Sammy and I are filling in for Ilna while she's dealing with a family situation.

We love you, Ilna. Sammy you're the best.

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Curious

Steve sat on the grass, watching Angie play on the lawn. Her laughter filled the air, blending with the soft chuffs from Cammie who was at her side and the soothing sound of waves crashing against the shore as the little girl added tiny shells they'd found to the window box of the fairy schoolhouse.

Father and daughter had come outside to scavenge the tideline while DJ and Joan were on facetime reading the same book for their schools' summer reading programs.

When she put the finishing touch on some new decor, she stepped back to admire it, her eyes sparkling when her daddy praised her efforts. "I'm all done for today," she said and plopped herself down beside him.

"Daddy, can I ask a question?" Her voice was filled with curiosity.

"Of course, baby girl, what is it?"

"Why did your mommy run away from home?"

Steve's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Doris. He'd had the conversation before. With Gracie when she was a pre-teen and also with DJ. He understood the importance of honesty and while Grace had been about eleven and DJ understood far more than most children ever could about the poor choices adults sometimes made, Angie had never known a moment where she wasn't surrounded by unconditional love. He wanted to present the information in the best way to help her understand decisions he himself never could.

He moved to one of the lounge chairs and when she hopped up next to him he wrapped her in a hug. "You can ask me anything, always. But what made you think of that?"

Angie settled back against him, her legs dangling off the chair. "When DJ and Joanie were on facetime reading their homework book about making good decisions, Joanie said your mommy left and ran away and it made you and Aunt Mary sad. Then her and DJ said she hurt everyone's feelings and that was not a good decision."

Steve paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. He'd do anything to protect Angie and DJ, but he knew he couldn't shield her from the information forever.

"My mother made some choices that caused a lot of hurt feelings," he began, "When your Aunt Mary and I were younger, she disappeared from our lives. She pretended she died, but it wasn't true."

Angie's eyes widened, her young mind struggling to comprehend the gravity of her unknown grandmother's actions. "But ... why would she lie? Why would she leave you and Aunt Mary? And what about Grandpa John?"

Steve let out a sigh, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. "Well, she was working for an … agency before she married Grandpa and Aunt Mary and I were born. We thought she was a teacher, but that wasn't true either. She said she left to keep us safe." His voice trailed off as he replayed the memories of that day in his mind.

Angie's brow furrowed with confusion as she took in her father's words. "How could she keep you safe if she wasn't here?"

"She thought bad people might hurt us because of her job."

"Grandpa John could have put them in jail!"

"I guess she didn't think so, and your Grandpa John thought he should send us to the mainland to keep us safe from whatever bad guys she was running from. I don't agree with that either but he thought it was best."

Angie's lower lip trembled slightly. "But then you had no mommy." She turned in his arms to hug him. "I'm sorry you were sad, Daddy."

He kissed her cheek. "Thank you, baby girl, but I'm not sad anymore and I don't want you to be sad about it."

"You're happy now, right?"

"I am very happy. Do you know why?"

She tilted her head. "Cause you got me and DJ and Mommy and Cammie and Pumpkin and Felix …" she smiled at him and he chuckled.

"That's exactly why."

"Joanie said she came back when you guys were grown up but then she ran away again."

"That's true. She came back for a little while, then she left again."

"That was mean." Her brow furrowed. No longer sad, her expression conveyed she was angry at the thought of anyone hurting her daddy and Aunt Mary.

Steve's heart swelled with love for his daughter and he brushed a loose strand of curly brown hair behind Angie's ear, his voice filled with affection.

"Sometimes, people make choices that aren't good for them or for the people they love." He paused, lost in a moment of reflection. "She may have made some bad decisions, but I never want you to be upset or worried for me or Aunt Mary because I promise we're happy. And I'm even more happy that you and DJ and Joanie have wonderful grandparents - Grandma and Grandpa and Grandma Ang and Aunt Deb and Abuelo Ramon and Grandma Sue. They love you all so much, just like we do."

"That's so good."

"It's very good."

"I know something," Angie said as she turned to see his face.

"What do you know?"

"I know you and Mommy would never ever ever run away from home. And Aunt Mary and Uncle Aaron wouldn't run away either."

Her absolute confidence in being loved beyond measure had Steve's heart swelling in his chest. It was what he and Catherine strove to show their kids every day. "That's absolutely right. Mommy and I would never, ever leave you and your brother."

"And I'll never run away and leave you, Daddy, promise." She held up a little finger to link with his and he cleared his throat around the lump that formed as she intertwined it with his own.

"Thank you, baby girl." He kissed her cheek. "I love you."

"To the moon!" She grinned.

"To the moon and back," he returned her smile.

In typical 6 year old fashion, she was very satisfied with her daddy's explanation and ready to move on to a different subject. "Daddy?"

"What, Angie?" his smile grew.

"Can we go for ice cream after dinner?"

Steve laughed. "We can."

"Yay! Let's tell Mommy and DJ!"

Steve stood with her in his arms, making her giggle. At that moment, Catherine came out onto the deck and waved.

"Dinner's ready, come on, you two."

"We're coming to set the table!" Angie giggled as her father carried her up the steps onto the deck slung over his shoulder with Cammie circling at a prance. "Daddy said we can get ice cream later!"

"Sounds good," Catherine said, smiling at Steve, "Go tell your brother."

With Angie flying through the door with the dog at her heels the second she was set down, calling, "DJ we're going for ice cream after dinner!" He wrapped an arm around his wife's waist and bent to kiss her softly.

"What?" She read his mind as usual.

"She asked about Doris."

"Oh." She stopped and caught his eyes. "How'd that go?"

"Actually … pretty good. She was just curious. I told her the watered down version and she understood." He smiled softly. "Then she asked for ice cream."

"That's our girl."

"Know what else she said?"

She stopped walking and faced him.

"She knew we'd never leave her and DJ and that Mary and Aaron would never leave Joanie."

"She gets what's most important."

"Then we're doing it right, Cath." His eyes were soft.

"Looks like we are." She smiled up at him.

When they walked through the door, the kids looked up from setting the table with matching grins. Cammie was at DJ's elbow and Pumpkin was cozied up on one of the kitchen chairs.

Before he moved to grab the large bowl of macaroni and meatballs off the counter and place it on the table, Steve looked at Catherine - the one who'd made his heart whole so many years before and forged the unbreakable bond that held their family together. "We definitely are."

# End thanks for reading

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