It's a Miracle

"Nor did you or Emma," she said very sweetly.

There was an awkward silence for a few seconds before Rick finally spoke.

"Can I maybe call you when I get my act together?" he asked, a goofy little smile on his face.

"Of course. You have my number, right?"

"I do. And the school's email address."

Karn laughed then said, "Rick? May I ask you something?"

"Sure. Anything."

"You saw my driver's license. Did you notice, you know, that I'm...older than you?"

"I did," he told her. "And when I saw it, I was sure it was a typo."

"Oh, my goodness. You just made my day!" the pretty blonde replied.

"It's true. I told my mom I pulled over a beautiful blonde on my first day and mentioned the fact that you look much closer to my age than the one on your license."

Karn smiled again then said, "I'd ask your age, but I'm afraid to hear the answer."

"In that case I'll keep that to myself."

Another laugh followed along with her thanks.

"Is it really that important to you?" Rick asked.

Karn looked at him for a second or two then said, "No. I don't think it is."

Rick's dark hair and beard made him look older than he was. He was clean shaven, but she could see his very dark facial hair quite clearly. And after having been unceremoniously 'dumped' herself, she had a more openminded perspective on men now. It wasn't that she was unconcerned, it was more that she was now at least willing to try something new. Like dating a man who was quite a bit younger than her.

"So I'll call you soon then?" Rick both said and asked.

"Yes. Please do. I'll look forward to it," she said, again very sweetly.

"And thank you for coming, Karn."

"Oh, it was my pleasure. And please tell you mom for me again how nice everything looks."

"I will," Rick promised before opening her door and saying 'goodbye'.

As she drove off he realized he hadn't had feelings of any kind for any woman since his own 'dumping', but he most definitely had them now. And whether they lasted for one date or even a couple more it felt incredibly good to feel like this again, and he planned on nurturing these newfound emotions for as long as he possibly could.

As he turned to go back inside he saw Grace on her way out with Sophie in tow.

"You two leaving already?" he asked cheerfully.

"I see no reason to stay here any longer," Grace tersely informed him as she walked by without so much as looking him.

"Bye, Sophie!" Rick said to her daughter knowing her mom wasn't in the mood to talk.

"Bye, Mr. Gates!" she called back as her mother said, "Sophie? Let's go!"

"Nice job, assh...." Rick said to himself before changing the last word to 'buddy' just as one of two car doors slammed shut in quick succession before Grace sped off.

Back inside the house, Rick saw Norm, Emma, Captain Brunell, and and his mother standing together and talking. The remaining guests were in another small group sipping wine and doing the same thing.

"You really pissed off the other cute woman there, rookie," Norm said as Rick joined the group.

"I did?"

"Yeah. She saw you outside with the blonde hottie and after watching from the window for a minute or so, she called for her kid and stormed out. Didn't even say 'goodbye' to your mom."

"That explains a lot," Rick replied as he thought about the way Grace left.

He looked at his mom who smiled and told him she'd explain later. Before he could say anything she looked back at the captain and said, "You were saying, John?"

Norm jabbed his partner again then, at least quietly this time, said, "Your mom seems to have a thing for the cap'n."

He watched them interact then told Norm he might be onto something.

"Ya think?" the older man said. "Believe me when I say I know women, and I know that look. Trust me, she's likin' the boss."

Rick didn't know the captain well. In fact, he'd spent maybe ten minutes in his office on his first day at work getting welcomed aboard. But other than that, he didn't know a thing about him. But he seemed polite, professional, and if his mom enjoyed talking to him, that was just fine with him.

"Hey. You got any beer here? I'm not much for girly drinks like wine," Norm said as he elbowed his partner one more time.

Rick went with him and grabbed a beer out of the fridge then picked up the glass of wine he hadn't touched yet as Norm took a long pull from the green bottle before belching loudly.

When Bonnie and the captain both looked over, Norm managed a little, "Sorry," and all Rick could do was shake his head as his partner asked if the blonde bombshell really was a trout fisherman.

An hour later all the other guests, including the captain, had long since gone, but Norm was still going strong—and on his third beer—about trout. Bonnie used Emma as a reason to get away while Rick broke down and grabbed a beer himself.

After Norm's forth and a lull in the conversation, his new partner insisted on driving the veteran officer home. He got a lot of initial resistance, but when Bonnie offered to drive his car, Norm gave in and agreed. She drove Norm's car while Rick followed in his with Emma who was very confused about what was going on.

"Don't feel alone, honey. We're all a little confused after tonight," her father told her with a laugh.

"Did you and Ms. Peterson get a chance to talk?"

"We did."

"Really? Tell me about it!" his daughter asked, the excitement in her eyes coming through loud and clear.

"How would you feel about me going out with her. On a date?"

Emma's eyes opened wide as she again said, "Really?"

"I take that would be okay?"

"That would be SO okay!" came the happy reply.

"You really like her, don't you?"

"She's like my teacher, a best friend, and a mom all rolled into one," Emma informed him.

"Really?" her dad asked, causing Emma to laugh when she realized he was saying it like she did both times.

Her answer was serious, though.

"I really like her, Dad."

"I can see that," he told her as he looked over being adding, "And I kinda like her, too."

Once Norm and his car were safely home, Bonnie got in with her family and said, "That man can talk!"

"Trout?" Rick asked, knowing the answer.

"Oh, my goodness! I had no idea there was so much to know about...fish!"

Rick chuckled then asked his mom what happened with Grace.

"Yeah, Grandma. Why did Sophie have to leave all of a sudden?"

"I think she really likes your father, honey."

"Who wouldn't, right?" Emma said with a smile.

"I'm with you, but when a woman gets jealous, she can get pretty upset."

"Oh. 'Cause of Ms. Peterson, huh?" the young girl said once she realized what was going on.

"Your teacher is a very beautiful woman. And she's also as nice as they come. I think Sophie's mom just assumed your father had no interest in her and when she found out he does...."

"Ohhh," Emma said.

She thought for a moment then asked, "So is Sophie going to mad at me again?"

"What? No. Of course not," her grandmother said, knowing she couldn't be sure about that.

"But her mom is mad at my dad, right?"

"She's just a little...hurt. But she'll be okay."

"Is it always like this with grownups?" Emma wanted to know.

"No. Not always," her grandma said with a smile. "But you're a very pretty girl, Emma, and there will be a lot of boys whose feelings are going to get hurt, too, because you can't like all of them."

"Why can't I?" Emma asked, her maturity failing her for once.

"Not...like them, honey. Like...them."

Again, Emma said, "Ohhh. Duh! I get it!"

"Isn't getting older fun?" her father asked.

"I don't know. It seems...complicated."

Rick looked at his mom who tried not to laugh, but when her son smiled, both of them lost the battle.

"Getting older makes people weird!" Emma announced before crossing her arms and pretending to pout at being laughed at, causing more laughter.

Rick found it nearly impossible to get to sleep that night. He sat up until 1am thinking about Karn and mulling over ideas for a first date. Then the word 'date' caused him to sit there and think about what that meant. It had all kinds of implications for him. Like...a failed marriage, a daughter he loved more than anything who was growing up without a mom, and how any future dating would affect Emma.

The mental thought stream continued until around 2am when his brain finally turned off when it realized it wasn't required to turn on again at 6am. It was the weekend and neither he nor Emma had to go to work or school.

Emma was in the kitchen waiting for her father when he stumbled in around 8 o'clock.

"Morning, Daddy!"

"Hey there, sweetie. How long you been up?" he asked, one eye still shut from the sleep in it.

"Um...since 6:45 or so."

Her dad looked around and saw the sink was empty, the dishwasher was running, and that his coffee pot was ready to go.

He stopped at the table, bent down, and gave his sweet girl a hug and kissed the top of her head.

"You're amazing."

"Thank you!" Emma said, a big smile on her face. "Did you sleep okay?"

Rick hit the 'on' button on the Mr. Coffee then said, "Not so much."

"Is that maybe because of Ms. Peterson?" his daughter gingerly asked.

He turned around and tried to smile but his tired face was working yet.

"Yeah. I think maybe it was."

"Why? Don't you like her?"

"I do. I like her a lot. I'm just not sure about where to take her on a first date."

"You could go to dinner."

"True. But that's so...cliche."

Emma knew that word, so she didn't ask for an explanation.

"How about a movie? Is that cliche, too?"

"Um...kind of."

She thought for a minute or so, then said, "What about ice skating?"

Her dad tilted his head as he looked at her then said, "Honey? Are you sure that's such a good idea."

"Unless she doesn't know how," Emma said, shooting her own idea down.

"No. It's just that, you know, you and Mom used to ice skate."

In fact, the three of them went quite a few times together in North Carolina just before Ellen bailed on them, and it was one of the last happy memories they had as a family. They hadn't been since Emma's mom walked out, and Rick was concerned this might not be such a good idea.

"I know," his daughter said with no hint of emotion. "But it was fun, and I want you to have fun again, Daddy."

"Maybe she doesn't know how," her father replied, now wishing the subject had never come up.

"Then just ask her, Dad. It's not that hard."

He looked at his daughter and wondered how old Emma really was. There were times when she seemed to be much too old for her age, and that thought made him feel even worse. He didn't say anything, though. He only made a better effort to smile when he spoke.

"Okay. I'll ask her," her father said, a little smile forming at the corners of his mouth.

"So...pancakes or bacon and eggs?" his too-old daughter asked.

"I love bacon. And I love eggs. But I should probably start watching my fat and cholesterol intake."

"Dad. There's a new study out that says cholesterol isn't linked to heart disease."

"What? Where did you here that from?"

"Ms. Peterson. Someone in class was saying their grandpa had a heart attack because he ate too much cholesterol and it clogged his arteries."

"Wait a minute. Just how old are you?" her father asked, his eyes narrowed as though he was examining her.

"Daddy!" Emma replied with a laugh. "But I'll make pancakes if it makes you feel better."

"No. That's okay. If bacon and eggs won't kill me, fire up the grease!"

Around 11am, Rick got out his phone, and after staring it at for a minute, he took a deep breath then dialed the number.

"Rick. Hi," he heard Karn say in a very pleasant voice.

"Good morning."

"Good morning to you, too," came the cheerful reply.

"I know I'm supposed to make small talk, but I'm really bad at it."

Karn laughed and let him know that wasn't a requirement.

Rick's laugh was one of nervous relief as he steeled his nerve and said, "I was wondering if you might like to maybe go...ice skating. With me."

He could tell Karn was smiling, but she didn't laugh.

"The weather is supposed to turn cold in a couple of days, and you want to make me give up my summer clothes early, huh?"

She was clearly teasing, but Rick hadn't seen the weather report for several days and had no idea. But it was mid-September in Bloomington, and he was surprised it wasn't already cold outside.

"Sorry. We could...go to dinner or see a movie."

"I love to skate," Karn told him.

"Really?"

"I was fairly good at it when I was Emma's age and a little older. I haven't been in a long time, but I do love it."

"Is...tonight okay?"

"I think I can squeeze you in," he heard her say, the teasing still obvious.

"You sound like you're joking, but I would expect you to have quite a few guys interested in going out with you, and if you had plans...."

Karn didn't tell him whether or no that was true. There were several men who'd asked her out in the last couple of months alone, but she'd only said 'yes' to two of them, and neither of them had been someone she wanted to see a second time. That, plus having been left in the way it happened were big parts of the reason she was willing to go out with him.

"No. Not hardly," she told him. "But you, on the other hand, must have to carry around the proverbial stick."

It took him a second or two to realize what she meant, and in the meantime she said, "But then you carry a gun, so a stick probably isn't necessary."

Rick relaxed a little, laughed at her humor, then asked if he could pick her up around 6.

"Yes. That sounds great."

"Okay. I'll uh, I'll see you then."

"Oh. Is Emma coming?" Karn asked just before he said goodbye.

"She loves to skate, but...."

"Then please bring her!"

"You don't mind? You see kids all day."

"Yes, but there's only one Emma, right?"

Karn's voice was pleasant and sweet, and Rick smiled as he agreed with her.

"Yes. Yes there is."

"So I'll be ready by six."

"Great. I'll...we'll see you then."

When Rick told his daughter she'd be going with them, she said, "Daddy, no! I don't want to ruin your date."

He put his hands on her shoulder and said, "Emma? There is nothing in this world you could ever do to ruin anything in my life. Okay?"

She didn't say anything, but she didn't have to. The way she hugged him said it all.

"So be ready to leave at 5:30, okay?" he said when she let him go.

"Okay! I will!" his daughter called out in a happy voice he hadn't heard in much too long, or at least since he'd told her he liked her teacher.

"You wanna ring the doorbell?" Rick asked when they got to Karn's house.

She smiled then pushed the button and waited for the door to open.

"Well hello! If it isn't my favorite police officer and one of my favorite students!" Karn said, a huge smile on her beautiful face as she invited them in.

"Hi, Ms. Peterson," Emma said as she walked in. "You look really pretty."

"Thank you, and so do you," her teacher replied.

Karn had her hair pulled back into a ponytail and was wearing just a touch of makeup that included some ice-pick lipstick. Rick was no fashion expert, but he assumed it was because it matched the color of the sweater she was wearing. He also assumed she was wearing black tights rather than pants and was correct on both counts.

"I agree with my daughter," Rick told her.

Karn smiled and thanked him, too.

"I'm ready if you are?" Karn said.

With that, she picked up a white, puffy coat, some white gloves, and a white stocking cap along with her purse then said, "I hope the AC works in your car!"

It wasn't hot outside, but it would be too warm for what everyone was wearing in the car.

"It does," Rick assured her as they headed outside.

He opened the door for her, and Karn thanked him, another amazing smile coming his way.

Rick was content to listen to Emma and Karn talk about skating the entire way there. It took some prodding to get her to admit it, but she finally admitted she'd finished third in a state-level competition when she was 12 years old.

"I think after that, I realized I was never going to be all that good, and I kind of just gave it up," Karn explained when Emma asked if she'd won any other trophies.

When she asked Emma, "How about you? Do you like to skate?" Rick wondered how Emma would respond.

"I only went a few times, and that was when I was little," she said with no hint of sadness or any mention of her mother.

The rink wasn't busy, and with only a few people there, the three of them were able to do pretty much anything they wanted. Karn kept saying how rusty she was, but both Rick and Emma were impressed by everything she did. She wasn't showing off by any means, but she still knew how to skate very well, and Emma was amazed.

"Can you teach me how to do that?" Emma asked each time Karn tried something new.

She picked up each new move fairly quickly while Rick managed to fall down several times trying to repeat what his daughter had done on the first or second try. The two-foot, three turn seemed impossible to him, but Emma did it on the first go 'round and the same was true when Karn showed them how to do a two-foot glide with a leg lift. On that move, Rick managed not to crash and...freeze...but he wobbled so much he brought the leg down immediately before face planting on the ice.

"Will you skate for us?" Emma asked after a half hour or so of learning.

"Oh, I don't know," Karn said.

Rick stood behind Emma, his hands on her shoulders then said, "Please?"

"Well, okay. But it won't be much to see," she warned them.

Neither of the Gates had any idea how difficult the things Karn did actually were, but both of them were wowed by her grace as she glided around skating backwards and doing a couple of basic moves, one small jump, and then a tight spin at the end.

When she skated back over to them, Emma was so excited she threw her arms around her teacher who was smiling from ear to ear.

"I'm impressed," Rick told her as she hugged his daughter back.

"So am I," Karn replied, a reference he assumed had something to do with him and most likely his parenting ability. He'd love to take credit for it, but most of it was just how Emma was.

"Now you and my dad go skate!" Emma said as she let go of her teacher.

"Just be ready to move if I fall your way," Rick warned. "I could kill both of us!"

Karn laughed then took his hand and said, "Come on!"

Rick saw Emma beaming with happiness as Karn pulled him away. Within moments, he forgot about his daughter as he skated hand in hand with this incredibly attractive older woman who was now getting inside his heart as well as his head.

Emma skated by herself practicing what she'd learned and occasionally looking at her father and her teacher. Each time she did, it made her smile.

"Our time is just about up," Karn said as she looked at the clock in the rink.

"Right you are!" Rick agreed as they headed for the wall nearest the exit.

Karn got to the side of the rink first, and as Rick skated in behind her, he had the usual amount of trouble stopping.

"Look out!" he called as he headed right for Karn.

She not only didn't move, she held out her arms and caught him and brought him to a stop. As she did, Rick ended up in her arms not four inches from her face, and when he looked at her, she smiled. He smiled back, and when she didn't look away, something deep inside him told him to go ahead and kiss her. He prayed his instincts were right and leaned in.

He saw her eyes close as his lips met hers, and although the kiss lasted less than two seconds or so, it was the most amazing kiss Rick could ever remember. And just as it ended, Emma slid to a stop right next to them, and was all smiles as they looked down at her.