"Come on McKenzie, it's time to go to the park." Logan searched for his jacket and finally found it, and still McKenzie had not come out of her room. "McKenzie?" Hoping she was not on the roof again, he went to her room. She sat on her bed, the picture of Max on her lap, looking intently at it.
"Is something wrong, baby?"
"Is this really my mommy?"
"Yes. Why?"
"I don't look like her. Jessie looks like her mommy. Corey looks like his mommy."
"Yes, but Michelle and Michael look more like their daddy."
"But..."
"It's okay. Do you know that your eyes look like your mommy's? And your hair is like my mommy's and like mine, but other than my hair, I don't look like either my mommy or my daddy."
"My eyes are like my mommy's?"
"Yes, they remind me of her every time I see you."
"Wow. Can we take the picture with us to the park? I wanna show everybody my mommy."
"Well, I suppose we could, but we have to be very careful that we don't lose it, because it's the only one we have. Now, did you find your jacket? This place is a mess; we'll have to clean when we get home."
"Are we driving?"
Logan looked at his watch, it was quarter to ten, and they were supposed to be at the park by ten, but it took half an hour if they didn't drive.
"It looks like we have to, we'll be late if we don't, but I'll tell you what, I'll call Bling and get him to meet us at the park, he can take the car home, so we can enjoy the day."
"Ok! I'll find my coat, call Bling!" She started scrambling around the room, throwing clothes and toys everywhere, Logan chuckled and left the room with Max's picture so they wouldn't forget it. After talking to Bling, they took the elevator down to the street and drove to the park. All of McKenzie's friends were there, playing in the sandbox, and all their mothers were sitting on the benches, tongues wagging. Logan shook his head and waited for Bling, while doing some research.
The batteries were starting to die on his computer when Logan saw McKenzie running towards him. She was dragging her coat behind her and threw it at him as she ran by. Logan quickly turned to see who she was running to; it was just Bling coming to pick up the car. He picked her up and walked to Logan, McKenzie talking non-stop all the way.
"What is this she is talking about? Her mommy?"
"Oh, this. Logan showed Bling the picture."
"See Bling, this is my mommy, isn't she pretty?"
"Yes she is sweetie. Why don't you go play with the others why I talk to your daddy for a bit, ok?"
"'Kay, bye!" She ran back to the sandbox, but left the picture with Logan, who sat staring at it.
"Logan, what did you tell her about Max?"
"Not much. I just showed her the picture, she asked a few questions about looking like her this morning, but other than that, she hasn't had much interest except for the fact that she's pretty. And she hasn't called her mommy, just 'my mommy'."
Bling lay down on the grass beside Logan "Beautiful day. Sun's actually shining."
"Isn't the grass wet?" Logan asked, looking down at his friend.
"Nope. And even if it was, I don't care. Don't you have some work to do?" he asked, glancing at the laptop.
"Nah, battery just died. Nothing much to do but listen to the gossip."
"You should talk to them," Bling said, sitting up and looking in the direction of the other children's mothers. "Whenever I bring McKenzie, they have a lot to say, especially about you."
"Me? What would they have to say about me?"
"They think you're strong to raise a child on your own. They say it was difficult before the Pulse for single parents, and now it's even harder. Not many single dads out there."
"I suppose they don't know I'm loaded. They probably think I work twenty hours a day just to keep McKenzie in clothes."
"Maybe. Remember Mrs. Vernsa?"
"Daniel's mom?"
"Yup. She even told me she thought you were cute. They all think you're to quiet, and most of them think McKenzie is one of the prettiest little girls they've seen."
"Thanks to Max and Manticore for that. Even though she has her own look, it is still one close to perfection."
"True." Bling looked over at the group of children. McKenzie was one of three girls and five boys. She sat in the corner of the sandbox with one of the boys, a younger one named Michael. Logan knew he and his twin sister Michelle were 'related' to McKenzie, but he didn't know by whom. He could tell because Michelle had the telltale partial barcode on the back of her neck. Her mother tried to cover it up with makeup and by keeping her hair long, but one day Logan caught it when she swept her hair out of the way. Logan didn't know if it was her mother that was Manticore-made, but he didn't bet on it, she didn't seem cautious enough, and he saw a man peeking around one day that sort of looked like them, but Logan didn't recognize him. He didn't say anything, and the children didn't know that their parents considered themselves siblings. As far as he knew, the twins' mother didn't know McKenzie was just like her two children.
"She's going to break a lot of hearts when she's older. Starting with that one right there, I bet." Bling said, standing up. "I gotta go; I have a three o clock appointment."
"Thanks for stopping by, here are the keys; you can leave them in the mailbox, as usual."
"No problem. See you later."
"Later." Logan opened his laptop again, hoping the battery had recharged itself a bit. No such luck, so he sat and listened to the ladies talking, pretending to be absorbed in something on his monitor. Bling was right; they did have a lot of interesting things to say. And some of it was about him.
Once again, he got the feeling that he was being watched. He looked around the park, but the ladies were watching the children. The only other people in the park were a couple with a child about eight, playing over by the swings. He closed his computer and glanced at his watch. Eleven thirty. If they left now, they could stop for lunch on the way home. Usually he packed a lunch, but they were so disorganized when they left that he forgot.
"McKenzie, come on, we have to go."
"Where's Bling?" she asked, running over.
"He had to go."
"Can I show everyone my picture of my mommy?"
"I suppose, but you better do it quickly, and then we'll get lunch on the way home." He gave her the picture of Max and McKenzie ran off to show the other children. Logan put his laptop in his book bag that he carried with him. Also in it was a complete change of clothing for McKenzie, a few toys and a sweet or two for if she was good and deserved a treat. 'You can tell I'm somebody's daddy.' He thought, zipping up the book bag. McKenzie was now over showing her picture off to the other children's mothers. Logan went over to McKenzie, and she was talking non-stop. The mothers were smiling at her; Logan could tell they were thinking something along the lines of 'how sweet'.
"McKenzie, baby, it's time to go. It's time for lunch."
"Ok. This is my daddy." She introduced.
'So she's noticed I don't talk to the other parents.' Logan thought.
"Logan Cale, it's nice to meet you." He said, shaking hands with some of them. "I'm sorry we can't talk, but I have some work to do this afternoon. Come on McKenzie. You can talk about mommy another time."
McKenzie finally followed Logan from the park, carrying the picture with her.
"Where are we going for lunch, daddy?"
"How about we go to the restaurant down by the beach?"
"Ok!" She ran ahead along the near bare sidewalks, excited about eating in her favorite restaurant. Logan didn't spoil her by going all the time or giving into her every whim, but he tried to keep her happy, and it wasn't hard.
"McKenzie, slow down." He called ahead when she got a bit too far away. She stopped suddenly, Logan thought because he yelled, but then she turned and ran back to him.
"Daddy! I just saw my mommy!"

To Be Continued...