Read Online Tell Me a Story by Dallas Schulze - Free Book Online Page B

do need to keep that in mind. So what do you suggest?"
    "Why don't we ask Becky?" Ann made the suggestion hesitantly, wondering if perhaps she was sticking her nose in where it didn't belong. But she was supposed to be here to help decide Becky's future.
    The three McCallisters looked at her with varying degrees of surprise. Louise spoke first.
    "What a wonderful idea. I don't know why we didn't think of that right away. Thank you, Ann."
    "I love a woman who can think in the midst of battle. Remind me to kiss you first chance I get." Ann flushed, uncomfortably aware that the idea of him kissing her was not as unpleasant as it should be. In fact, it wasn't unpleasant at all.
    "You can't expect a child to make a decision like that." David McCallister was the only dissenting voice.
    "Why not?" Flynn's question held insolent challenge, all the laughing approval he'd shown Ann gone as if it had never been. His mother rushed into speech, intent on averting a scene.
    "Becky seems like a very levelheaded little girl. I think she has a right to have some say in her future. I'll go get her now." She got up and left the room with quick steps, cutting off the possibility of further argument.
    The three left behind sat in silence for the short time she was gone. Flynn's father stared into space. Flynn looked at Ann and Ann looked at the toes of her shoes, unwilling to meet those bright blue eyes, uneasy with the way her pulse seemed to respond to the warmth of his gaze. It seemed as if hours had gone by, but it was no more than a minute or two before Louise returned with Becky.
    The two of them had barely entered the room before Becky tugged her hand loose from the older woman's and ran to Flynn's side. Flynn slid his arm around her waist as she leaned against his knee. Looking at the two of them, Ann already knew Becky's answer.
    "How were the cookies, urchin?"
    "They were great and Maggie let me help her take them off the pan. Could we make cookies when we get home, Mr. Flynn?"
    "Sure. But first, we've got a question to ask you." She caught the serious tone of his voice and stared at him, gray eyes wide with uncertainty.
    "We're going to hire someone to look for your mom but, until they find her, you need a place to stay."
    "Can't I stay with you?" Her voice quivered slightly and Flynn hugged her reassuringly.
    "Sure you can, honey. But my parents have said that you can stay here if you want. There's lots of room to play here and I could come out and visit you." He was scrupulously honest in his presentation of the choice but it was clear that, as far as Becky was concerned, there was no choice to be made.
    "Do you want me to stay here, Mr. Flynn? Am I too much trouble for you?"
    "Of course not, Becky. I'd love to have you with me. But my parents would love to have you here, too. The choice is up to you."
    "I want to stay with you, please."
    To his credit, Flynn did not give his father a triumphant look. "I'd like that, too."
    ❧
    "Mark and I used to play on those swings. I bet they haven't been used since we were kids." Flynn waved at Becky who was happily absorbed in pumping herself as high as possible.
    Lunch had passed without incident and they had been invited to stay to dinner. It was clear that Flynn hadn't wanted to stay but had agreed for his mother's sake and he'd escaped outside as soon as possible, taking Ann and Becky with him. Ann wasn't sorry to get away from the tension that stretched between the men in the family.
    It was a beautiful day and the grounds that surrounded the house invited casual strolling. Flynn bent and picked up a stick, tossing it to the elderly retriever who'd followed them from the house. She sniffed at the stick and then looked at Flynn as if to say that he was very foolish if he didn't realize that she was long past the age to chase sticks. "Sorry, Bessy. I forgot."
    She yawned once and then turned to make her way toward the house, her steps slightly stiff with age but her dignity unruffled. Flynn