Rhobee

"No, you cannot bring two kids I don't even know into this house," I ranted.

"But honey, they have no where to go. The aunt they were supposed to stay with wouldn't even let them in the house," my wife explained.

"Who are they anyway?"

"They are the children of my friend in Kodiak. One girl and one boy."

"They can stay for a couple of days until you can find them somewhere else to live. I've already raised my kids and I don't want to do it again!" I was firm.

So that's how Robie and her brother came to stay with us. The first day, I sat them down and said, "You guys are guests here. I'm going to tell you how it's gonna be. When I tell you something or give you a rule to follow I expect it will be done. You get one strike and then you are on the street."

I was having all kinds of trouble registering them in the local school. I finally got the girl registered but the boy had been expelled from the Kodiak school and the idiot California system wouldn't take him. I had to enroll him in a school for delinquents.

In order to smooth the road, I decided to file guardianship papers on them. It is a long involved process that requires patience and a liberal application of cash.

"Does that mean you're gonna be my daddy?" Robie asked.

"Yup, as soon as we clear the court, I'm yours and you're mine and we're both eaches." I replied.

The papers were not yet filed when Halloween reared its ugly head. The boy wanted to go to a Halloween party. He was seventeen and I thought it would be okay. He had already screwed up a couple of times so I told him, "Be back here by midnight or you're history."

He showed up two days later.

"I don't want to know what happened or why you're two days late. I told you before, do as I say or you're history. Pack your junk up and get out. NOW!!"

"But where will I go?"

"Well, you spend most of your time with your dope smoking cousin. Move in over there or go back to Alaska or go to the streets. I really don't care. You were trouble when you got here and you're not going to change anytime soon. I'm too old and too tired to chase your dumb ass all over the state. Bye bye."

He vowed that he would do better but I was adamant. His screw up saved me close to a grand on guardianship fees. He brought more trouble than I wanted to deal with so he was gone. He spent most of his time at his cousin's house anyway smoking dope and learning to be a bum..

We progressed nicely with the little girl's papers and soon made an appearance in court. Bingo! She was ours. She was also worming her way into my heart.

"Are you my daddy now?" she asked.

"For better or worse," I replied.

Robie was only fourteen, but she was already drop dead gorgeous. A vast herd of boys followed her around. She was gregarious and made friends easily. I was slowly but surely starting to love her like a daughter. She fell out of grace with my wife when she was caught necking with her current flame on our living room sofa.

I had several long chats with her about premarital sex and though she seemed to understand, she still lost it the next year.

"Uncle, how would you feel if I became sexually active?" she asked.

"I can tell from the question that you already have become active. I am deeply disappointed in you. You are too young to engage in these matters. I'll go kill the boy!"

"No uncle, please don't! I took it to him; he didn't bring it to me."

I have been known for having a violent temper when things aren't going my way. She knew I'd do it. I didn't. As it turned out later, I should have.

But sex aside, Robie had me wrapped around her little finger. Anything she wanted that I could afford, I got her

"Teach me to drive," she begged.

"You are too young. It isn't legal," I said.

"Please, please!" she begged and she gave me the 'wounded puppy' look.

I taught her to drive of course. I was distressed to find that I could deny her nothing. I took her and her friends anywhere she wanted to go. I was happy to do it because by now I really did love her like a daughter.

She decided that she didn't like 'Robie' so she changed it to Rhobee. Actually, 'Robie' was supposed to be 'Ruby' but they screwed it up in the hospital at Kodiak. I laughed. Her dark eyes flashed and she got mad. Oh well.

We took her everywhere. There are lots of things to see and do in Southern California and she got to do most of them. My house was alive for the first time in a long time. She and her friends would have pool parties in our pool. I let it be known that unruly or inappropriate behavior would not be tolerated. After I ejected two or three troublemakers, the word got around and they didn't show up any more.

Robie was on the high school basketball team and she was pretty good. She was fast and agile. She moved with the grace of a big cat. I took her to all her practices and home games. She went to all the home football games. It was always something. She kept me busy but I enjoyed the association with her and her friends.

Like most little girls, she had her share of problems and whenever they really got to her, she would come and lay down with her head on my shoulder and cry. I was usually able to come up with some solution that eased her pain. At the very least I offered her comfort. I really miss those days.

As time marched on the rift between her and my wife got bigger and bigger until finally, there was no repairing it.

She came to me one day and said, "I want to go back to Kodiak."

"Stay here, baby girl," I answered, "You can't keep running from your problems. Make peace with my wife and you can stay here forever."

I tried to talk her out of it but in the end, she was right. I could have stopped or delayed the transfer because of my guardianship status but as usual, I gave her what she wanted. I wish now I would have fought harder for her. We were blessed with her for a little over a year. I thanked god for that time together.

She returned to her mother in Alaska and I cancelled the guardianship. I was distraught. I am still despondent. I didn't hear from her for a long time. When I did hear from her, she told me that her mother and she were having big problems. I was sympathetic but there was nothing I could do. She called me one day and asked if I could meet her at the airport. I readily agreed, thinking she was returning home. "Call me when you firm up your travel plans," I told her.

Time marched on and she was nowhere to be found. Then I got word that she had moved in with her boyfriend. I was really pissed off. She had been back for two weeks and hadn't even bothered to come see me. I was really distressed about her moving in with that slug. It tore my heart right out of my chest to see her wasting her time on the playboy of the school. She was still much too young. She lucked out and didn't get pregnant, thank God. I almost called the cops and had him arrested for statutory rape. Thinking back, I should have.

She finally showed up at our house, completely apologetic. I'm afraid I was rough and unsympathetic to her apology and told her exactly what I thought of her actions. She left in tears. I thought I had seen the last of her.

A couple of weeks later she called and said she was moving back to Kodiak.

"Can we have lunch like we used to?" she asked.

"Okay, I'll meet you at the restaurant," I answered.

We had lunch at her favorite Mexican joint. We chatted about everything.

Before she got in her car I kissed her goodbye and hugged her.

"I'll always be here for you baby girl. You are a heartbreaker, but I'll always be your daddy."

She drove away and I watched as she passed out of my life again. I hadn't cried since I was six years old, but I came pretty damn close that time.

My wife took her to the airport. I just couldn't watch her leave again. I've never been sadder in my life. It was horrible.

Now she is back in Kodiak. I stay in touch with her as often as I can over the internet and by phone. I still think of that little girl like a daughter. I love her with all my heart and I think she loves me. She asked me to be her 'daddy' and walk up the aisle with her at her wedding. I agreed. I had always told her that I would walk beside her up the aisle and give her to some undeserving S.O.B. It'll break my heart, but, like all daddies, I'll do it.