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Fuckers like that didn't deserve to live. While I wouldn't do anything drastic, it didn't mean I didn't want to slam my fist into the guy's face and cut off his hands and dick so he could never assault another person ever again.
People who prey on others were beyond my limit of compassion. I wrote down all I knew and sent it off to Sebastian for his expert-level sleuthing. If there was footage to be found, he’d dig it up.
* * *
“Daddy, whenarewegettingadog?” Alice asked the second she shoved some corn into her mouth.
“Finish chewing please.”
After an obligatory eye roll, she exaggerated her chewing until she swallowed. But that wasn't enough, no, she proceeded to open her mouth to show me that she had in fact finished chewing.
I crossed my arms.
“I'm done chewing now,” she said, opening her mouth again to prove it.
I gently closed her mouth. “I can see that.”
She beamed. “I was asking, when are we getting a dog?”
I swiped at the smile on my face. Frankly, the fact that she'd waited this long was a miracle.
“How about we go upstate next weekend to see if we can find a dog at the shelter Sebastian volunteers at?”
“Yes, please.”
“I'll call him and ask if he can give us the tour. He probably knows all about the dogs available.” Then I pointed to her half-eaten plate of food. “Make sure to finish eating. You had a busy day and need some good nutrients for your body.”
Alice dove into her dinner and I did the same. We picked up BBQ on the way home from school. It sounded good considering the warm weather and with the days getting longer, I figured we'd finally eat in the backyard. Especially since I managed to assemble the patio set that had been in boxes since we moved, too busy prioritizing the other rooms to pay much attention to the outside.
I cracked open a beer as Alice sipped on her lemonade while relaying the details of who likes who in her class. She loved regaling me with all the nitty-gritty details and despite my attempts to follow all the threads, I only managed to understand and retain about a quarter of the info volleyed at me.
Then a sliding door sounded from over the hedge, the side of the hedge that Luna was on.
Flip-flops cracked on the pavement, then the sound of something falling.Hard.
“Shit. Fuck,” said Luna, said quietly
“Luna.” I was out of my seat and trying to figure out the best way to scale the fence.
“I'm fine,” she murmured. It was muffled, probably by the concrete.
The wood planks between our properties were well made, sturdy enough to hold a trellis of Virginia Creeper. Still, I wasn't convinced it would hold my weight.
Luna groaned again.
“That does it.” I scaled the trellis and dropped down on the other side of the fence.
“You okay, Daddy?” Alice asked hesitantly.
My knees felt the shock of the fall and I suddenly felt my age. “Fine, honey.”
Then those same knees helped me swallow the distance between me and Luna. “Don't move.”
She waved me off, face still planted on the ground. “I think I'll just take a nice little nap here.”
I swept her hair out of her face, my fingers gently trailing her body checking for injuries. Seeing nothing obvious, I slid my hands underneath her. “This might hurt.”
Luna groaned as I lifted her from the ground, my thighs doing the heavy lifting.