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Steeling himself Mike ran through the million and one thoughts he’d compartmentalized when he had the break earlier in the day. While he’d wanted to go with Syd to dye eggs, it was probably best he hadn’t. It gave him time to sketch out a plan to talk to Porsche about what would happen when he went back to California.
“I really need to talk to you about the future.” Mike leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees.
“Um, what future?”
Confusion washed across her wrinkled brow, but he really needed her to help with Syd.
“I have to go back to the Navy. I have decided to turn in my papers and retire once my leave is over. I need to be there for Syd and I can’t do that being a SEAL.”
“No, I suppose not.”
“Then there’s the AMBER ALERT that Cream is going to try to get dismissed as custodial interference since technically this is my time with her,” he said trying to not see Mitch’s face staring up from the linoleum.
Killing, dead bodies, all of them had a purpose and reason for being at the end of his skill set. For that matter so did Mitch, but he was home, there were places he could have gone to hold the man accountable and Cream was balancing between the truth and mental defect. Or, the Shaggy defense. It wasn’t me. Who should people believe, him or their lying eyes?
“Even if she gets that waved, what I did has to be answered to in one way or another.”
He waited for the unease, the question of what he did as if it weren’t clear to most around who would have done the same, just not then. They would have gone back, tortured him a bit and then used the land to dispose of him the way it was meant to.
“What do you need from me?” Porsche leaned back against the pillows on the couch and he followed suit, wishing she’d kept her fingers wrapped around his.
“Can you help me with her? Keep her here so she has a normal life somewhat? Even if she’s partially hidden.”
“Yes, I will stay with her here since my apartment may be quiet, but the place is basically what I envision a Freshman dorm would be if a frat took over,” she said and he smiled a bit at the NERDS reference. “I can have a normal life and take care of her at the same time.”
“That sounds like a good plan.” Mike stood. “Sydney needs someone she can count on when I have to go back to California. Things aren’t going to go well for me there.”
“You don’t know that,” she offered.
He dropped his shoulders trying to come to terms with the consequences of his actions. “I made a split-second decision that will probably take everything away from me.”
“We have more than a few living here that should have lost everything,” she said reaching her hand and wrapping it around his. “And I mean everything. But they’re not looking over their shoulder wondering about what comes next.”
“Bodies buried and everything.” He laughed, but Turbo didn’t. “Before I go any further, I probably need clarification on the Roadside.”
“Meat’s good, but veggies are iffy,” she replied, but her hand slipped away from his and he could see her resetting as she wandered back to the kitchen area as if she were searching for a little something more. When he followed she lowered her voice. “Sit, little ears hear a lot especially when they’re so close.”
He took a seat at the table and Turbo passed him a bottle of water. Syd glanced over for a moment, but returned to her game of make believe and movie filled with fairies. This wasn’t the time, though he didn’t think he could convince Syd to go to bed before the end of the movie. Much like everything else there just wasn’t enough time to do what he needed to do and as he took in the narrowed eyes glaring across the table, he could hear the tick of the second hand counting down to a bomb he had no way to defuse.
“Syd let’s get you ready for bed,” he said as he stood from the table, and clicked off on the TV before glancing back to Turbo who was biting the corner of her lip.
“But it’s not done?” she whined through a yawn and he knew he had the upper hand in something. “Yeah, but we only have a few days left and I thought we could wake up early and go exploring. Red said Creature likes to run around first thing.”
With the mention of the grown ass dog his daughter considered a puppy, she put the dolls aside.
“I would like that, Turbo you will come right?” Syd stood and held both hands out so Turbo and Mike could walk her back to the bathroom. “I will brush my teeth first.”
“Okay sweetie,” Turbo offered. “Then let me brush your hair and braid it for you while your dad gets some pajamas.”
Mike disappeared for a moment then came back to see Turbo wrapping the binder on a set of Dutch braids as Sydney squeezed a bit of toothpaste on her brush. Leaving the PJs on the counter the two adults closed the door to let Syd have privacy.
“We’re nowhere near done,” Turbo warned, then switched the moment Syd came from the bathroom and headed toward the bedroom she had chosen to sleep in.
The club had everything set up for a child. While the decorations hadn’t been hung yet a net was in the corner with a dozen stuffies ready and willing to be a kid’s next snuggle buddy. A few sensory games were on shelves and books from infant to chapter ones were lined up.
“Pick out a book and we’ll read it to you.”
Syd’s finger trailed along the titles for a moment before plucking one and passing it to him. He found a seat at the end of the bed as Porsche did her best to tuck in the girl, then crawled in next to Sydney and let her snuggle her side. The pink blanket he’d placed on the bed was tucked tight to her arm as Porsche smoothed a few loose strands.
