“I know you will do what your heart tells you,” he addedquietly.And I did. Not what my head was whispering, but what myheart was shouting. I put my arms around his neck pulling himcloser.”

“Dad smiled. He put a big arm around me and pulled me to him, kissing the side of my head. “I don’t know what I believe, Hazel. I thought being an adult meant knowing what you believe, but that has not been my experience.”

“He smiled. Hesitant at first, then a blazing grin broke through that made my heart stop. I recovered and grinned back and went to throw my arms around his neck, then stopped, blushing. Before I could pull back, he caught my elbows and put my arms around his neck and pulled me into a hug.”

“What did I do? Who did I please to get this lucky?" He pulls his lips from my neck and stares at me with wonder. "Are you for real?”

“I pull away, you pull me back, you grab my hand and wrap me around. What you did not know is—– my heart is my hand.”

“I stopped walking and wrapped my arms tightly around him. "You know I can hear your heart.""Could you hear it breaking when I accused you of getting my cartoon pulled?" he asked.I held my head back so I could look him directly in the eye. "I didn't pull it.""You couldn't have," he replied, "because I did.”