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Authors: Dallas Schulze
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his face. Father and son stared at each other across an abyss that had obviously been there for a very long time. Flynn smiled, the insolent smile that Ann had seen so often the past two years, the smile that said he didn't give a damn about the rest of the world.
"Hey, Dad, don't feel too bad. One out of two ain't bad."
The older man's face darkened, and Ann braced herself for the explosion that was sure to follow. She'd seen that look in her own father's eyes too often to mistake it. Why had Flynn provoked him?
The explosion didn't come. She didn't even know if it would have come, because the door opened and Louise stepped into the room. Ann felt as if she'd been thrown a life jacket in the midst of a stormy sea. The older woman's eyes took in the situation immediately, and Ann caught a glimpse of her distress before she set about pouring oil on the waters.
"Are you two at it again? Can't you see you're embarrassing Ann? She's going to think you're a pair of ill-mannered fools. Would you like some lemonade, my dear? Becky is settled in the kitchen and Maggie is teaching her how to bake cookies. I think lunch may be a little late.
"What a charming child. I'm so glad you brought her to see us, Flynn. Exactly what would you like us to do for her?"
The next few hours passed on a more calm note, though Ann had the feeling that the hostilities lay just beneath the surface, ready to break out again. Even when the McCallister men agreed on something, it was grudgingly, as if each were reluctant to admit that the other might have had a good idea. By the time Becky's immediate future was hammered out, Ann felt as if she'd witnessed a battle between the superpowers.
It was agreed that Becky's terror of the welfare department eliminated the possibility of calling the authorities. On the other hand, something had to be done about finding her mother. It was Flynn's suggestion that they call a private detective and, very reluctantly, his father agreed that it seemed like a reasonable alternative. The major disagreement came when the discussion turned to what to do with Becky while the detective searched for her mother.
"Obviously, the child will stay with your mother and I." David McCallister's bluff voice said there would be no argument. Ann felt herself quail at the tone. It was so familiar. Just the way her father always sounded when he was laying down the law.
Flynn did not seem impressed.
"I don't think so. Becky is doing just fine at my place. I don't see any reason why she shouldn't just continue to stay with me until her mother is found."
"Don't be ridiculous. You've got no business being in charge of a little girl. What do you know about children?"
Flynn eyes were sapphire blue and just as hard. "I know that you have to give them room to grow and you have to love them for what they are, not for what you want them to be."
"That's enough, Flynn." Louise's quiet voice discharged the explosion that was building. Flynn pulled his gaze from his father's angry face and glanced at his mother before looking at Ann. He lifted his shoulders in an apologetic shrug, his mouth a cynical line.
"Sorry. We shouldn't drag you into old family quarrels."
"That's okay." But it wasn't okay. She could see the pain in his eyes and she was surprised to find that she ached in sympathy. She had the strangest urge to stroke the tousled hair back off his forehead and hold him close until the pain left his eyes. She dragged her gaze away from him, frightened by the strength of the urge.
The thought slipped into her mind that it was safer to be hostile to Flynn McCallister. He was a dangerous man to care about.
Once again, it was Louise who brought the conversation back to a more comfortable level.
"We're discussing Becky's welfare here and I think the least we can do is keep that in mind." Her stern gaze took in both her husband and her son. Her husband grunted and looked away. Flynn gave her an unabashed grin.
"You're quite right, Mom. We
"Hey, Dad, don't feel too bad. One out of two ain't bad."
The older man's face darkened, and Ann braced herself for the explosion that was sure to follow. She'd seen that look in her own father's eyes too often to mistake it. Why had Flynn provoked him?
The explosion didn't come. She didn't even know if it would have come, because the door opened and Louise stepped into the room. Ann felt as if she'd been thrown a life jacket in the midst of a stormy sea. The older woman's eyes took in the situation immediately, and Ann caught a glimpse of her distress before she set about pouring oil on the waters.
"Are you two at it again? Can't you see you're embarrassing Ann? She's going to think you're a pair of ill-mannered fools. Would you like some lemonade, my dear? Becky is settled in the kitchen and Maggie is teaching her how to bake cookies. I think lunch may be a little late.
"What a charming child. I'm so glad you brought her to see us, Flynn. Exactly what would you like us to do for her?"
The next few hours passed on a more calm note, though Ann had the feeling that the hostilities lay just beneath the surface, ready to break out again. Even when the McCallister men agreed on something, it was grudgingly, as if each were reluctant to admit that the other might have had a good idea. By the time Becky's immediate future was hammered out, Ann felt as if she'd witnessed a battle between the superpowers.
It was agreed that Becky's terror of the welfare department eliminated the possibility of calling the authorities. On the other hand, something had to be done about finding her mother. It was Flynn's suggestion that they call a private detective and, very reluctantly, his father agreed that it seemed like a reasonable alternative. The major disagreement came when the discussion turned to what to do with Becky while the detective searched for her mother.
"Obviously, the child will stay with your mother and I." David McCallister's bluff voice said there would be no argument. Ann felt herself quail at the tone. It was so familiar. Just the way her father always sounded when he was laying down the law.
Flynn did not seem impressed.
"I don't think so. Becky is doing just fine at my place. I don't see any reason why she shouldn't just continue to stay with me until her mother is found."
"Don't be ridiculous. You've got no business being in charge of a little girl. What do you know about children?"
Flynn eyes were sapphire blue and just as hard. "I know that you have to give them room to grow and you have to love them for what they are, not for what you want them to be."
"That's enough, Flynn." Louise's quiet voice discharged the explosion that was building. Flynn pulled his gaze from his father's angry face and glanced at his mother before looking at Ann. He lifted his shoulders in an apologetic shrug, his mouth a cynical line.
"Sorry. We shouldn't drag you into old family quarrels."
"That's okay." But it wasn't okay. She could see the pain in his eyes and she was surprised to find that she ached in sympathy. She had the strangest urge to stroke the tousled hair back off his forehead and hold him close until the pain left his eyes. She dragged her gaze away from him, frightened by the strength of the urge.
The thought slipped into her mind that it was safer to be hostile to Flynn McCallister. He was a dangerous man to care about.
Once again, it was Louise who brought the conversation back to a more comfortable level.
"We're discussing Becky's welfare here and I think the least we can do is keep that in mind." Her stern gaze took in both her husband and her son. Her husband grunted and looked away. Flynn gave her an unabashed grin.
"You're quite right, Mom. We
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