Short Fuse
© 1992/2016 by K Pelle
Chapter 16
I lay there at Arlene's side almost dozing off, then she sat up and tried to slip away without waking me. Since I wasn't actually sleeping, I couldn't resist reaching out and gently caressing her bottom as she bent over to pick up some of her clothing. The result was a loud squawk and a leap that would have made a kangaroo proud.
Of course I broke into laughter, then almost instantly apologized for scaring her, trying to intimate that I thought she knew I was awake. She'd started to get angry, but then she broke into a giggle like a school girl.
"I'm just not used to having my butt fondled," she snorted. "Is that a habit of yours?"
"Not really, but then I've never been around a woman with such a touchable bottom either," I grinned. "To be honest you make me feel like a school kid, so I guess I might develop a childish habit or two."
"Oh I don't think school kids fondle each other's butts," she grinned back at me. "If they did, I'm sure Cindy would have told me about it."
"I suppose so. She and Shannon both would be prime candidates if the boys did do that to the girls, wouldn't they?"
"Well at their age, I doubt if the boys are brave enough for that sort of thing. So I doubt if we need to worry, unless they're around boys who were quite a bit older," she moved over and sat on the edge of the bed and smiled almost sadly as she looked down at me. "When our gals get to that age we're both going to have our hands full."
"Yeah, I think you're right," I sighed. "Those two are developing a pair of very touchable bottoms, not to mention what the rest of them is like."
I saw a strange look in her eye and I lifted a hand, trying to beat her protest.
"Now before you go all crazy on me about being a dirty old man, I'm only human. I happen to realize that my daughter is growing up to be a very sexy young woman and I think your daughter is just as attractive," I explained. "I wouldn't want you to think that they weren't safe in my company or anything."
"Oh, you ass," she snorted. "Do you think I'd worry about you? After I had to damn near rape you to get your attention? I'm just surprised that you admit that you've noticed."
"Oh I've noticed," I sighed. "Why do you think I don't want to be nude around them? I couldn't hide my willy if I was nude and they're both developing in ways that would make him leap to attention."
"Your willy?" she giggled. "That is not a Willy! That thing is even bigger than a Bill, it's got to be at least a William, or maybe Sir William, perhaps even William, the Conquerer."
Even I had to chuckle at her teasing me about that.
"But back to our daughters, I'm not worried about them as much as I was a while ago. Both of them seem to be relatively responsible young women," Arlene sighed softly as she sat on the edge of the bed. "I'll feel a lot better after a couple of months though."
"Oh, why?"
"Because it takes about two months for the pill to be truly effective," she said flatly. "Cindy has been taking them since the fall, so she's protected now, but that's how long it will take until Shannon will be safe."
"Oh, I never even thought of that," I admitted. "I suppose I was under the impression that taking the pill was like taking an aspirin and it worked right away, but I supposed since it's adjusting her hormones, it will take a while, won't it?"
"Yes," she said quietly, then got a very serious look on her face. "Which brings up another question that actually just came to mind. What are you and I going to do about contraception?"
That got a reaction out of me. I sat up straight and stared at her in surprise. Then I simply slumped back onto the bed and gazed at her.
"Holy shit!" I whispered. "It never even crossed my mind that you might . . ."
"Well, the problem is . . . we've been riding bareback, and I'm not on the pill or anything else," Arlene sighed softly. "Although right now is a fairly safe time of the month, but if we carry on, I'm fairly certain I'll eventually catch. I didn't even think about it before now for some reason, and since I'm the one who seduced you there's no need for you to blame yourself in any way."
"Oh shit, and I don't have any condoms."
"Which you would just burst anyway," she smiled almost sadly.
"Wow," I sighed softly. "Just look at the two of us. Preaching to our girls that they need to be responsible about sex and we don't even think about it. Me especially."
"Why you more than me?" she demanded. "I'm the one who instigated sex each time."
"Lady, I'm the one with the loaded weapon," I growled. "I shoot the little wigglers out. You're the handy target. Well, your womb is. Of course since the packaging on that target is so damn sexy, I seem to have lost all sense of responsibility and just fired when ready."
"I'm not sure if I'm insulted at having my womb called a target or complimented that you think I'm sexy," she managed a weak grin.
"Take the compliment, even if it is gauche. You are a very sexy woman."
"You still aren't answering my question. What do you think we should do?"
"That depends. How much of a gambler are you?" I managed to smile.
"You mean we should just take a chance that I won't get pregnant?" she said in a shocked voice. "I thought you were a lot more of a realist than that."
"Oh I'm a realist, it's just that I think that with all of the hullabaloo about Claire's death we should wait a while before we start adding to our family," I sighed. "If you got pregnant now, that might seem to be a bit suspicious to others, don't you think? They might jump to the wrong conclusions."
She just stared at me, her mouth slowly opening as if she wanted to say something, but didn't know just what to say.
"Perhaps I've assumed too much," I said quietly. "I thought that since you went to so much trouble to get me into your bed that you wanted it to be a permanent thing. Then on top of that, I assumed that since we were going to be together that you might want another kid or two. Was I totally wrong?"
I had a strange sinking feeling as I saw her slowly shake her head. I didn't know if I'd said something wrong or if I'd made the wrong assumption, but when tears started to run down her cheeks, I was positive that I had made a mistake about our relationship.
Finally she whispered. "The thing is, I'd actually like to have a baby, but do you really think that we're going to stay together permanently?"
I just nodded my head slowly.
Then she seemed to collapse onto my chest and I really didn't know what to do. A few seconds later I was reassured though. She shifted and suddenly I was looking into her eyes, then she was kissing me wildly and hugging me so tightly that I was astounded.
I was swamped, inundated with her kisses for a moment, then suddenly she shifted. She moved so she was sitting on my belly and her hands were holding mine down on the bed. Her face was tear streaked, but glowing as she stared down into my eyes.
"We'll gamble," she announced firmly. "No pills, no IUDs, no condoms, no diaphragms, no nothing. But . . . if I get pregnant, you have to marry me, okay?"
"Well yeah, but . . ."
"No more buts," she growled. "It's my way or the highway on this one. I will not be a single mother a second time."
"I wasn't going to suggest that," I laughed. "I was just thinking that you've been involved with me since this whole thing started and people might get the wrong idea if we got together too soon."
"And how much more together could we get?" she snorted. "I mean, we're planning a family for cripes sake."
"I was thinking about legal implications," I sighed. "Claire and her mother died in suspicious circumstances. What if people started to think that the two of us were involved in that some way?"
"People are already suspicious, but we have nothing to worry about. First off, about the time that they died, we were both in the hospital. You were lying in a hospital bed and I was standing at your side with your sister and an idiotic nurse who almost refused to let me in to see you. That's about as much of an alibi as we'll ever need. Secondly, Dick Fairchild is the most honest, hard-working cop on the force and he'll get to the bottom of what's going on," Arlene said forcefully. "Besides, what other people think has never been a real consideration, not for me anyway."
Then she smiled ruefully. "However, you sure do know how to kill a mood."
"Sorry about that, but I imagine the girls will be back soon," I sighed. "Or did you want them to catch us in bed?"
"No," she chuckled. "Only I imagine they already know just what's going on between us."
"Yeah, but I think they'd be embarrassed if they managed to catch us with our pants down, so to speak."
"Actually, I think they might take pictures if they could get away with it. I wouldn't put it past either one of them," she laughed. "Both of them are quite well educated about sexual issues, although I didn't think your daughter was the other day. She managed to camouflage herself as someone who was much more innocent than she really is."
"True, but then with Cindy for a buddy and Michelle as a teacher, I should have realized she couldn't be as innocent as she painted herself."
"Hey, what does Cindy have to do with this?"
"Cindy has a mother who made sure she knew which side of the bread the butter was on as far as boys were concerned."
She looked at me strangely then and I wondered what I'd said wrong, but she held up a finger, I took it that she wanted me to be quiet and was surprised when she got up and looked out the window.
"Ah, the girls are sitting in Cindy's favourite tree," she said quietly, then turned back to me. "There is one thing that we need to chat about."
"Oh, and what's that?"
"Our girls, yours and mine," she looked quite serious.
"Okay, what's up?" I asked, wondering if something was wrong.
"Well, I don't want you to get upset, but I have a suspicion that they are really very close buddies, very, very close," she said quietly.
"And this is supposed to be a surprise?"
"I mean really close. Sleep together close."
"Oh, like in very 'friendly' buddies?"
She nodded and I thought deeply for a moment, first about the idea of the girls 'fooling around' and then about the way Arlene had told me. After that, I shrugged my shoulders.
"I don't think that's anything I'm going to worry much about. I think it's a matter of age and circumstance, with a little experimentation mixed in for good measure," I sighed. "It's certainly not something that I'd want them confronted about in a judgemental manner, but they might need to be warned not to be too open about it in front of others,"
"You aren't worried that they might become lesbians?" she asked in a quiet noncommittal tone.
"No, and I can see you aren't worried either," I smiled. "Look, it's 1986 and there are several well known women now who admit that they're lesbians. Who knows what life will be like in the 1990's when our girls are on their own? I sure don't have any idea."
"But there are churches and people who think that sort of thing is an anathema," she argued. "Are you broad minded enough to look the other way?"
"Oh my," I sighed deeply. "Arlene, I work at the University and there are several openly lesbian couples on campus. In fact one of the women that I work with has admitted openly to being a lesbian, but she and I are friends, so I've talked with her quite a bit and we did chat about the subject once or twice. Gay and lesbian people are not sick and they aren't a danger to others. Being gay or lesbian is not a communicable disease that can be spread by contaact, but it isn't something that most people accept easily either. My lesbian friend said the biggest tragedy in most gay people's lives is the treatment they receive from their families. I'm sorry, but I refuse to love my child less, no matter if she is a lesbian or not."
"I agree," she smiled. "I'm sorry if I was playing the devil's advocate on you, but I don't know you well enough to say anything about controversial subjects."
"I realized that," I smiled back. "I knew that if you had been upset, you'd have approached the subject in a different manner than you did."
"So, what do we do with our girls?"
"First and foremost, let's let them have their privacy. I don't think a bit of experimentation is about to hurt either of them," I suggested. "If you want, I suppose we could work a discussion about gay people into a conversation at the dinner table or something. Otherwise, it might be better for you to say something to them quietly. Since I'm a guy, I might embarrass them."
"You don't mind my talking to Shannon?"
"No. If I did, I wouldn't have let you seduce me in the first place," I grinned. "Now did you say the girls were up a tree?"
"They were. Why?"
"Well, we got a little bit involved there for a while and I was wondering if we should clean up before the girls come inside. Otherwise they might decide that we've been doing more than looking the place over."
"Oh, I think they've probably already guessed that," she chuckled. "But I suppose if we're going to talk to them about them sleeping together, we should try not to rub their noses in the fact that we are."
After we cleaned up, we went for a bit of a walk and we were on our way back from looking at the river when Cindy and Shannon saw us from their perch in the tree.
"Hey, where have you guys been," Cindy called as she shinnied down the tree trunk like a monkey.
"Looking for you," I called back and winked at Arlene. "Have you been hiding from us?"
"Dad, we wouldn't do that. Not here," Shannon protested as she managed to get down from the tree in one piece. "We thought you two were . . . well, sorta busy, so we were just kinda wasting time as we waited."
"Busy? At what, may I ask?" I grinned at her
"Well, getting to know each other and that kind of thing," she answered almost instantly, but she was blushing.
"I see," I nodded as I headed back toward the house with everyone. "So what have you two been up to while we were looking for you?"
"I took her down to see the river and saw that it's still running really high from the spring melt, so we won't be able to go swimming because it's too fast and too cold. Then mostly, we've been sitting up in my favourite tree and talking," Cindy answered.
"I see, and what were you two scoundrels talking about?"
"Well, we were wondering what Mom had been doing and why she killed herself," Shannon decided to be forthright. "Then we were wondering what you were doing inside for so long."
"Well, I can't help you at all about your mother, but Arlene and I were talking about the future."
"Like what, Dad?"
"Like how we're going to keep you two out of trouble. After all, you're teenagers and don't all teenagers cause their parents grief?"
"Oh Daddy!"
"I was kidding," I reached out and touched her hair lightly. "Most of the time you're a swell kid and I'm sure you and Cindy won't be much more trouble if you're living under one roof."
"What? Are you and Miss Banks going to get married?"
"Perhaps, one day," I grinned at her as she stepped in front of me and I had to stop. "We can't do it right away or people might think weird things about us, but we do think that we suit each other quite well."
"Why not right away?" Shannon demanded.
"Well, in the first place because my former wife isn't even buried yet," I said bluntly. "Society frowns on people who don't mourn their former spouse. I'm not even sure if it would be legal at this time."
"Oh I don't mean tomorrow or anything Daddy. I meant fairly soon."
"Well, the old standard used to be that people should mourn for a year," I sighed. "I'll tell you what, why don't we go sit down? I think we need to talk, all of us."
"Okay," Shannon grabbed Cindy's hand. "We'll set out the deck chairs and we can sit on the porch."
Both of them ran off and I took Arlene's hand in mine as we followed at a slower pace.
"That went well," I smiled at her. "But how do you think Cindy took my announcement?"
"Didn't you see her grin? She likes you, you big oaf."
"Meaning that at the moment, I haven't transformed into the mean stepfather, at least not yet," I sighed. "However, I'm sure that's bound to come one day soon."
"You mean you think I'm going to become the mean stepmother too?"
"I'd bet on it."
"Not with our two," Arlene shook her head. "Both of them want this to work too much."
"I hope you're right," I said quietly as we got close to the cabin.
The girls had set out the chairs so that Arlene and I sat side by side and they were facing us.
"Alright, you know that Arlene and I talked about getting together. The first thing the two of you should realize is that you're going to have a stepparent and a stepsister, then down the road you may have a half brother or a half sister."
"Or two or three," Arlene chortled as she grabbed my hand again. "I like little kids."
"You and I will discuss that issue when we're alone," I laughed, squeezing her hand gently.
"Oh come on!" Shannon said quietly. "We had already figured out that much."
"Well, we'd hoped that's what was going to happen," Cindy added. "We were just hoping though, not pushing."
"Oh, I know you weren't pushing, well, not much," I grinned. "The thing is we don't know much more than you do about anything else. We can't really make any permanent plans until things have settled down a bit more."
"Since Dave works at the University and I work for the Police Department, we have to be careful of what other people think as well," Arlene interjected. "Really careful, especially about what goes on in the privacy of our own homes. There are lots of people who would be really upset with the idea that your Dad and I are sleeping in the same bed."
"But why would they be upset about you two getting together if you love each other?" Shannon asked.
"Well, first off, they believe that your Dad should spend a lot of time mourning your mother, as he said, perhaps as much as a year or more. During that time, there are some people who would be upset if he even went out for an evening with another woman. Secondly, since your Dad and I aren't married, they might feel that our loving each other is a sin," Arlene sighed softly. "In fact, they'd be just as upset with the idea that you two were sleeping in the same bed. To them it doesn't matter if any of us do anything, just the fact that we could have done something is enough for them to jump to the conclusion that we are doing it. So they'd condemn us for it."
Cindy and Shannon stared at her for a minute and then I swear they bristled like a pair of cats ready to go into battle.
"But it's nobody else's business," Cindy barked flatly. "If you two make each other happy, why should other people interfere?"
"Just because it's not their business doesn't stop them," I answered. "There are lots of people who love to interfere in other people's lives. If they don't know the truth, they make up rumours. Look at the newspapers, if they can't find out the truth, they make up lies that seem to fit the facts. For them, the more sensational the lies, the better, because it sells more papers."
"But can't you make the newspapers print a retraction if you can prove they were lying?" Cindy asked.
"Oh sure, but what happens is that they print the lie in HUGE print on the front page on Monday and then the retraction in tiny print hidden in the ad section a week later. People read the lie, but they don't read the retraction, mostly because the lie is out in the open and the truth is hidden from view."
"That's why you hate reporters is it. Dad?"
"Yes, Shannon, it is. They ruined a friend's life by lying. He was a really good football player when we were friends in University, and he might have gone on to be a star in the pros, but the newspapers killed that chance. They ruined his life by saying he was involved in a drug scandal," I growled. "It was his roommate who was selling the drugs, but the papers made out that Lance was involved. Only in fact he didn't have a clue that it was happening. He awoke up one morning to find his picture on the front page of the newspaper with all sorts of lies about what he had done printed underneath it. They printed a retraction later in the week, but by then Lance's life was ruined. He died inside of a month in what was called a car accident. I've always thought the car wreck was suicide because the reporters had ruined Lance's future and destroyed his life. The reporters might as well have loaded a gun and shot my friend in the heart, so in my opinion those bastards got away with murder."
"Now I understand a bit more," Arlene squeezed my hand in hers.
"Thanks," I tried to smile at her. "That's the reason I hate reporters and ambush photographers and why I try to mind my own business. It's also why I try to stay as private as I do. I feel that what I do isn't anyone else's business."
"So what does all this mean, Dad?"
"Well, I suppose it means that Arlene and I aren't going to get married for a while."
"Well, I'm not worried," Arlene spoke quietly. "I doubt if I'd be abandoned by you if I got pregnant."
"You can count on that," I laughed softly.
"So, do I get to practise calling you Dad?" Cindy asked quietly.
"Not in public," Arlene snapped.
"Actually, until Arlene is wearing an engagement ring, we're all going to have to be careful of what we say or do in public."
"I don't think I'll have a problem with that, not for a while anyway," Shannon said quietly.
"I can understand that completely and there aren't any hard and fast rules about it either, so don't push yourself to do anything you aren't comfortable with," Arlene said, as she stood up. "Right now, I feel like some tea and a snack. Anyone else hungry?"
"Sure, I'll help you get it ready," I offered.
But of course, right then my cell phone rang. I rolled my eyes and dug it out of my pocket. Arlene grinned and waved as she and the girls went inside, leaving me alone.
"Hello" I tried not to let my irritation show in my voice.
"Hello Dave. Santos here," He sighed. "I have some rather bad news for you."
"Oh great! What now?"
"Well, between Claire's lawyer, her mother's lawyer, the police, and I, we've found out that Claire was a very duplicitous woman."
"I'd surmised that much already," I said as I sat back down. "What did she do?"
"For one thing, it appears that she was involved in some sort of a gem importing and smuggling scheme and to finance her end of it, she tried to mortgage her mother's house to the hilt," He sighed again. "When she wasn't able to manage that, I think she may have found a way to get money out of your personal bank account."
"What?"
"Well, I can't check that. You'll have to do it, but I believe she managed to transfer at least ten thousand dollars from the bank that handles your accounts to her accounts at other banks," He sounded hurt himself. "You didn't have that kind of money in that joint account you had with her, did you?"
"No, I never let it get to be more than a thousand dollars at any time. That's how much I normally transferred into that account each month," I said quietly as I thought about how that account was set up. "But I might have screwed up even then, there was an automatic overdraft coverage on it, but I was supposed to be notified if that ever happened."
"How much was the overdraft amount good for?"
"I think it was for five hundred dollars. Why?"
"That must have been it. She made several transfers of seven to eight hundred dollars. Most of them near the end of each month," he sighed extremely heavily. "Since she worked as an accountant, I'll bet you never saw the totals for the accounts in the last while, did you?"
"No, since I hate doing the nitpicky crap the government wants you to do on the tax form, she did our income tax returns. I trusted her not to try to chat the government, so I'd just glance over the forms and sign them," I admitted. "I suppose I trusted her too much."
"Why wouldn't you trust her? After all she was your wife,"
I knew him well enough to know from the sound of his voice that he had more bad news that he hadn't let me know about.
"What else is there in the way of bad news?" I asked bluntly.
"We know where the money went. She used it to buy a shipment of gems that were smuggled into the country and we think she had them with her, at her mother's house."
"And?"
"Well, she may have known a lot about handling money, but she didn't know a lot about gems, because we are fairly certain that she got ripped off. We think she and her mother may have been in the deal together and they planned on selling the gems, then skipping out. However after she had left you, they may have found out that they'd bought a bunch of fake jewels and since Claire probably believed that she had killed you, she may have felt totally trapped. That might well have been the final straw and the reason why she killed herself, because at that point she probably had nowhere else to run,"
"Oh cripes. You have to be kidding," I was astonished. "Wait a minute. You were talking about the two of them skipping out. Her mother was agoraphobic, so she wouldn't even go out of the house."
"Oh? The police found passports belonging to both Claire and her mother in her mother's bedroom. They even had visas for the Grand Caymans. On top of that, Mrs. Leech's passport had been stamped three different times in the last two years. It looks like she went to both Hong Kong and Taiwan each time. We're quite sure she actually did go there, so it looks like they may have been planning this for a while."
"Damn, I can't believe it," I sat there shaking my head.
"Look, I'm sorry to be the one to let you know all this bad news, but since I'm your lawyer I'm afraid it comes with the territory," he apologized.
"Oh, I'm not blaming you in any way," I answered. "I'm just completely blown away by the whole thing."
"Yeah, well consider yourself lucky that your family was smart enough to keep her name off of the deed for your house or I'll bet it would have been mortgaged too."
"Cripes, you're right," I laughed. "I'll bet she and her mother were simply livid about that."
"You find that funny?" he sounded surprised. "I never will understand you."
"Jaro, it's just money," I sighed. "I still have a job that earns me a decent income, a roof over my head, and groceries on the table. Even better than that I still have my daughter. Anything else is pure gravy."
"Well, you'd better come into town tomorrow and check your bank accounts to see how much damage Claire did to the 'gravy' in your accounts. Then I'd like to see you. Oh, and I think Dick Fairchild wants to talk to you as well. Okay?"
"All right, but I'm not going to rush myself to get there early. I expect it will be at least lunch time before I get around to you."
"Fine, bring along that pretty lady friend of yours and I'll buy you both lunch," he said quietly.
"Okay, I'll give you a call in the morning."
"Fine. I'll see you then," and he hung up.
I sighed and stood up to go inside. I must have looked quite serious because Arlene took one look at me as I walked in the door and frowned herself.
"What's wrong, Dave?"
"Umm, quite a bit actually," I sighed. "Are you making some coffee, by chance? I need one after that phone call."
"We thought you would, just from the expression on your face as you were talking. I'll get it for you, Daddy," Shannon offered.
"Why don't you sit here?" Cindy offered, pulling out the chair at the head of the table.
"The soup and sandwiches are almost ready," Arlene added. "You can tell us all about the phone call as we eat."
So I waited until everyone had sat down, then as we ate, I told them what Jaro had told me. Afterward, I was left looking at three very concerned faces.
"So, are we broke, Daddy?" Shannon asked quietly.
"Oh, I rather doubt it," I smiled. "Even if your mother managed to get around a lot of bank regulations, I still have a monthly salary coming in from the University and then there are the royalties from my books. We'll be fine even if we have to cut back a bit on expenses for a while."
"Losing ten grand doesn't faze you?" Arlene spluttered.
"Oh, it bothers me," I admitted. "In fact it annoys me a lot, but it isn't the end of the world."
"So, what do you think Claire was trying to do?"
"Obviously she was trying to get as much money together as she could, so she could run away," I shrugged. "I don't understand how or why she was involved with gem smuggling though."
"Oh Daddy, didn't you know? Granny Leech's dad was a jeweller who got wiped out in the stock market crash years and years ago," Shannon explained. "She used to work in a jewellery store until after Mom and you got married."
"I knew about her job, but I just thought she was a clerk of some kind."
"I think she was more than that Daddy. She had lots of books and a funny little workbench, loaded with strange tools in her back bedroom. She kept the door to that room locked most of the time, but although I only saw that room one time when I was snooping around after she'd fallen asleep, I know it was there."
I frowned and looked at her in wonder. "You're almost making it sound like she might have been doing this for a while."
"Oh she always had jewels around, Dad. As long as I can remember she'd have a new bracelet or broach to show me every time I went over there," she smiled. "She even gave me a few things that are hidden in my room."
"She gave you jewellery?"
"Unh huh, every birthday, since I was little. She said it was for my trousseau. She even gave me a special box to keep them in."
"I think you should be quiet about those gifts for now," Arlene said quietly. "I'm going to forget you mentioned them until all of the dust is settled about this situation."
"But . . ." I looked at Arlene in surprise.
"You be quiet. We'll talk later," Arlene snapped, frowning at me as she cut me off.
The discussion settled into speculation about all the various unknowns of what Claire and her mother had done and I began to wonder about many of the other things that Claire had done in the recent past. My mind was busy with that when Arlene's cell phone rang.
"Hello . . . Oh Hi Dick, what can I do for you?"Arlene said as she answered.
The rest of us began to pick up the dishes from the meal and clean up while she talked. Then she called me.
"Dave, Dick wants us to go over to Mrs. Leech's house tomorrow when we go into town. Could we be there by ten thirty in the morning?" She asked.
"I don't see why not," I sighed. "I was hoping to sleep in for once, but it looks like that chance is gone."
"Daddy, I really don't want to go there," Shannon protested as Arlene went back to her conversation.
"Okay, I guess we could drop you and Cindy off at her granny's place," I offered.
"Couldn't we just stay here or go over and visit with Uncle Charlie and Aunt Jean?" Cindy suggested.
"I think visiting Uncle Charlie would be a great idea," Arlene added as she closed her cell phone. "That way Dave and I get some time alone, but so do you two. Right now I'd like to take Dave for a walk. While we're gone, perhaps you and Shannon could wash the dishes"
"If we do the dishes, could we have a little fire in the fireplace afterward? I'd like to roast marshmallows before we go to bed," Cindy asked. "Can't we have a regular evening here at the cabin like we always do?"
"Okay, you go ahead and clean up, but wait until Dave and I get back before you even think about the fireplace. I don't want you lighting it without one of us here."
"Oh Mom, I wouldn't do that, even if I do know how."
"Fine. You can show us when we get back," Arlene moved over and took my hand. "Come on Dave."
Arlene and I went outside, then walked over to a seat about a hundred feet from the house where we had a view out across the little meadow toward the river. As we sat down, she snuggled close.
"So what did your detective buddy have to say that is so secret?" I asked.
"Dick thinks Claire and her mother were involved with a guy named Sung Li," she said quietly. "He seems to have disappeared as well."
"Okay, and what does that have to so with us?"
"We don't know yet," she sighed. "The reason I went along with Cindy's request to go visit Uncle Charlie is that we may be in town most of the day. Not only do we have to see Dick, but it sounds like your lawyer wants to spend some time with us, and you're going to need to spend some time at the bank too. Unfortunately, at some point during the day we may run into the media. Are you going to be okay with that?"
"I suppose I'll have to handle that, won't I?" I sighed.
"You don't have to cooperate with them in any way. It might be best not to say anything."
"I can certainly do that part," I growled. "Are you sure that we're going to run into them?"
"Almost positive. This whole situation seems to have a life of its own and it keeps growing larger and more complicated," she sighed. "I mentioned Sung Li, didn't I? Well, he's wanted for questioning by the RCMP and by Vancouver Police, as well as by our police force. He's been doing things that seem to have come to a head, so he might be wanted by others too. "
"Oh great!"
"Well, from the looks of things, Mrs. Leech has been involved with him for years. That's why Dick wants us to meet him at her house. He wants you to look over some of the things that they've found there."
"But I haven't even been in her house for years, how am I going to be able to help him?"
"He isn't sure. Right now he's grabbing at straws," she sighed. "You just might be his last chance to work out what's going on."
"I don't understand, what does that mean?"
"I'm not sure myself," she answered. "Perhaps there are some papers he wants you to look at or something. He really didn't take the time to explain."
"So is that the reason you wanted to come out here, just to be away from the girls while you explained?"
"No, actually I have a request," she smiled and snuggled tightly against me. "When we're up here at the cabin, I like to do some photography and sketching in the evenings when we have the fireplace burning. I want you to pose for me."
"I've never posed before, but I guess I could try," I shrugged my shoulders. "What do I have to do?"
"Just take your clothes off and sit there."
"Wait a minute. You want me to be naked? With the girls there?" I stared at her in surprise then shook my head emphatically. "No. I already told you that. That simply is not going to happen anytime soon and definitely not tonight."
"But . . ," she started to protest.
"No!" I cut off her protest. "I've been through enough crap today and so has Shannon. On top of that I suspect that tomorrow is going to be a total pain in the ass for all of us. We need to relax tonight so we're all ready for a hard day tomorrow."
"But, I relax best if I'm sketching."
"So sketch us with our clothes on," I grumbled. "You're pushing again, and I've had enough."
I didn't want an argument, so I stood up and walked away. I guess Arlene already knew me well enough not to follow because I was left alone as I wandered around in the fading light of early evening. In fact I was sitting on the ground, leaned back against the old oak tree that the girls had climbed earlier, watching the red colours of the sunset when I recognised to the fact that someone was approaching. I turned to find Cindy almost at my side.
"Hi Cindy. Did your mom send you to see if I had calmed down?"
"Oh no," she smiled, almost shyly. "She told us to leave you alone because you were sorting things out. I was just coming down to sit in my tree, but I saw you here and thought I'd join you anyway. So I guess I'm being a brat and disobeying her."
"Well, maybe I shouldn't encourage that, but I don't mind that you're here."
"Good," she said as she plopped herself at my side. "I really only came down to be alone myself, but I think I like being here with you even more."
I laughed softly and lifted my arm. "Need a hug?"
"Oh yeah," she giggled, then snuggled over with the crook of my arm around her.
It was a bit strange to be holding someone else like I would hold my daughter, and yet it was also very satisfying. I liked it, but then I liked Cindy, so it wasn't a complete surprise. After a few moments, she sighed softly and wriggled a bit as if to get closer.
"I do like this," she whispered. "And I really like the way you make Mom so happy."
"I'm glad," I murmured, giving her a gentle squeeze.
"Better still, I like the idea that you can tell Mom no and that she'll listen."
"Oh?"
"Unh huh. She told us that you refused to pose for her tonight and even if she wasn't really happy about it, she seemed to think it was okay."
"I didn't refuse to pose. I just refused to pose nude with you two girls."
"Same thing," Cindy sighed. "I'm kinda glad you did. It would have embarrassed Shannon a bit and I don't think that's fair."
"So Shannon doesn't enjoy being nude?"
"Umm, no, that's not it. I think she's okay with nudity, but I think being nude in front of you is different," she giggled. "I like it, being nude in front of you that is, but then I like to tease. I don't think Shannon does, or at least not so much. Maybe if you weren't her dad, it would be different."
"Well, if Shannon weren't my daughter, I wouldn't be so shy either," I laughed aloud. "I suppose it's a societal influence."
"What kind of influence?" Cindy turned and stared up at me.
"A societal influence. That means that we are reacting to the things we have been taught by the society we live in," I explained. "Your mother and your family are openly nudists. Shannon and I lived with a woman who hated nudity. You were conditioned that it was okay to see people without clothing, while Shannon was taught to be covered up at all times. We're going to have to adapt to each other."
"Umm, thanks. I did know that, but I didn't really understand why. When I first met Shannon, she was really shy about taking off her clothes."
She was silent for a moment, then she sighed softly.
"I really like her a lot, but I like you too,"
"Well, I like you too," I gave her a gentle squeeze.
"I think I mean something else than you do," she whispered. "I like to go to bed with Shannon and . . ."
Her voice trailed off to nothing with part of her statement unvoiced, but I understood what she was leaving unsaid. What she'd implied didn't take me by surprise, yet in one way, it astonished me that she was so open about it. Just how was I going to phrase a reply to that? I took a moment to think about what to say.
"Cindy, I don't know exactly how to answer you. As long as you and Shannon aren't forcing each other into anything that the other one doesn't want, I'm not going to say much. Now if I find out that either one of you is pushing and making the other one do things she doesn't want to do, that's a different story. On top of that, people outside of our immediate family might cause major trouble if they found out about it, so you have to be very careful not to let anyone even guess about it."
I was looking at her and saw her head nod that she understood.
"Now, since Shannon is uncomfortable with nudity, I am surprised that she would be involved in any way. However, since she's been through so much lately, I'm wondering if she isn't looking to you for love that she feels she can't get anywhere else?"
"I don't think so," Cindy whispered. "We've been playing around for quite a while. You're going to talk to her aren't you?"
"I think I have to, don't you?"
"And Mom?"
I nodded.
"And you're going to have to tell them about how I feel about you too?"
"Well, your mom, at least," I sighed. "You have to understand, I can't keep secrets from her, but if it makes you feel any better, she and I had already guessed about you and Shannon. I was already looking for any signs that one of you might be pushing the other into things."
"And the other thing? About you?"
"You aren't going to like this, but I think that's only teenage hormones, along with a mixture of hero worship for the man your mother likes and perhaps a bit of jealousy too," I smiled. "It's extremely complimentary to me, but it isn't something that I will encourage, because that isn't a road I want to go down. Where that could go is quite frightening and could hurt a lot of people."
"I didn't mean to scare you, but what I feel about you scares me too," she giggled.
"Well, I'm going to hope that you can just think of me as your new Dad," I grinned down at her. "Your affection is going to have to be limited to hugs and daughter style kisses."
"I guess I can do that if I have to," she sighed deeply. "Do you think Mom will be mad at me?"
"No, I think she'll understand completely," I chuckled. "I'll just have to be careful about how I tell her."
"Thanks," she said vehemently and suddenly shifted to throw her arms around my neck and hug me tightly.
Then, with a quick kiss on the lips that took me by surprise, she dashed off toward the house. Since it was growing dark, I decided that it was best if I followed.
However right at that moment I was having second thoughts about the wisdom of staying at the cabin for the night.