Forbidden (Book 1 of the Foridden Series)

David Thompson brought the car to a stop. Although he was pressed for time and managing to hit every red light this morning, his travelling companion made the delays bearable. Little Katherine sat beside him in the passenger seat swaying her head and singing along with the radio. For a six-year-old she had promise, he thought, if she learned how to play she would have a shot in the industry one day. He had never met her father, but from what he knew of her mother, Chase, David was sure Kat’s talent must have come from her. “One day, I’m going to turn on the radio and hear your songs, right?” she asked, grinning widely, her expression so innocent. “Maybe one day.” He smiled down at the pretty young girl; she was the spitting image of her mother, with her flowing red hair, porcelain skin and bright green eyes. “I think I’m going to be a singer too. Do you think I can?” she asked, hanging on his every word. “Kitten, you can have anything you want as long as you want it bad enough, but you should learn how to play an instrument first,” he said softly, patting her head and stepping on the gas. “Maybe I’ll teach you to play the guitar, or maybe even Mike will if you ask nicely; he is a much better player than me anyway. Your mommy could if she bought you one. Did you know she can play rather well herself?” “No, I want you,” Kat stated bluntly, leaning back in her seat and opening the glove box. “What’s in here?” “Just maps, I drive to a lot of clubs for gigs, and I have a terrible sense of direction.” He slowed and turned on his signal light. David turned left and into the parking lot of the Rainbow Daycare. The window gave him a view of the establishment. Some lights were on, but there did not appear to be anyone inside. He glanced at the clock. “Are they even open yet?” Kat took off her seatbelt and twisted to reach her book bag in the back seat. As she was lifting it forward, she hit David in the back of the head with the corner of the bag. “Sorry,” she cringed. “Don’t sweat it, Kitten.” David smiled, rubbing the back of his head. Avoiding another blow to the head, he reached behind and helped the small child with the bag that was half her size. Once the bag sat on her lap, David looked at the daycare and then back at her. “I’ll wait to see that you get inside. Will you be ok?” he asked, not sure how the process worked. Did he let her go alone or did he take her inside? Did he have to sign something? “I’m six-years-old,” she huffed. “I’m not a baby. I can go in alone.” “Ok then, you have a nice day, and I’ll see you soon.” He smiled at her, and she sighed that adorable childlike sigh. One a small child would make when they finally get a new toy they had been waiting to receive. “I like you. You’re nice.” “Thank you. I like you too.” “Is Mama going to marry Mike?” Kat asked innocently. David shrugged. “I don’t know Kitten. That is up to your mommy. But I’m sure Mike would like that very much”, whether he knew it himself or not. David and Mike had been best friends since grade school, and if there was one thing that was always true, it was that Mike Sanchez always managed to screw things up with his excessive pride and insane jealousy. “Good because I don’t want Mama to marry you,” she stated plainly, heaving her little body against his car door to open it. Marriage had never been a thought in his mind; he did not intend to marry anyone. He should have felt relieved by the odd statement, but instead, he found himself wondering, “Why not?” Kat leapt from the car and swung her bag over her shoulder. She smiled at him. “Because I’m going to marry you,” she stated in a matter of fact tone. David could not help but laugh aloud at the bluntness of children. She had a crush on him, he realized. How flattering. How did one let a child down easy? “Sweetie, I’m too old for you. When you’re old enough to get married, you won’t even like me anymore.” “Yes, I will. I want too,” Kat protested. David leaned across the car to touch her tiny hand; he hoped to make her understand the concept of age and the complications of love and marriage. Looking into her hope-filled eyes, David could not break her little heart. Kat was young and impetuous. Time would explain what he could not, and by next year, she would wish to marry her next crush. “Maybe someday,” he indulged her fantasies, “when you’re all grown up.” Kat smiled uncontrollably and slammed the car door, running into her daycare singing happily. As David pulled out of the parking lot, he thought to himself, now if only all girls were that easy to blow off.