Chapter 10

"I'm surprised to see you here," Lori Anne said skeptically when Paul showed up a few weeks later.

"We got a show here tonight. Didn't know I had to check in with my schedule," he responded.

"You don't. I was just a little surprised, that's all."

"Besides, I haven't heard from you or Britt since the blow up a couple of weeks ago."

"Britt's at camp," Lori Anne reminded him. "She can only make phone calls once a week and they're usually to me. As for me, I've been busy with my new job. But aside from that, I did want to say I'm sorry for being such an ass lately."

Paul shook his head. "You don't have to. If anyone had been being an ass, it's me. You're right; I should have spent more time with Britt when I could. It was stupid to blow her off like I did. You did what you did for Brittany. There's not many parents out there that would go to bat for their kids the way you do. And I'm sorry for giving you such a rough time because of that."

She smiled, her eyes lighting up the way he had always loved. "Apology accepted. So where did you get the amount to get out of jail and get caught up on the support issue anyway?"

"Better ask Brian. He was the one who came up with it. According to him, though, it's for him to know and me to find out. He still hasn't told me to this day where he got it. I know he doesn't have three grand laying around to pull out of his ass, even if he does earn more than I do. I don't think that I have to even elaborate on how I got a royal ass chewing from him too."

"Yeah, I can almost imagine."

"Anyway, when is Britt due home from camp?"

"She should be home in a couple of weeks. Why?"

"Well, I thought maybe before she went back to school, she could–"

"Hold it," Lori Anne stopped him. "If you're thinking of dragging that girl around with you while you travel with a bunch of guys that use language no ten year old child should be hearing and carrying on like savages, perish the thought right now, mister."

"Will you let me finish? First of all, about the only people I've been hanging with lately are Brian and a few of the divas. Second, ninety percent of those guys in the locker room I wouldn't let anywhere within fifteen feet of Brittany, much less let them act like assholes and use dirty language around her. Brian would probably kick the balls off of any dude that even as much as looked at Britt the wrong way, not to mention what I'd do on top of that. This is my kid; of course I'm going to protect her. And I was only asking to take her to a few shows, not the rest of the summer."

She thought a moment. "Well, in that case, I can't see where it would be a problem, but on the condition that Britt stays with the two of you the whole time and she's with one of the ladies you're friends with when you guys are having a match. I don't want her left unsupervised for even a second. Is that clear?"

Paul gave her a mock salute and grinned. "Comprendo bien."

"Good. I'll let Britt know when she calls from camp this week. She's going to be quite happy to say the least. You know, in spite of the last few times you blew her off, she still loves her dad."

"She does?" He was almost shocked.

"Of course. But I will say if you blow her off this time, I'm going to kick your balls off."

"I wouldn't have asked in the first place if I was going to blow her off, Lor. Jesus. Will you let it go? Britt already did."

She nodded. "You're right. If she's okay with things, I should be too. I guess I can be a bit overprotective as a mother sometimes."

"A bit overprotective? You're ready to kill anyone that even does the slightest wrong to that kid. Not that I am complaining, by the way. Most parents these days couldn't give two shits about the kids they have. They either put them in front of the computer, TV, or video games or hand them some cash and the Visa before dumping them off at the mall, if not the parents being around at all in general. At least I know that Britt's got someone there watching over her, even when I can't."

"Lord knows I try," Lori Anne sighed. "But I still have to work, so I can't be around 24/7."

"If I say so, you've done one hell of a great job in the last ten years for someone who raised her alone."

"Thank you," she smiled. "And I plan on keeping on doing just that for the next ten years too."

Lori Anne wrote quickly on a slip of paper before handing it to him. "You know what? Instead of me waiting to tell her you want to take her to a few shows with you, why don't you call the camp this week on her phone day and tell her yourself? Not only would it be much better coming from you, it would also be the highlight of Britt's week to hear from her dad."

"You'd let me do that?" Paul asked. "Sabes que; a couple of weeks ago, you were hell bent on keeping it from me where her camp was."

"That was then, this is now; besides, she's as much your daughter as she is mine. And I'm really not so bad when the horns aren't out," she grinned.

"Actually, you're kind of sexy when the horns are out. Feisty can be a good thing."

"Don't even go there, mister. That talk about sexiness is what got us Britt in the first place."

He laughed and hugged her. "I think you and I are going to get along just fine again."

She nodded and returned the hug. "Yes, I think we will very well."