Page 94 of Operation Protector
“I saw out the window there were some kids playing in the snow down the hill, with a dog.” She paused to stroke Cutter’s dark head. “I thought I’d go to them, and ask for help.” She looked up at Colby. “I know not all parents are like her.”
“Thanks to your father,” Ali said softly, “you know that some of them are wonderful.”
Colby swallowed hard, his throat tight. He was still feeling a bit dazed. But Grace smiled widely and nodded at Ali. Then she shifted her gaze back to him.
“I yelled at her, when she put me on that airplane, that you’d come for me. She said you wouldn’t. That you didn’t love me, I was just how you got back at her. She’s a liar.”
“A big one,” Colby agreed. Grace snuggled against him, clearly never having believed a word of Liz’s propaganda.
“I’m glad you’re too smart to believe that,” Ali said.
Grace looked up at her. “I’m glad you’re here,” she said simply.
“As am I,” Colby said, looking at Ali now. “More than glad. Delirious with happiness.”
Ali didn’t answer, but looked at Grace. “And there’s something I’ve been waiting to tell you. How much I loved my birthday present.”
The child smiled. “You did?”
“I did. So much.”
“I wish it were real.”
Only then did Ali look back to Colby. She saw him swallow, hard, then he looked at his precious child and said huskily, “Maybe we can work on that when we get home. Making it real.”
“That would be good,” Grace said, and lowered her head to rest against him.
For a while they just sat there. Together, holding on to each other. Ali thought she’d never been more tired, but also never more exhilarated. It was all over but the cleanup, and Foxworth would see to that.
Ali’s phone chimed and she pulled it out. It was a text from Hayley, with a video attached.
I think he misses you!
She laughed and held it out for Grace and Colby to see. Ziggy, curled up sleeping on Ali’s couch, burrowed into the very sweater they had used to give Cutter Grace’s scent.
Grace laughed, and Ali saw Colby close his eyes as if to savor the sound of it.
“Will you miss Cutter, now?” the child asked.
“I’ll miss him,” Ali admitted. “But I won’t miss trying to keep up with him.”
“Story of my life.” Quinn’s amused response came as he arrived beside them, a smile on his face. “And speaking of life, would you like to get back home and start rebuilding yours?”
They all looked up at him. “Now?” Colby asked, sounding hopeful.
“Now,” Quinn confirmed. “Just checked the weather and it’s all north of here. Clear sailing, and if we head out now, we can be airborne before it gets dark.”
One day. One day and Foxworth had undone Grace’s short lifetime of damage.
“I’m for that,” Colby said, almost reverently. But then he looked at Ali. “Unless you want to—”
“I’ll beat you to Wilbur,” she said fervently.
“Who’s Wilbur?” Grace asked.
“You’ll find out soon,” Colby promised.
“Good,” Quinn said, then added with a smile. “Not a bad day’s work.”
