Page 78 of SEAL'S Baby Surprise
“Tucked away in prison for a very long time,” Richard replies. “When they got him into custody and started investigating, we found that he was wanted for murder of two women, and that he had beaten and badly maimed a third. It seems he would find a woman with money. Flatter her, wine and dine, get her to signher money over to him, and then he’d do her in. If they ran, he had an arrangement with a guy who would write up papers to have them committed for mental problems.”
I think of Lee’s panic attacks. “And Lee was just the kind of person he liked to prey on,” I say, tightening my embrace just a little. “She gets a little ditzy under pressure.”
“Do not,” she says, and elbows me in the ribs. “I have an excellent sense of self-preservation, and I know when to run.”
Richard frowns at her. “What exactly used to happen in those schools?” he asks.
“You don’t want to know,” she says. “I think Mom and Dad had some idea, because they never put me back into the same one after I ran. The only problem is, they were kind of like copies of each other. I was so glad to live independently. You have no idea.”
“I should have paid more attention,” Richard says.
“What could you have done?” Lee asks. “You were in college through the worst of it. Then I was in college, trying to get along on my allowance.”
I run my hand through her short hair, and kiss the top of her curls. “Anything you want, you can have,” I say.
She laughs up at me. “Can I have an elephant?”
I freeze in panic. How would I keep an elephant well and happy? My instant of terror must have shown on my face.
Lee relents, and pokes me in the ribs with one finger. Gently, this time. “I’m teasing,” she says. “Although an elephant mightbe handy sometimes. Ark is as big an animal as I think I want to take care of.”
“Can we have a horse?” Julia asks. “They aren’t as big as an elephant, and they eat grass.”
“I’ll think about it,” I say.
Julia pouts. “That means no,” she says, then sticks her lower lip out.
“Mostly no for right now,” I say. “We aren’t living in a good place for a horse, and I know more about electric motors and dogs than horses. Let’s wait until you are a little older and see if you still want one.”
Julia sticks her tongue out at me and flounces off the bed, making it bounce. Lee sucks in a tiny breath, so I know it hurt her. “I don’t like mostly no,” she says, going over to Richard. “I bet Uncle Richard will give me a horse.”
“Not until you know how to ride and take care of one,” Richard says. Then he looks over at me. “You got a live one here,” he says.
I sigh. Julia looks and is beginning to act a lot like Izzy. Well, I’ll just have to try to parent better than Izzy’s parents did. At least my friend is backing me up on this one. “I know,” I say. “But horses are living creatures, and deserve proper care. Do you know anything about horses, Richard?”
As he shakes his head, Lee pipes up, “I do. There was one summer where I went to a horse ranch for troubled teens. It was the one boarding school I really enjoyed.”
Julia brightens at that. “So, can we get a horse?”
Lee shakes her head and says gently, “Your dad is right. The Beach wouldn’t be a good place for a horse, and I’m going to be kind of busy to help you take care of one.” She looks over at where Mimi Quinn has settled into a rocking chair with Al.
“Someday, then?” Julia persists.
“Someday, maybe,” Lee says. “We’ll have to see what happens.” And she leans into me. I hold her, savoring her warmth and the serene backup on my ruling that we are not getting a horse right now.
Julia sighs. Then she asks, “Can I have a merry-go-round? It has horses that don’t eat anything. And I could share it with Betty and Bobby.”
Richard laughs, I drop my face into my palm, and Pops Quinn says, “She’s got you there. Maybe you could even charge admission.”
I groan. “Julia . . .” I start.
The little imp laughs. “Just teasing, Daddy. Although, a merry-go-round would be really cool.”
Lee buries her face in my armpit. I can tell from the way she is shaking that she is laughing.
I sigh. In the heart of family, a man does not get respect. I voice my frustration. “I get no respect around here.”
Lee smiles up at me. “But we do love you.”
