“Isn’t this great, sweetie, inside Cinderella’s Castle? You love her story about the glass slipper I’ve read to you a hundred times.” David pointed. “See Cinderella’s slippers in that display case?”

“Uh-huh.” Jenni’s eyes sparkled to see the grandeur. Her head turned. “Look, look. There’s the real Cinderella. People are getting their picture with her. Can we?”

“Sure, let’s go.”

David Bartlow waited patiently with his daughter until they came to the front of the line inside the Disney World castle. He posed with his daughter while another tourist took their photo with his phone.

They moved to a quieter place to allow David to study the map. While she waited, Jenni hugged her Minnie Mouse doll. 

Nearby, a woman and her son chatted with a costumed character. The character moved to greet other children, and the boy looked at Jenni with her toy.

“Hey, I got a Goofy just like your Minnie. Wanna see?” He pulled out his similar toy dog with long ears. 

The trim, blond-haired woman holding the boy’s hand noticed her son chatting with Jenni. She glanced at David.

Their eyes met, and he felt a warm feeling flush over him. She had a heartwarming smile. 

“Hi, I’m David, David Bartlow, and this is my daughter.” 

She flashed bright white teeth. “Hello, David. I’m Maggie. We’re from Atlanta. This is Ashby’s last day here.” She patted her son’s shoulder.

“Well, I live just down the road in Macon. This is Jenni, and we got in yesterday.” He squeezed his daughter’s shoulder and breathed a sigh. “She lives with her mom most of the time in Atlanta, too. So, where do you live in the big city?”

“About two miles north of Lenox Square.”

“I know about where that’d be. This is our first trip here—better than anything we’ve ever seen.”

“And so clean,” Maggie said, patting her son.

“Your last day, huh?”

“Yep, seen four other lands while we’ve been here, but Ashby wanted to return to the Magic Kingdom for our last day. It’s his favorite.”

David tilted his head. “Humm… maybe Jenni and I could hang out with you guys, and you can point out the best places to visit. We’ve only got a few days, and we’d like to see the top spots.”

“Sure. Understand. You can walk your feet off and still not get to everything, much less the other kingdoms.” 

Maggie looked down at her son. “Ashby, would you like to continue with Jenni today?”

“Yeah, Mom. She’s nice.”

“Done. Let’s walk out front and over to the treehouse. Kids love it. We want to get a photo with the famous castle behind us.”

“Perfect. Maybe we could get someone to snap photos of us with our cameras.”

They walked outside with the two kids between them, chattering like monkeys, and found another tourist to take photos of them with the castle in the background.

When the woman finished the mother-son photo with Maggie’s phone, she held up David’s and snapped him with Jenni.

“Thanks. I sure appreciate you getting that shot of us,” David said as he retrieved both their phone cameras from the lady.

“Great,” he said, looking at his phone.

Maggie looked at her phone. “Mine’s perfect as well. She did a good job.” Putting her phone in her purse, she pointed to the right. “Let’s head on to Swiss Family Robinson’s treehouse. Next is the Jungle Cruise. I know Jenni will love them,” Maggie said. She smiled at the two children, discussing the attractions.

In lines, David stood close behind Maggie, drinking in her scent. Once he was bumped and grabbed her arm to keep from falling into her, he excused himself but loved her touch in his hand. She gave him a long look in the eyes and smiled. He learned she was also divorced.

#

Later in the day, as they neared the line for The Haunted Mansion, David got a photo of Maggie and her son with the ominous mansion in the background. “Whew, I’m about worn out from the day,” David said. “After this, we might head back to Saratoga Springs Hotel.”

“We’re there too—checking out in the morning,” Maggie replied. “I could spend an hour relaxing by the pool and cooling off before dinner.”

Dinner together, maybe? I can get her phone number and get to know her better.

The Haunted Mansion doors shut, and the lights darkened. David was face to face close to Maggie. His pulse quickened, and not because of the haunts starting in the anteroom.

“I’m scared,” Jenni said. 

“Oh, look. The pictures on the walls are changing,” Ashby said, grinning. “This is gonna be good. Look at that one over there, Jenni.”

# 

David and Maggie waited for the ferryboat on a bench while the children fed popcorn to the ducks at the water’s edge. She took a photo of the kids together, then a closeup of David. He took some too.

“That was as much fun for me as the kids. The ghost in the car with us looked like they were really there.” David moved closer to Maggie. She leaned toward him. 

Smiling like the Cheshire Cat, he tried to think of something to say. “The Imagineers here are amazing. I read all about building this place before we came.” 

Maggie’s eyes twinkled. “So did I.” She finished but continued to look deep into his soul before she finally looked away. 

It seemed she wanted to say more, so he bit his tongue and waited through the silence until she looked up again and smiled.

“You’re so unlike my ex. I married so young, and it…” Her voice trailed off as she looked into the sky.

“Sounds like we might have similar stories. I thought I was mighty lucky when I put a ring on the finger of the head cheerleader. As I settled down in a job and the responsibilities of fatherhood, she could barely wait to put our daughter in daycare so she could resume her social life. Unfortunately, it included some of her old social contacts with football team members. Things went downhill until we split.”

David realized he’d rambled on even though he saw the sympathy in Maggie’s eyes. She put her hand on top of his. 

“She was a fool, David. She didn’t know what she had.”

Blood rushed to his face and his ear lobes heated with emotion.

“Thank you. I’d say the same thing about your ex.”

#

Later, relaxing in beach chairs as the children splashed in the shallow end of the pool, Maggie sipped a drink in a Disney Mickey Mouse cup. “Ahhh.” She wiggled her toes. “Five days here can wear you out. My feet feel like I’ve been wearing hard glass slippers.” 

“Just don’t lose one. They’re expensive to replace.” The two laughed. 

David stretched. “We’ve got a couple more days, and I may have to take more breaks tomorrow.” He also sipped from his Disney mug. “You said your ex lives in Atlanta? How often does he visit with Ashby?”

“He’s entitled to every other weekend, but Ashby’s lucky if it’s once a month from his father. Won’t even keep current with child support. I think the new girlfriend is occupying that… that… backside of a mule’s behind.”

“Hard feelings, huh?”

“He doesn’t deserve any visitation after what he put me through, not to mention Ashby. Don’t get me started.” Maggie gritted her teeth, and her neck muscles tightened. She took a deep breath and eased it out. “How about you and your ex?”

“We get along fine. She has a new live-in boyfriend, and he’s a muscled simpleton. My daughter doesn’t seem to like him. My ex was glad for me to take Jenni on this vacation trip.” David put his cup on the table and moved closer to Maggie. Their hands almost touched. He smiled at her and put his fingers under her hand, draped off the armrest. She didn’t pull away, but smiled back at him. I’ve got to get to know her better.

“So, when I get back to Macon and get caught up with work, might we meet you for lunch when I’m back in Atlanta again?” 

Maggie paused, but her smile prefaced her answer. “That would be very nice.”

As they sat with legs on the edge of the lounge chairs facing each other, the quiet moment seemed to generate a magnetic pull. David looked at her lips, leaned, and thrilled to see Maggie drawing closer too. Their mouths neared each other, and he closed his eyes.

Then, an explosion could not have been more abrupt.

“Mom! Mom, Jenni slapped me,” Ashby screamed, cried, and held his face. 

“Here, let me see.” Maggie pulled his hand away from his face. “Unbelievable. I can see red fingerprints there. What kind of awful child would do that?”

“Wait… what?” Raising his voice, David called out, “Jenni, come over here!”

Ashby’s screaming increased. “Do you encourage violence in your child, David?” Maggie said.

Jenni walked toward them with her head dipped and dragging her feet. “What?”

“Did you slap Ashby?”

“Yes, he deserved it.”

Maggie interrupted over Ashby’s continued whimpering. “You should never slap someone, little girl, unless they’re attacking you.”

David’s expression changed. “Now, wait. I can discipline my daughter. She doesn’t need it from others.”

Maggie was already getting up and gathering her things. “Come on, Ashby, I can see we aren’t wanted here. You don’t need to be around this mean child.” 

They disappeared into the hotel, and David, now standing, stared at the closing door with his mouth open. He’d said too much and overreacted. It splashed cold water on the glowing embers in his heart.

Turning back to Jenni, “Why did you slap Ashby? I’ve never known you to do anything like that.”

“Because of what he said about you. That’s why.”

#

Later, in their hotel room, David questioned his daughter further. “Tell me again what Ashby said about me?”

“He said you were an awful dad, so I hit him.”

“Standing up for me? What a loving thing to do.” He hugged his daughter. “But it’s hard to believe Ashby would’ve said that.” 

We were all getting along so fine up to that point. 

“Is it possible that Ashby said I was an awesome father and not awful?”

“Well… maybe. But I sure thought he said awful. Nobody else is going to talk about my daddy like that.”

“Does someone do that?” David stared into his daughter’s eyes.

“Man does.”

“What—who? What man?”

“The man who lives at our house. He says bad things about you. I can’t say nothin’, or I get punished. I hate Man.”

David clenched his fists. Not so much what boyfriend Rodney said about him, but because his daughter had to be subjected to talk like that and had to remain quiet.

“Oh, sweetie, I love you for standing up for me like that. It was wonderful, but I really doubt you heard what Ashby said correctly.”

If I knew Maggie’s room number, I’d call and explain it. Maybe at dinner. She just can’t leave tomorrow without us clearing this up.

Jenni was looking at a variety of trinkets she’d pickup during the day. They were spread on the bed.

David looked on and noticed something he didn’t buy. “What’s that tiny glass slipper with the tag on it you’ve got there?”

“Ashby gave it to me during the Jungle Cruise ride and I forgot to give it back.” She examined the tiny inch-long little shoe.

“We’ll give it back to him at dinner… I hope.”

Maggie and Ashby didn’t show up for dinner in the main dining room. David got there early and stayed late.

#

The following day, Maggie stood at the checkout desk. “So our breakfast will be put on the room tab?”

“Yes, ma’am. Automatically. I hope you enjoyed your stay.”

“We did, Carlos. I’m sending a special applause to Christy, our room attendant. She made the cutest creatures out of our towels each day. Ashby and I loved it. She bent over backward to help us.” Maggie’s searching eyes looked around at the other guests.

“That’s what we like to hear about our cast. Have a safe trip, and come back soon.”

Ashby tugged on his mother’s arm. “I didn’t see them at breakfast, and I don’t see them here, Mom.” 

“Me either, but we’ve got to go, or we’ll miss our plane.”

As Maggie hurried to the revolving doorway, she looked at her watch. She glanced back one last time, and sighed.

#

Moments later, David stood before Carlos and asked, “I know you won’t share guest information, but can you at least tell me if Maggie Evans has checked out?”

“Sir, you are correct. We can’t share any information about other guests. Privacy rule.” Carlos paused, leaned, and whispered, “She just checked out a few minutes ago and left with her son.”

David’s heart pounded like a tympani drum, and a smile replaced the frown. “Thanks so much.”

With Jenni in tow, he quick-stepped to the front doors. Maybe he could catch her while she waited for a taxi. But, just as he put his hands on the revolving glass, he saw Maggie closing the cab door, and the vehicle moved out in a hurry.

He waved his hands and screamed, “Wait! Wait, don’t go.” But the cab disappeared in a sea of yellow vehicles.

“Dammit, dammit to hell.” He looked at Jenni. “Scuse your daddy’s language.”

#

Three weeks dragged by, and David moped at the office and home. He didn’t have Jenni with him either, repaying his ex for the days used at Disney World. Every song he heard on satellite radio driving to and from work seemed to have words about love in them. He recalled Maggie’s soft skin and how he’d longed to touch her hand again. How close their lips had been—so close—but yet. 

“You look terrible, ole buddy,” his cube-mate Eddie said. “Most people come back from a Disney vacation bubbling over with things to say.”

“I met a lovely woman during our stay, and I think we had something going.”

“That’s a good thing.”

“It could’ve been, but we had a misunderstanding. She and her son left before we could sort things out. I don’t know how to get in touch with her. It’s like the Prince trying to find Cinderella with only a glass slipper. How I’d love to slip one on her foot.” 

Thoughts of Maggie at Cinderella’s castle made him smile. Then he thought of the photos. “Here, I’ve got these pictures of her and her little boy as we toured the park.” He opened the phone and showed them to Eddie.

“She’s some good looker,” he said.

“And she has a personality to match. She lives in Atlanta with her son. I’d hoped to visit next time I was picking up my daughter, which is this weekend. Reminds me, I got to call my ex to arrange pickup of Jenni and chat with my daughter.”

Dave made the call, set the time, then Jenni got on the phone.

“Hi, Daddy.” 

Then, he heard his ex say, “Sweetie, bring mommy’s phone to her in the kitchen when you finish.” High heels clicked into the distance.

Jennie whispered. “Daddy, I got to tell you something.” The whispering got softer. “Yesterday, Mommy got a call. She got mad and said, ‘I don’t care if you and your son met my daughter at Disney. You’re not going to talk to her,’ and she hung up.”

“How did they get her number?”

“I wrote it on a ticket stub for Ashby to call me when we were on the Jungle Cruise ride and forgot.”

“I’m glad they tried to call you, but I still don’t know how to get in touch with them.”

“Oh yes, we do. Later, I got mommy’s phone, looked at recent calls, and copied the number. I can give it to you.”

“Attagirl, Jenni. Wonderful news. Let’s have it.”

#

David found a quiet nook outside the building and called the number as quickly as he could make his fingers move. He worried she might not want to talk to him. 

“Hello?”

“Maggie, it’s me, David. Please don’t hang up.”

“Why would I do that? I’ve wished I could talk to you as well. Ashby found a cell number with his souvenirs and gave it to me, but ….”

“Yeah, I found out what happened yesterday. And regarding that misunderstanding at Disney….”

Maggie interrupted. “I questioned Ashby back in the hotel that day, and I’m sure your daughter must have misunderstood when Ashby said you were awesome.”

“I’m sure of it. Jenni was sensitive because of what my ex-wife’s boyfriend says about me, and Jenni has to keep quiet.”

“Poor thing. David, I’m sorry for her. And, I’m sorry I didn’t know how to reach you. I didn’t know how you felt, either.”

“You’ve been on my mind ever since I tried to catch you the morning you left in the cab. I was only seconds too late. I’ve missed you ever since.” Dave sighed. “I want to see you again.”

“Me too.” 

David heard the smile in her voice. He yanked his arm down in a victory fist and whispered. Yea. 

“I’ll be in Atlanta tomorrow. Can we meet for lunch before I pick up Jenni at five?” he said.

“Can you find Tortellini’s in Lenox Square?”

“Yep, been there.” He nodded with a barnyard-wide smile.

“See you at 11:30. Ashby’s in school. Maybe we can drive to my house after lunch and catch up on things. We can get the kids, and all of us have dinner together.”

“Maggie, you can’t know how happy that makes me. I’ll see you then and return the glass slipper.”

They both laughed.