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“Hey, there’s no need to explain your intentions to me. I just need to know that you’re going to treat my daughter with the respect she deserves. She’s not your average young woman. She has a child, a job, and demands on her shoulders that won’t always allow her to put you first.”
“No disrespect, sir, I don’t need to be first in her life, I just need to be in her heart.”
“Your mama has raised a good man.” He slapped me on the shoulder and nodded. “You give her that ring and keep the promise that it holds.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you.”
“Now go on up to the house before she comes looking for you.”
Chuckling, I patted Gus on the neck. “Have a safe ride, sir, that wind was a beast this morning.”
“Always, I have a pretty wife to come home to after all.”
Walking back into my family home with Keisha at my side and with Atticus laying against my chest felt right. We were greeted by cold noses, wagging tails, and a herd of little people.
“Uncy Danny!” Abbie plowed into me.
“Hey, princess.”
“Abbie Grace, get your bottom back here.” Georgie came in, a scowl on her face.
“I nots do it!”
“Um…” I looked between them. I let Atticus go when Keisha reached for him. She made quick work of getting his snow gear off. She was doing her level best to not laugh at my being stuck between Georgie and Abbie. Again.
“Little girl, I saw you steal the cookie. Where is it?”
Chuckling to myself, I scooped Abbie up and met her gaze. “Did you take a cookie?” She looked between us and nodded, her bottom lip poking out. “Where is it?”
“Tango ates it.”
Georgia stopped and looked down at the big dog. His tongue lolled to the side as he looked between his two favorite people.
“You gave it to him?”
She nodded. “Mommy tolds him no. Him looked sads.”
I hugged her to me and looked at Georgie.
“Abbie, did you really give it to Tango? It has doggy medicine in it. That's why he couldn’t have it yet. It’s not for him.” Georgie rubbed her face and pulled her cell out. “Now I have to call Uncle Abe and tell him what happened.”
“What is it? Is Tango okay?”
“Some kind of joint supplement for Lady and Daisy.”
She walked off when Abe answered; I watched as she paced.
“Abbie, you know what you did was wrong?” I moved to the couch and sat her on my lap so she looked at me. “When Mommy says no, that means no. You gave Tango something that could make him sick.” And if he got sick, Georgie was going to lose her mind. That dog was her heart. Don’t get me wrong, she loved Tate and the kids, but Tango was the last piece of her grandfather. He was getting older, too. She was always worried something was going to happen to him.
“Abe says it’s okay. It’s just something to help keep their joints healthy. He said it was a good idea to start him on it too. Crisis averted.”
I nodded. “Abbie, you need to apologize for upsetting your mommy by not listening to her.”
The little munchkin crawled off my lap and ran to Georgie.
“You’re really good with them.”
I pulled Keisha down into my lap and held her there. “Maybe. But they’re really good kids. Just spirited as Ma would say.”
