The Firefighter Daddy by Margaret Daley Page B

got help like you did today with Katie.”
    She peered at him. “You should have been watching her better.”
    â€œYou might be right, but no parent can be with a child all the time.”
    â€œYou’re not a parent.”
    Although the words hurt, he chose to ignore them and continued. “There comes a time a child has to make good choices. Think of the consequences of her actions. Like today, you hurt your sister’s feelings because you took your anger out on her.”
    She started to protest, but he held up his hand, palm outward.
    â€œFear can drive a lot of emotions, especially anger. Once my dad told me that yelling at Gareth because he’d done something dumb wasn’t going to solve the problem. He asked me instead to be an example for my younger brother. I tried, and we became closer. When either one of us had a problem, we knew the other would be there to listen. Sometimes that’s all a person needs to know—that someone cares enough to listen to her problems.”
    â€œI listen all the time to Katie.”
    â€œGood. Have you shared your problems with her? It works both ways.”
    â€œShe’s six. What problems?”
    â€œAge has nothing to do with it. Everyone has them. It’s the relationship between you that counts. She loves you. That’s why today she was so upset when you yelled at her. You hurt her. I have a feeling she already realized there was a better way to deal with Blackie than her climbing the tree.”
    She frowned. “Maybe.”
    â€œMy dad told me that day that because I was the oldest, I had to be the one to show my younger brother what was right.”
    Madison blew out a large breath and set her chin on her knees as she stared at the ground between them. “I wish everything was the same. I miss Daddy.”
    â€œI do, too.”
    Silence hovered between them. Liam wasn’t sure what else he could say to make a difference.
    Finally she lifted her head. “I’m sorry.”
    â€œTell your sister that and why you were upset. Share your problems with her.”
    â€œMaybe.”
    â€œAre you ready to go back to Sarah’s?”
    She nodded and crawled toward the opening.
    Liam followed her out, stood and dusted off his pants. “I see what you mean about this being a great fort. Your dad and I had a tree house. We spent a lot of time up there, playing and talking.”
    Halfway back to Sarah’s house, Madison looked up at him. “Why doesn’t Katie miss Daddy like I do?”
    â€œMaybe she does. People mourn in different ways.”
    â€œWhy did God take my daddy away?”
    How do I answer her, Lord? I asked You that very question .
    â€œI don’t know, Madison. It was his time, and he’s with the Lord now, keeping an eye on you. He loves you very much. That won’t ever change.” As he said that to Madison, he’d been talking about his brother but realized the words also applied to God.
    When they arrived at Sarah’s, Liam headed for the backyard. “We need to go home.”
    â€œCan I say goodbye to the kittens and Gabe first?”
    â€œSure. I’ll give you time to do that.”
    Madison was the first through the gate and raced toward her sister, Sarah and Nana. When she hugged Katie, Liam thanked the Lord for the right words to say to Madison. Hope that things would become better for them as a family took root.
    Sarah met him, smiling. “Whatever you said to Madison worked. She apologized to Katie.”
    â€œI told her about her father and me. We went through a rough patch growing up, and I passed on my father’s advice to me. She didn’t know her grandfather, but I’m sure Gareth talked about him all the time. He seemed to have the right advice when it was needed. That’s what I remembered when I found Madison.”
    â€œWhere did she go?”
    â€œUnder some big bushes at the park.”
    â€œAnd you knew where