Father And Child Reunion Part Two

Chapter Four

It had taken some doing, and more than another week, but Eve Stuart finally coerced her brother into looking over the inventory she’d prepared of their mother’s earthly possessions. The message she’d left on Hal’s voicemail had finally done the trick. She’d made it clear that it wasn’t his help she was after. Or his approval. She didn’t need either. She wanted him to review what she’d prepared only because she didn’t want to leave him out of anything. But if he wasn’t interested in what was going on with the estate, she’d have the attorney file the inventory as it was. Tomorrow. Before the first of August.

She’d left the message that morning. Hal himself had arrived a few minutes ago, just as she and her daughter, Molly, were finishing the lasagna her neighbor, Millicent, had brought over. He’d promptly declined her offer of a drink or something to eat and, with little more than a perfunctory Where is it? proceeded to pace the dining room while he studied the long yellow pad she’d handed him.

Eve couldn’t see him from where she stood at the sink, surrounded by copper pots and the wildflower-patterned plates visible through the glass doors of the cabinets. But every minute or so she could hear the sharp crackle of a page being quickly turned. The sound was as agitated as Hal himself.

Had she thought it would do any good, she’d have gone in there with him. She knew he hadn’t been inside the house since the funeral, so his being here had to be difficult for him. There were so many memories a person had to sort through when faced with a loss, and being eight years older than she, he had eight more years of memories to deal with than she did. But he didn’t seem to want whatever support she could have offered. He just wanted to get the job done so he could leave.

She turned the water off at the sink and reached for the towel. As she did, she became aware of voices drifting through the foyer from the front porch. The low tones were definitely male. The higher ones were Molly’s giggle.

The male voice didn’t belong to Hal, either.

Since Molly and her teddy bear were outside playing with her dolls, Eve had left the front door open. The little girl liked the big railed porch with its wicker chairs and potted geraniums better than the backyard because, out front, she could watch the big kids play.

Eve could hear the boys now, the three preteens from two doors down. The new dentist’s sons, Millicent had told her. They were playing soccer on the sidewalk. Even with them out there, Eve still didn’t want her daughter talking to strange men.

She was past the narrow entry table in the foyer when some of the urgency left her stride. Rio Redtree sat on the top step next to Molly. A black shirt covered his broad back and one back pocket of his faded jeans was worn white around his wallet. She couldn’t see much of his face, though. Molly was on her knees beside him, grinding dirt into her pink overalls as she scooted as close as she could get to see what he held in his hands. With her dark little head bent toward his, one of her beribboned pigtails had draped across his shoulder. There wasn’t a shade’s worth of difference in the color of their hair.

Eve started to open the screen, only to be stopped by what she could hear Rio saying.

It does look like a spiderweb, he quietly said, sounding as if he were confirming an observation. It’s supposed to. Have you ever seen a bug caught in one?

The smaller head bobbed vigorously.

Do you know why they can’t get out?

Molly’s head went just as vigorously the other way.

It’s because a real web is sticky. The more the bug struggles, the more it gets caught. That’s why the bad dreams can’t get out of a dream catcher, either. When you go to sleep, the good dreams know the way through the hole right here in the center. Then they slide down the feather so they can come back to you and you can dream them again. But the bad dreams don’t know the way out. They get caught in the web, and when the sun rises the next morning, they disappear.

The two heads became two profiles as Rio and Molly looked at each other.

Really?

It worked for me, he said, looking as honest as a Boy Scout. I had one when I was little, and I sure don’t remember having dreams about monsters under my bed. He nodded toward the hoop of twig and crystal-clear filament Molly held in her hands. Maybe it’ll work for you, too. I’ll hang that above your bed if you want.

As Molly skeptically studied the talisman, Eve realized that Rio must have heard Molly mention the monster the other night on her way upstairs. That was the only reason she could think of why he had brought the child such a gift.

In light of everything he’d learned that night, the fact that he’d remembered something so seemingly insignificant was definitely telling. So was the concern he’d shown by wanting to alleviate the fears of a child. His child.

Rio was still sitting on the step, but he’d noticed her standing in the doorway. He lifted his chin to acknowledge her, then returned his attention to the child.

So what do you think? he asked. Should we ask your mom if we can hang it?

As gifts went, Molly was more accustomed to girl-stuff. Spiders and twigs were definitely in the boy category. Still, she must have been impressed either by Rio’s story, or with Rio himself. After another moment of consideration, she gave him a nod, remembered to say Thank you, and before Rio knew what was coming, she threw her arms around his neck.

He clearly wasn’t prepared for the impulsive response. The instant Molly’s wiry little body pressed to his chest, he went stock-still. Seconds later, looking as if he feared the child might break, he swallowed hard, closed his eyes—and hugged her back.

The breath Eve drew caught in her throat. Rio had never held his daughter before, and the moment left him totally exposed. Fear, wonder, apprehension and joy were all wound up in an expression that bordered on pain. The feelings were familiar. She had experienced them herself the very first time Molly had been placed in her arms. She still felt them sometimes just watching Molly sleep. But Rio was revealing far more of himself in this unguarded moment than he could possibly realize. No man who did not truly care for children could possibly be so moved by nothing more than an exuberant hug.

She realized something else, too. She was very probably going to lose a piece of her daughter’s heart.

Molly’s narrow little body had all but disappeared in his strong arms. But as quickly as she had flung herself at him, she just as quickly pulled back.

Seeing her mom, she turned her grin to her and held up the saucer-size hoop. Its gray feather swayed from a beaded leather thong.

See what he brought me, Mommy. She frowned at the man rising beside her. What is it called? Oh, yeah! Remembering, she turned back before he could answer. It’s a dream catcher. It’s going to catch the monster under the bed and make it disappear.

So I heard, Eve returned, her soft smile masking the quick surge of annoyance she felt with the bearer of the gift. Do you want to play out here for a while longer, or come inside?

Stay out here.

Eve’s glance slid to Rio.

Taking the hint, his air of control firmly in place, he stepped inside with her. Following her far enough into the foyer to escape inquisitive little ears, he matched her frown.

What’s the matter?

You shouldn’t tell her things like that. If she has a bad dream now, she’s not going to believe anything else you say.

I didn’t promise she wouldn’t have bad dreams, he said, defending himself. You heard what I said. I said maybe it would work. And it will, if she believes it.

But it’s deceptive.

Deceptive? You’ve never told her about Santa Claus? Or the tooth fairy? He eyed her evenly, his expression turning shrewd. Does it bother you that I brought her something?

What bothered her was that he might be able to calm a fear of Molly’s that Eve hadn’t been able to do anything about herself. Not sure if she was feeling jealous or inadequate, suspecting more of the former, she made herself back down.

Maybe. A little, she amended, wishing he couldn’t read her so easily.

Would you prefer that I checked with you before I brought her anything?

There was enough challenge in the question to make it clear that he was testing his ground where Molly was concerned. Or maybe he was testing her. The more she was around him, the more apparent it became that they couldn’t go longer than a few minutes without stepping on each other’s toes. Before, they’d never argued about anything.

Only if it will ruin a meal, or needs to be fed. They