“I will.I’ve been climbing this tree since I was younger than Billie.”
“When was the last time?”
He hoisted himself onto the first step and looked back.“About nine years ago.Are you saying I’m too old?”
“I’m saying be careful.”
He climbed the rungs leading up to the tree house.As he pivoted and lowered himself onto the floor of the open platform, he gave Billie a smile.“Nice view.”
“Yeah.”She took her ball out of her pocket and studied it.
“With the walls gone, it’s not safe up here for you.If you’d like, I’ll put the walls back.”
She shook her head.“I won’t be allowed up here.My mom won’t like it.”
“How do you know?”
She shrugged.“She just won’t.”
“Maybe I can talk to her about it.”
“Really?”She eyed him suspiciously.“Is that a dad thing?”
Was it?Now he shrugged.“I used to play up here when I was your age.I had a lot of fun.I’d like the same for you.”
She offered her first smile since she’d heard the news.“Sometimes famous pitchers need a place to play.”
“I bet.I’ll talk with your mother in a couple of days.Right now, though, I’d like you to come down with me.Can I give you a piggyback ride to the bottom?”
“Okay.”
She walked over to him and leaned against his back.After stuffing her ball back into her pocket, she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.
So small, he thought, fighting the sudden tightness in his throat.So young and fragile.His daughter.His child.
“All set?”
“Uh-huh.”
He stepped back onto the ladder and quickly brought them to the ground.Jane met them at the bottom.She pulled Billie off Adam and hugged her close.
“I was so frightened,” she said, burying her cheek against her daughter’s hair.“Don’t scare me like that again.”
“I’m sorry, Mom.I’m in trouble, huh?”
Jane continued to hold her tight.“No.You’re not in trouble.”
Adam expected several reactions, but not for Billie to start crying.The tears fell fast and furious down her face, but she made almost no noise.
“Mommy,” she said.She squirmed to get closer.Her hat fell to the ground.
“Hush, Billie.You’re safe now.You’ll always be safe.I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I love you, Mommy.”
“I love you, too, baby.”
The sobs continued, as if the child’s most precious possession had been torn from her.Adam stood helplessly beside the two of them and watched as Billie suffered a pain he couldn’t begin to understand.He thought about offering comfort, but to whom?And for what?
