Single With Twins. Joan Elliott Pickart

and saw the sincere concern on her little face. He nodded, not certain he was capable of speaking at that moment.

      A loud knock sounded at the front door and again Mack jerked in surprise.

      “Buzzy,” Heather, Melissa and Emma said in unison.

      “Can I go play ball now, Mommy?” Melissa said. “Please?”

      “Yes, you may,” Heather said. “You know the rules. You stay in our front yard, or Buzzy’s.”

      “’Kay.” Melissa slid off the sofa, placed her sucker on the coffee table next to the pickle jar holding the flowers, then ran to the front door, flinging it open. “Hi, Buzzy. I’ll get my mitt. Guess what? We got a new uncle, who didn’t know we were here, but now he does, and he brought me the biggest sucker that was ever made.”

      “Cool,” a voice said. “Can I have a lick of your sucker?”

      “Maybe. I’ll be right back.”

      Melissa ran across the room, down the hall, then returned moments later with an obviously very worn baseball mitt.

      “Melissa,” Heather said as the little girl zoomed past her. “Say goodbye to Uncle Mack.”

      “’Bye,” Melissa said, then left the house, yanking the door closed behind her.

      Emma wiggled off the sofa and picked up her sucker. “I’m going to put this in a special safe place in my part of the bedroom, Mom. I’m keeping it forever, you know.”

      Heather glanced quickly at the flowers. “Yes, Emma, I know.”

      “’Bye, Uncle Mack,” Emma said. “Don’t forget now. We’re gonna help you find your dream.”

      “I won’t forget,” Mack said, smiling at her. “And I thank you for that, Emma, I really do.”

      “No-o-o-o problem,” Emma said, then left the room, cradling the sucker in her arms as though it were a baby doll. Mack took a deep breath and let it out slowly, puffing his cheeks and shaking his head.

      “I’m exhausted,” he said, chuckling. “That was the most amazing conversation I’ve ever taken part in in my entire life.” He paused. “Heather, your daughters are wonderful, absolutely fantastic.”

      “Thank you,” she said, dipping her head slightly. “I rather like them myself.”

      “But how do you keep up with them? I mean, their minds never stop, and they’re so honest and real, just tell it like it is. They’re completely different, aren’t they? Even though they’re identical twins their personalities are like day and night.”

      “Oh, yes,” Heather said, laughing. “Emma is very ladylike and tries to be so prim and proper all the time, and Melissa is my tomboy. They do keep me on my toes. I love them so much, Mack. I simply can’t imagine my life without them.”

      “Mmm,” Mack said, nodding. “It would seem that I’m to have assistance in getting a dream for myself.”

      “Well, be forewarned that Emma won’t forget about that. Once she gets something in her mind, it’s there to stay until she deals with it.” Heather frowned. “You really don’t have any hopes and dreams?”

      “Until today,” Mack said, “I never thought about it. But, well, no, I guess I don’t.”

      “Just humor Emma for a while on the subject,” Heather said. “We place a great deal of emphasis on our dream to have our own home. I realize now that Emma and Melissa assume that everyone has, or should have, a dream, too, but I have to admit that I agree with that philosophy.”

      “Why?”

      “Because a dream gives you a purpose, a goal, a whimsical sense of a magical time yet to come. A dream provides hope when you’re trying to survive, just make it day to day.”

      Heather sighed. “Never mind, Mack. I’m not certain you can understand all this, because your lifestyle is so very different from ours. If you want something, I imagine you can go out and buy it as the mood strikes.”

      “Well…”

      “Please don’t think I’m doing an oh-poor-us routine here, because I’m not. It’s just that we’re from such different worlds that I’m not certain we can connect on any level. That wouldn’t be your fault, nor mine, it would just be the way things are. You’re welcome to visit us, if you choose, while you’re on vacation here in Tucson, but I don’t expect we’ll find a common ground while you’re in town.”

      “Oh, that’s not true, Heather,” Mack said, looking directly at her. “We’ve already connected on a couple of things.”

      “Such as?”

      “Your daughters have staked a claim on my heart that feels great. It really does. I may grow old before my time just trying to keep up with them during a conversation, but I like them very, very much.”

      “Well, that’s one,” Heather said, smiling. “You said a couple of things.”

      Mack nodded. “It’s come to light that I don’t have a dream, and this—” he swept his right arm through the air “—is the place where I’m going to get the help I need to find one.”