Chapter 4

I awoke to almost total silence and wondered if something had happened while I was asleep. I had gotten so used to that crow and the noise, I was getting a little worried till I heard the traffic in the background. I looked at the clock and realized I had slept in, it was almost ten in the morning. I hadn't done that in years I thought, as I sipped my coffee. I had one more thing to do today and one thing in the morning then I was free to leave for my new home. I was starting to get excited when I started thinking about the new adventures and trouble I could get into in a whole new state. I had already sent a fax to start the transfer of my license. I also found out that my concealed weapons permit would transfer with a rather stiff fee and transfer charge. I would have to register the weapon I was planning on carrying but with the federal carry I could carry anything up to a small tank. I got dressed and called the hospice to make sure they would be here on time and as I looked out the door Mark's car was coming into the driveway. I wondered why he was coming so late.

I waited on him in the kitchen and already had a cup of coffee poured for him before he sat down.

"Harry, I have made up my mind after our conversation last night. Will you build me the cabin you mentioned? As soon as I finish the next four months I am taking my retirement and moving out there with the girls. I don't care if the ex likes it or not, because I have full custody. As you already know, she has missed the last three visits I set up for her. The girls don't hardly mention her any more, but I know they miss her. I hope she gets her act together before she catches something that kills her."

"If you're sure I will have it started as soon as I get settled in. I will have it ready so you guys can move right in and the girls will love it. How come you worked so late?"

"One of the patrol deputies was shot last night on a traffic stop. He is in fair shape but when I got the call it sure made me start thinking. My girls are too young to have to explain something like that to them. I don't want that to happen and that's what made up my mind. I been thinking about it all night Harry. I know the girls will love it especially if their favorite uncle lives next door. Hell, maybe I will buy them a couple of ponies to ride over to your house so they can visit."

"Mark, I will be happy to have you as my neighbor and the girls are always welcome to visit. I am transferring my license so if I get some cases I will hire you to back me up and help me with customers. That will give you some extra money but on a Captains retirement you will have a good income. I know about the bored factor so I will use you when I can. Hey, you better find a good four wheel drive cause you'll need it out there. I have a Jeep that eats off road trails. It came with the cabin along with a snowmobile and a small Arctic Cat. Wait till you see my place you will want me to let you guys live there too. It has four huge bedrooms and two full baths."

"Slow down Harry. You light up like a light when you talk about it. I can't wait to see it and we will stay overnight with you the first night we get there. I have got to go home and get some sleep, so I will talk to you again in the morning before you fly out. I will also give you a ride to the airport. I took tomorrow off so I could spend the last day with you. Yes, the girls had a fit and they will be with me so you will be busy till you get on the plane. I'll see you tomorrow Harry."

I watched him as he left, and knew he hated to have to retire, but the girls were his life. I absently wondered what I would do if I were faced with his situation. I decided since it was almost one thirty I would head for Floyd's and meet the wrecker and make sure the car was set up for his daughter. I grabbed the title and went out the door trying to remember his daughter's name. It was almost three by the time I got there and I was tired of fighting the traffic.

When I pulled up the wrecker was arriving too. He unloaded the Yugo and if I hadn't known better I would have sworn it was brand new. The outside and the inside looked like it was new and it even had that new car smell. I raised the hood and it was clean enough to eat off of. I pulled it in the garage and took my plate off and shut the door. I went back out and sat in my car till someone came home. Evidently everyone was running late because the first to arrive was the teenager and the only reason I knew it was her was because she was a young image of her mother and about three times more beautiful. I got out of the car and approached her and she recognized me immediately.

What I didn't expect was the greeting of a kiss and a hug that left me breathless. Man I was glad I wasn't her father. I wished I were young again because girls in my time weren't built like she was. She was smiling and cutting up about me not seeing her for so many years and did I like how she had grown up. I wasn't going to answer that question and quickly changed the subject.

"I came over to give you a sweet sixteen birthday present, but your dad and mom never met me like they were supposed to, so I guess it's just us. Happy Birthday sweets and your present is in there I said, pointing at the garage."

She looked at me with wide eyes and made a beeline for the garage. The way she opened it she must have been a weightlifter in another life. The scream when she saw the car and the jumping and laughing made me smile.

Now I knew my little tinker toy would be well loved. I hated to part with it but it wouldn't last a month in those mountains. I finally remembered her name as she came running at me and threw herself in my arms. We both ended up on the ground because she was not light by any means. She was kissing me when her mom and dad pulled up and he gave me a look that chilled my bones till he recognized me and then he just busted up laughing.

"Hey Harry, your supposed to give her the car not get beat up. What did he do honey try to pick you up? Harry is an old pervert from way back."

Now it was my turn with the look and he came right out and said he was just kidding. His wife was giving him hell and told him it's no wonder he didn't have any friends talking like that. I walked to my rental and stood over the trunk and filled out the title and handed it to Maria. I again wished her a happy birthday and got in my rental and left. I was pissed and I didn't want to ruin the joy of her having her own car. I knew if I stayed with my feelings about perverts I would probably knock him out.

I headed back to the house 'cause tomorrow was trash day and I had a lot to put out. I cleaned the refrigerator and gathered all the stuff I wasn't going to take and put it all out. I had just finished and poured a cup of coffee when a car pulled in my drive and came straight to the house. I didn't recognize it and grabbed the stubby and tucked it in my belt. When the driver got out I saw it was Floyd and he looked like he had been kicked. I let him in and poured him a coffee and sat down.

"I came to apologize to you Harry. I know how you feel about that word and I don't know why I said it. My wife is threatening to divorce me and my daughter says my big mouth ruined her birthday gift. Dammit Harry, I am sorry, and I know you wouldn't do anything towards my daughter. I guess I get over protective sometimes but she acts just like her mother and trusts everyone. I guess I am not cut out to be a father or something cause they both are someday gonna get hurt bad Harry."

"Floyd its not my place to tell you how to be a father. You are a typical Italian and family always comes first. You're going to have to learn that your daughter is a separate person, and is old enough that she doesn't want daddy running her life and making all the decisions. She is going to get hurt and the best thing you can do is to be understanding and give her a shoulder to cry on. You ever call me a pervert again and I will knock you on your ass."

"Ok Harry I had that coming and again I am sorry. She told me how you two ended up on the ground and it made me feel like a bigger fool. I owe you more than any other person in this world and I almost ruin it by my big mouth. I promise I will make you a lot of money with your investment and for the first year if there are any losses I will make them good. I have to get back to the house and eat crow the rest of the evening but I didn't want to leave it with bad feelings between us."

He came over and shook my hand and wished me good luck and left. He was right about one thing though. If I were seventeen I would be chasing his daughter like probably every other boy in her school. I hoped when she did meet the right one he would treat her good. I went to bed and nodded off thinking about seeing the girls tomorrow.

The crow opera singer woke me up at the crack of dawn. I groaned as I got up then cheered up when I realized this would be the last morning he would be bothering me. He would be homeless and I would be ensconced in my cabin. I got the coffee ready then got my shower and in that order. I got dressed and finished packing my last suitcase and sat and waited for hospice to pick up my stuff. They came about a half hour late but I still had plenty of time to catch my plane. The guys who loaded the stuff were pretty good and had it all loaded in less than an hour. I saved the DVD player and the small flat screen TV for the girls. I ran to the post office and did the change of address thing and went back to the house just as Mark and the girls came driving in the yard. The girls wanted my Harry Potter movies with the DVD player. I let them trade me a kiss apiece for the player and two each for the movies. I came out on the better end of the deal and loved it. Mark just stood back and laughed at the girls actions and cheered them on when they refused to give me more than two kisses each for the movies. We loaded the TV and other stuff in the trunk of his car. He followed me to the car rental to turn the car back in, and I didn't have to fight the agency over the miles cause they put me on the unlimited mileage special. I didn't care about the cost because that was part of the contract when I sold my house.