Long Haul

I suppose I smiled.

"You're quite cute, for an old guy," she offered by way of comment, "And you look like you've kept yourself in shape. Smart suit."

She nodded approvingly. The thought occurred to me that she was measuring me up, like her Mom used to do, for one of her friends, the babysitter, perhaps.

Annie let go of my hand and looked around behind me.

"Where's your family, Carl?" she asked.

"My family? Oh, my Mom isn't expecting me for another couple of days."

"There's just ... your Mom, then?"

"Yeah, I don't see my Dad any more." Damn, I was spilling the beans and she hadn't even done the good cop, bad cop bit yet.

"And you're staying with your Mom?"

"Yes, but not tonight, it's late and she's not expecting me, so I'll take a cab, find a hotel."

"Oh, boy," she laughed, "You are in such trouble. You don't even know how much trouble you are in, do you Carl?"

"Really?"

"Deep trouble, really deep. I guess you are gonna need me to handle your defence."

I suppose she watches courtroom dramas as well as cop shows, I didn't just like this little girl, I loved her already.

"I suppose if you're going to represent me,you're going to need a retainer?"

She nodded.

"Can you split a ten?"

"Nah, the ten'll cover it, Carl."

I guess I'd lost track of the cost of living over here in ten years. I dug a note out of my wallet for her, which she neatly folded and stuffed in her jeans pocket and we turned as one to face her parents.

Dougie had a little girl in each arm, a big grin on his face, and was looking at us, chuckling. The two little brunette angels were smiling too. Standing in front of them was Alice, looking absolutely amazing, like barely a day had passed since I last saw her, but I couldn't even begin to read the expression her face. Annie might have expressed the opinion in her words that I was in trouble, in my terms it looked like I was royally screwed.

A woman partly hidden behind Alice then moved to one side. She was also looking at me and smiling. She looked familiar, overweight, by thirty pounds or more, but she reminded me a little of an older Sissy Hollins. She was pulling Dougie's case with one hand and slowly waving at me up and down with the other. She was smiling as broadly as Dougie. I turned to my newly-appointed attorney and moved my head close to hers for a private consultation.

"Sissy is ...?" I lifted my eyebrows.

Annie put a hand over her mouth to foil lip readers. Oh, she was good, really good.

"Sissy Laughery is the mother of my half-sisters," she explained carefully, like one would to a child or rather slow adult, she had summed me up pretty well, "And has been married to my Dad for about eight years. I can't remember Dad ever living with us, actually, he left when I was a baby. Apparently he always had something for Sissy. She's really very nice, very momsy, when you get to know her."

"Yeah, she was really nice when I knew her, too, although she wasn't very momsy at all back then. So, does your Mom still ... love your Dad?"

"Are you for real, Carl?"

"Why, you think I'm a dipstick?"

"What's that?"

"Er ... a dipshit?"

"Yeah, kinda. She loves you, dummy. But that doesn't mean you're outta trouble yet, it'll be a long time before I can call you 'Dad', Carl."

"I'm in your hands, Annie, what tariff d'yer reckon you can get me, Hon?

"Don't call me 'Hon', Carl, it's unethical as well as unprofessional."

"Sorry, H-Annie."

"That's OK, I should be able to get you at least 15 to 20," Annie whispered, tucking her arm in mine,

"But stick with me, Dad, we're gonna try for life!"

THE END.