It had been the first time they’d heard from him since Marcus went to collect Alison’s stuff and that was ten days ago.
“Sure,” she said after a lengthy silence. “I’ll just check.” She put the cellphone to her chest. “He’d like to come for dinner,” she called across to Marcus. “Said he’s got something he needs to talk to us about.”
“He can come tonight,” Marcus replied. “If you want him to.”
She turned back to the cellphone. “Seven o’clock tonight? Great, see you then.” She hung up and promptly burst into tears.
Marcus ran over to her, taking her into his arms. “What’s the matter? What did he say to you?”
“I’ve never heard him like that before.”
“Like what.”
“I don’t know. He sounded broken. I hope he’s all right.”
Marcus smiled. “After everything he did to you, you still care.”
“Is that bad?”
“No, darling. Compassion is never a bad thing. Just one more thing I love about you, that’s all. Now back to work or we won’t get chance for any riding today.”
The rest of the day, Marcus wondered what Derek was coming to talk about. Was he following up his threat of legal action? Come to beg her to come home? What was it?
He shrugged it off as best he could. No matter what happened, she was staying on the ranch. The only reason she would ever leave would be if she wanted to, not because her father demanded it.
Alison was in the playroom with Holly and a couple of other guests. Marcus sat in the corner, watching and smiling. It was amazing to see how much she’d changed already.
Happy to be in little space in front of other people, showing them her drawings, a sticker stuck on the end of her nose.
She’d somehow got glitter on her cheeks and glue in her hair but that was nothing unusual when the Littles were getting creative.
Derek arrived at quarter to seven that evening. Marcus met him outside on the verandah.
“Good evening,” Derek said as he got out of the car. “Is my daughter here?”
“She is.”
“Good, good.” He seemed distracted. “I…err…”
“Come on inside. Dinner is almost ready. I’ll give Alison a shout.”
The dinner table consisted of Holly and Jack at one end, Alison and Marcus at the other. Derek sat off to one side, looking lost, picking at his food but not eating it.
“Need to sort out the drainage in the top field,” Jack said as the silence became interminable.
“I might be able to help with that,” Derek replied. “Did a bit of drainage work in my time.”
“Sure,” Jack replied with a nod. “That’d be great.”
“Why are you here, Dad?” Alison asked, the tension getting too much for her.
He looked at her, his eyes glassy. “When your mother died,” he began. “You were all I had left.” He sighed. “I miss her, do you know that? I miss her so much.”
“I know.” She managed a smile which he returned. When did he start looking so old? she thought to herself. “When did that happen?”
“I want to apologize to you all,” Derek continued. “You tried to warn me about Cathy but I wouldn’t listen.”
“Why? What did she do?”
“She took everything,” he said, his shoulders sagging downward. “I thought she was the one and she was so convincing that you were making it up to get at me.
“Then I came back from a walk and she’s stolen everything she could fit in her car. I’m just glad I had my keys on me or she’d probably have taken my car as well.”
Jack turned away from the table, getting out his cellphone and talking quietly into it.
“I’m sorry,” Derek added, staring at Alison. “You have your mother’s eyes, you know that? She used to sparkle when she was happy and I see that sparkle in your eyes, Alison.
“I can see how happy he makes you and that made me so angry. I didn’t want you to be happy, not when I couldn’t be. But that was wrong of me, I see that now. Can you forgive me?”
“Of course I can,” she replied. “Now please eat something before you starve to death.”
Marcus squeezed her hand under the table. Jack hung up and turned back to face them all. “I’ve rung Crowe,” he said. “Friend of mine. He says he’ll be on the lookout for Cathy for us.”
“Police officer, is he?” Derek asked.
“Motorcycle club president. Stayed here a while back.”
“Oh, I see. Thank you. And Marcus, I’m sorry. I can see how much you care about her. You can have my blessing if you’ll accept it.”
“Of course I will,” Marcus replied, leaning across the table to shake his hand. “But only if you’ll have a beer with me before you go.”
“I’d be honored.”
The evening ended with the five of them sitting around the firepit out back. Derek was sipping at his beer and telling war stories. Alison nestled up against Marcus’s chest, half asleep.
Holly already was asleep in Jack’s arms. Marcus nodded and laughed, remembering their time in boot camp together.
“Corporal Jones,” he said. “I remember him finding those frogs in his water cooler thanks to you.”
“You got the key to his quarters,” Derek replied. “And the frogs.”
Marcus smiled. The sun had long since set and the only light was coming from the firepit.
He stroked Alison’s head. “Time for bed, sleepyhead,” he said.
“And time for me to go,” Derek replied. He got to his feet. “Maybe we can do this again sometime.”
“Sure,” Marcus replied, lifting Alison into his arms. She stirred enough to mutter a goodbye to her father as Marcus carried her into the house next to the stable.
He lay her down in their bed, tucking her in. Let her go without washing or brushing her teeth for one night. It would give him an excuse to spank her in the morning. He liked seeing her ass red. She looked good like that.
He watched her for another moment. She was so peaceful.
She blinked and looked up at him with fuzzy eyes.
“Good night, Daddy,” she said, slipping deeper into the blankets.
“Good night,” he replied, “my little darling.”
Epilogue
Alison
One month later…
Six horses rode out from the ranch to the creek. Alison was at the back with Holly beside her.
In front of them, the couple who’d come to stay for the weekend.
“What do you think of her?” Holly asked.
“Who? Donna?”
“Yeah.”
“She seems fun. She brought some coloring books with her. Had her tongue stuck out when she was concentrating this morning. Not sure she likes it here though. Get the feeling she’s a city girl.”
“What about her Daddy?”
“Crowe? I don’t know. He’s very different, isn’t he?”
“He scares me. He seems so angry all the time.”
The woman in front of them twisted her head to look back. “He’s not like that all the time,” she said. “He’s just never ridden a horse before, that’s all.”