with
pleasure and he spun the little girl around, embracing her after a few whirls.
‘DADDY??? Jeb was a father?’ I thought, shocked.
I starred at Jeb, my mouth wide
open.
“I missed you too scamp! Why
are you bothering Alina? You ran off from your sister and she has been looking
for you. Actually, several people are looking for you. I went to go see you and
Varina at home when I got back from my trip, but there was only one little
girl, not two, and Varina said she couldn't find you.” Jeb said.
Narri's eyes lowered and her
face fell when she realized she had been caught being naughty.
“What are the rules little
girl?” he said in a face that showed tender love and mock sternness. I could
tell from his posture that he wasn't angry, he was just being stern.
‘Wait....SISTER? Jeb had two children?’ I thought, shocked all over again.
I needed to sit. My head was
swimming.
“Don't wanda off, stay wiff a
buddy, and don't botha peepol.” said Narri, her face locked in concentration at
trying to remember the rules.
“Yes, that is very good. Now
off with you. It's time for dinner and then Sacha is going to stay with you.
Daddy has some work to do.” he said.
Narri's face fell again,
becoming filled with sadness that I actually believed. She, however, was
already a master manipulator and knew how to play her daddy like a fiddle. Her
adorable little lips started to pout and she gave the best display of puppy dog
eyes I have ever witnessed. I melted, and I know that Jeb did too. I covered my
mouth with my hands to hide the smile that I couldn't keep from my face and I
wondered how Jeb wasn't laughing. I guess that's the difference when you are a
parent.
“Don't give me that face. I
will be back in a few hours and then I will read you and your sister a story
before bed. Ok?” said Jeb, hopeful that that would satisfy the little one.
Her eyes lit up and her lips
un-pouted. “Ok daddy. I will be good, I puwamise. Can we have TWO stowies
though? One for yesterday and one for today?”
‘This girl was good.’ I
thought, impressed.
Another round of puppy dog eyes
and a little batting of the eyelashes for good measure had sealed the deal. I
had never been able to wrap any man around my finger the way this little one
has. She was a genius and I would be her willing student.
“Alright you little scamp.
Deal. Now go find your sister. And don't stop on the way young lady!” he said
with a playful pat on her head.
“Bye Awina!” she called as she
ran out of the tent.
“Goodbye Narri. Nice meeting
you!” I called after her.
I folded my arms and stood in
front of Jeb, my hip cocked, waiting for an explanation.
Jeb looked at me and smiled,
then, his look grew slowly to confusion, trying to decipher my body language.
“What?” he asked.
He seriously didn't know.
“You have children!” I yelled,
pointing in the direction that his daughter had just walked out of my tent.
“Yes, I do. Two daughters. That
was one of them.” he said simply, still confused.
“And you never thought to let
me know?” I yelled.
“Well I'm sorry! I didn't think
it was a relevant topic of conversation during the life-saving I was doing. Hey
Alina, watch out for the Shadow, and oh yah, I have two daughters!” Jeb countered.
“Their mother? Do I get to meet
her?” I demanded.
“No, you don't.” he said.
His face changed the moment I
asked about their mother, betraying pain I'm sure he didn't want me to see, but
it was so evident.
“She isn't...” I couldn't
continue. I already knew what he was going to say.
“No, she died when Narri was a
baby.” he said quietly.
“Shael?” I asked.
“No. Not really. Not directly,
anyway. She died of an infection. We are limited in our medical care here on
the island. She got a cut on her leg that became infected. We tried to treat it
here, but it wouldn't heal. I was about to smuggle her back into Terrin for
treatment, but she died before I could get her there.
pleasure and he spun the little girl around, embracing her after a few whirls.
‘DADDY??? Jeb was a father?’ I thought, shocked.
I starred at Jeb, my mouth wide
open.
“I missed you too scamp! Why
are you bothering Alina? You ran off from your sister and she has been looking
for you. Actually, several people are looking for you. I went to go see you and
Varina at home when I got back from my trip, but there was only one little
girl, not two, and Varina said she couldn't find you.” Jeb said.
Narri's eyes lowered and her
face fell when she realized she had been caught being naughty.
“What are the rules little
girl?” he said in a face that showed tender love and mock sternness. I could
tell from his posture that he wasn't angry, he was just being stern.
‘Wait....SISTER? Jeb had two children?’ I thought, shocked all over again.
I needed to sit. My head was
swimming.
“Don't wanda off, stay wiff a
buddy, and don't botha peepol.” said Narri, her face locked in concentration at
trying to remember the rules.
“Yes, that is very good. Now
off with you. It's time for dinner and then Sacha is going to stay with you.
Daddy has some work to do.” he said.
Narri's face fell again,
becoming filled with sadness that I actually believed. She, however, was
already a master manipulator and knew how to play her daddy like a fiddle. Her
adorable little lips started to pout and she gave the best display of puppy dog
eyes I have ever witnessed. I melted, and I know that Jeb did too. I covered my
mouth with my hands to hide the smile that I couldn't keep from my face and I
wondered how Jeb wasn't laughing. I guess that's the difference when you are a
parent.
“Don't give me that face. I
will be back in a few hours and then I will read you and your sister a story
before bed. Ok?” said Jeb, hopeful that that would satisfy the little one.
Her eyes lit up and her lips
un-pouted. “Ok daddy. I will be good, I puwamise. Can we have TWO stowies
though? One for yesterday and one for today?”
‘This girl was good.’ I
thought, impressed.
Another round of puppy dog eyes
and a little batting of the eyelashes for good measure had sealed the deal. I
had never been able to wrap any man around my finger the way this little one
has. She was a genius and I would be her willing student.
“Alright you little scamp.
Deal. Now go find your sister. And don't stop on the way young lady!” he said
with a playful pat on her head.
“Bye Awina!” she called as she
ran out of the tent.
“Goodbye Narri. Nice meeting
you!” I called after her.
I folded my arms and stood in
front of Jeb, my hip cocked, waiting for an explanation.
Jeb looked at me and smiled,
then, his look grew slowly to confusion, trying to decipher my body language.
“What?” he asked.
He seriously didn't know.
“You have children!” I yelled,
pointing in the direction that his daughter had just walked out of my tent.
“Yes, I do. Two daughters. That
was one of them.” he said simply, still confused.
“And you never thought to let
me know?” I yelled.
“Well I'm sorry! I didn't think
it was a relevant topic of conversation during the life-saving I was doing. Hey
Alina, watch out for the Shadow, and oh yah, I have two daughters!” Jeb countered.
“Their mother? Do I get to meet
her?” I demanded.
“No, you don't.” he said.
His face changed the moment I
asked about their mother, betraying pain I'm sure he didn't want me to see, but
it was so evident.
“She isn't...” I couldn't
continue. I already knew what he was going to say.
“No, she died when Narri was a
baby.” he said quietly.
“Shael?” I asked.
“No. Not really. Not directly,
anyway. She died of an infection. We are limited in our medical care here on
the island. She got a cut on her leg that became infected. We tried to treat it
here, but it wouldn't heal. I was about to smuggle her back into Terrin for
treatment, but she died before I could get her there.
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