Page 15 of Trick or Treat

“Eat up, guys, while I get dressed.” He took a quick shower and got dressed. He glanced at the clock and saw that if he wanted to get to the attorney’s office on time, he needed to get the kids out the door in the next fifteen minutes.

“Come on, Reagan. Let’s get dressed.” He brought her back to the bedroom, pulled out some clothes and was getting her shoes on by the time she finally roused enough to open her eyes and carry on a conversation. “Pink or blue?” he asked, letting her pick out the tutu thing to go with her outfit. She pointed to the pink one at the same time saying, “Pink.”

“Teeth.” He started toward the bedroom, looking for his boots and some socks. “Keegan, help your sister load her toothbrush!”

By the time he was finished, they were both waiting by the front door. Excellent. He grabbed the file he stole from Cranston off the coffee table and was ready to go.

“Wait! I forgot my purse!” Reagan ran down the hall and came back with the sparkly purse he’d bought her yesterday.

“Keegan, you got your phone in your backpack?”

“Yes. And I put it at the very bottom and I won’t tell anyone I have it. And I’ll hide it when I get home.”

“Good job. Let’s head out.” Trick opened the door and followed his kids out. While Keegan was hopping in the front, Trick buckled Reagan in her seat.

So far, so good. They were running late, but he wasn’t too worried yet. That was until he pulled up and found every parent in the district bringing their kid to school this morning. He watched as every single parent got out and walked their kid to the front door. Seriously?

“You know where your classroom is, right?” he asked his son.

“Yes, Dad. I’m good. I know where to go.” Damn, he hated that his kid sounded so grown up. He wasn’t in a hurry to see them get older yet. If it was up to him, he’d like them to stay little for a while longer since he didn’t get to have them every day.

Trick drummed his fingers on his steering wheel, impatiently waiting for his turn to unload. Damn it. He wasn’t going to have time to bring Reagan to daycare before he met with his new attorney. He turned to look at his beautiful girl in the backseat. She smiled back at him, fully awake now.

He watched as a mom with two kids got out and walked around to let them out of the car. They looked older than Keegan. He grunted under his breath, thinking to himself, those boys would be pussies before they left elementary school.

Finally, after all ten cars ahead of him pulled away one by one, Trick was next. He pulled up and wished his son a good first day of school. Keegan had his hand on the door handle, getting ready to get out when it hit him that he forgot to give him lunch money. “Shit. Hang on. Forgot your lunch money.” He put the truck in park, pulled out his wallet and handed him $20. “Let me know when you need more.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Love you, buddy.”

A smile broke across his face. “Love you, too, Dad.” With that, he hopped out and moseyed down the walk to the front door. He shook his head at the boy’s swagger. He really hadn’t noticed it until Calliope pointed it out not too long ago. Yeah, his kid had it goin’ on.

Trick pulled away from the drop off area of the school and turned to get back into traffic. At a stop sign, he looked back at Reagan. “Looks like you’re going with me to the attorney’s office.”

“Yay!” She cheered and kicked her feet up and down. She reached in her purse and pulled out an animal cracker, offering it to her dad. He took the cookie from her and popped it in his mouth, making yummy noises that sent her off into peals of laughter.

God, he loved that kid.

“Mr. O’Malley,Mr. Phillips will see you now. Second door on the right.” The secretary pointed down the hall.

“Thanks.” Trick shoved his file under one arm, then picked Reagan up, settling her on his arm. She had one arm around his neck and the other clutching two Barbies tight to her chest. He found the door already open, a dark-haired, middle-aged man sitting behind a large dark wood desk. It was situated in front of a whole wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, with what Trick could only assume was an excellent view of Redemption. The man was dressed in an expensive navy blue suit with a red tie with his head bent to whatever he was working on. He knocked on the door frame to get his attention. “Mr. Phillips?”

“Yes. And you’re Mr. O’Malley?” Mr. Phillips came around his desk and offered his hand, a friendly smile on his face.

“Yes.” Trick shook the man’s hand, glad to find he had a firm grip and his hand wasn’t pussy soft like Cranston’s. The man was no stranger to hard work if the calluses on his hand were any indication. “This is my daughter, Reagan. I’m sorry but I didn’t have time to drop her off at daycare this morning.”

“Not a problem. She can sit over there by the couch and play.” He waved a hand toward the sitting area. “I’ll have my secretary bring her a snack, if you’re okay with it.”

“Yes, that’s fine.” Trick set her down between the couch and coffee table. “You can play over here while I talk to this man. You be good, okay?”

“Yes, Daddy.” She grinned up at him and dropped to her knees. She immediately started playing with her Barbies.

While Mr. Phillips was instructing his secretary to bring Reagan a snack, Trick looked around the office and wondered if he was going to be able to afford this guy. The office was huge. Half his house could fit in this room.

“Please, have a seat.” Mr. Phillips waved at the high-backed leather chairs in front of his desk. “You said you have your file from the last attorney?”

“Yes.” Trick handed him the file, then sat so that he had his daughter in sight at all times. He didn’t worry that anything would happen to her while he was here. It was just habit when he had his kids. Their safety was his top priority.

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