne Marie had with her stepdaughter and was delighted by the way things had changed.
They left, and Barbie sat down in one of the chairs vacated by her friends. “So,” she murmured, “you only had eyes for me last March, huh?” She reached for a leftover French fry and dipped it in ketchup.
Mark avoided her gaze. “I didn’t think you’d let that pass.”
“That was just the third time we met.” If it took all night, she’d force him to admit how he felt about her.
“And?”
“And you’re crazy about me,” she insisted.
“I already told you I’m willing to go along for the ride, however
long it lasts.” His voice didn’t betray a hint of sentiment.
“Monday-night movies.”
He shrugged casually. “Sure.”
“Lap swims on Tuesday and Thursdays.”
He sloughed that off, as well. “We could both use the exercise.”
“Dinner at my house tonight.”
He hesitated. “Sure. Why not?”
Barbie took a crumpled hamburger wrapper and smoothed it out. Then with the ketchup-dipped fry, she drew a heart. “What am I getting out of this relationship?” she asked in conversational tones. “So far, I seem to be the one doing all the giving.”
Mark tensed. “I’ve asked myself that from the start. I told you anytime you want out, all you need to do is say the word.”
“Just like that?” she asked and snapped her fingers.
“Just like that,” Mark echoed, snapping his own.
“No regrets?”
“None,” he assured her.
“No explanations?”
He shook his head.
“No looking back, either.”
“Not on my end.”
“What if that isn’t enough for me?” she asked.
His face tightened and his eyes went hard. “Let’s clear the air right now.”
“Fine by me.”
“Exactly what do you want from me?” he demanded, none too gently.
Taking the same French fry, she scribbled out the heart. This discussion wasn’t one she’d intended to have and yet she couldn’t stop herself. Her pulse raced. She was afraid that by pressuring him for a response she’d put everything on the line. She’d chosen the one sure way to lose Mark.
“I’m not sure what I want,” she replied, unable to look at him.
“Yes, you are,” he countered, “otherwise we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“My list of wishes…” she said, and her voice faltered.
“Oh, yes, those Twenty Wishes you and your friends have.” His tone had a mocking quality, which made her furious.
“You might think they’re silly, but they’re not!” she insisted.
“I didn’t say they were,” he said calmly. He could be so difficult to talk to sometimes. Squaring her shoulders, she met his eyes. “Okay, I’ll tell you what I want.”
“Good. I was hoping you would.”
He wouldn’t like this. The truth would probably scare him off. Still, it was a risk Barbie had to take. “I want to be loved,” she said. There, it was out.
“By me?” he asked.
“You’re the one I love.” She might as well go for broke, and he could either reject her right now or accept her.
For a long time Mark didn’t say anything, and when he did, regret weighted each word. “I don’t want to love you,” he said slowly.
So that was how it was going to be.
Barbie
