An Unexpected Match. Dana Corbit

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      The glare from the fluorescent lights caught Haley’s attention, and a newborn’s distinctive cry filtered down the aisle, as Haley raced through a discount department store, searching for the backdrop for their final photo. Matthew jogged after her, the two girls and two boys they’d shared a ride with in Matthew’s SUV earlier taking up the rear.

      “Slow down, will you?” the boy named Preston called after her as he stopped and tried to catch his breath.

      “You don’t want ours to be the last team to get back to the church, do you?” Haley slowed long enough to ask over her shoulder.

      “No, but he doesn’t want to collapse and croak next to the health and beauty department, either,” an athletic girl named Katie answered for him.

      “Good thing for him Haley’s headed for the toy department,” Matthew said.

      Haley grinned as she hurried to the rear of the store. How Matthew knew where she was going, she wasn’t sure, but they must have been thinking on the same frequency because they both stopped right in front of a cage-like container of large plastic balls. Great minds did think alike.

      “Here. This is perfect.” She indicated the cage with an expansive wave.

      “You want us to get in there? It’s almost smaller than Matt’s car.” That came from Jimmy, the group’s resident comedian.

      Haley shook her head. “I just thought we could balance some balls while we build the pyramid.”

      “Are we going to balance on the balls?” Jimmy tried again.

      “I don’t think so,” Matthew said. “We’ll really come in last if we have to make a side trip to the E.R. at Markston General.”

      His deadpan had Haley chuckling. He’d been serious most of the night, through their assignment of squeezing themselves on the store’s minicarousel and her mid-pushup collapse as they did calisthenics on the courthouse steps.

      He’d been as serious tonight as he’d been when Haley had seen him with Elizabeth. For someone so blessed with a great career in law and with the opportunity to parent a sweet little girl, Matthew didn’t seem to have much fun in his life.

      “I wish we could have brought Elizabeth tonight,” Haley told him as they waited for Preston to catch up with the group. “She would have loved this.”

      “It was just for the older kids. Besides, I wouldn’t want her to stay up past her bedtime.”

      Haley nodded, wondering about the strict schedule Matthew and his daughter must keep. Did the house collapse around them if the child went to bed at 8:05 p.m. instead of the top of the hour?

      “What are we doing?” Preston asked when he reached them.

      “We’re deciding how we’re going to build the pyramid,” Jimmy told him. “We’re making you the flier.”

      Preston shook his head. “Not going to happen.”

      Matthew raised both hands to garner their attention. “Are we going to build this thing or just talk about it?” When no one answered, he started barking orders. “Three across the bottom. The guys and me. Haley goes with Katie next. Then one on top. Chelsea, that’s you.”

      Each of them grabbed a ball from the bin and settled it between his hands, a chore that became more difficult at each level. After the pyramid was complete, and a little shaky, they looked up to pose for the camera, finding the Polaroid resting forgotten on the floor.

      “Wait. Who’s going to take the picture?” Jimmy asked.

      “Yes. Who’s going to take it?”

      Haley swallowed as she turned her head in the direction of that unfamiliar voice. A middle-aged woman with a badge that read “Toy Department Manager” stood before them, and she looked anything but pleased.

      It took some fast-talking and a promise to leave the store immediately, but they had the picture in their collection when they returned to the vehicle.

      As Matthew drove them back to the church, Haley listened to the teens’ happy chatter from the second and third rows of seats in the SUV. She might not have been able to agree with their opinions that their photos competed with the work of Ansel Adams, but she had to admit that the outing had been fun.

      Maybe Matthew was right. Maybe each day would get a little easier. She just needed to take control of her life and figure out what she would do next. Tonight had only been a night of distraction, but it was a beginning. She would find a way to get on with her life. All she had to do was get through tomorrow—the day she had planned to walk down the aisle.