New Year’s Eve wasn’t a holiday. I’d gone to the office early in order to make Sharon’s dinner on time. The McDonoughs celebrated New Year’s Eve with pizza, but just because Sharon didn’t cook it didn’t mean I was going to be late. Other than not wishing to insult my mother-in-law, I had another reason to make sure I showed.

Tonight, Kate was coming home with me. Her bags were packed and by the bedroom door. Tomorrow morning, I’d wake up next to my wife.

This year was going to be different. I’d find a way to balance all the demands on my time. I’d make it work.

Violet hovered in the doorway.

I glanced up from my screen. “What’s up?”

She looked around the room in a way that told me she didn’t have a purpose for coming in here, but now that I’d asked her a question, she was determined to figure out an answer. “Um…what are you working on?”

“I’m analyzing the amounts we’ve contributed to non-petroleum-based energy research programs over the last five years and trying to project how much more we should contribute based on current findings.”

“Oh,” she said like she followed every word. “I’m almost eight.” She kicked a foot up so only her toes were on the floor, then took a hop into the room.

I clicked off my phone. Solar energy returns could wait. Violet was usually in the thick of rowdiness with the boys. She seemed to need something quieter right now.

“Any birthday plans?”

She shook her head and wandered into the room, plopping on the bed, her little legs swinging off the side. “My dad said he’d take me wherever I want to go to eat.”

“That’ll be fun.”

“Yeah,” she said. “I told Mommy I wanted a watermelon cake.”

“That sounds…” Would the cake look like a watermelon, or taste like it? Or both? “Good?”

She nodded. “Chocolate chips are going to be the seeds.”

That answered one question. “How’s wrestling?”

“Good.” Violet’s shoulders hunched.

What had I said? I nudged her with my elbow. “How good is good?”

“Grandpa tries to coach me, but there’s a lot of kids.”

“And not enough coaches?”

She nodded. “Think Aunt Kate will practice with me?”

The image of Kate wrestling with little Violet made me smile. How cute would that be? Seeing her mess around with the boys had shown me a whole new side of her. Violet was so much smaller, but with just as much determination. “There’s nothing wrong with asking her.”

Violet shifted from foot to foot, her expression unsure.

“Would you like me to talk to her?”

She brightened. “Could you?”

“Hmm…” I pretended to think about it. Violet’s eyes widened as she waited for the answer. “I’ll talk to her.”