someone else’s.
The sight of a stunningly statuesque woman, probably a model, interrupted his thoughts. On Rollerblades, she wore skintight short shorts and a tank top and pushed a bright yellow baby stroller. She smiled at him as she skated gracefully by and he sneaked a peek in the stroller. The passenger, a pampered white poodle, wore a flashy rhinestone studded collar and yellow hair bows. Frank laughed aloud. Life was good. Lucca was on the job. Soon he would know all about the donor whose death saved his life. Like a schoolboy at Christmas, he eagerly anticipated what lay ahead.
A low-flying jet, inbound for Miami International Airport, blocked the sun for a moment and a shadow fell across the sunny mall. A fleeting millisecond of doubt followed the chill he felt, remembering the oft-heard warning. Be careful. You might get what you wish for.
He announced at dinner that night that in a week or so, after he had cleared up a few minor matters, they would all go to Disney World for a few days. He expected squeals of delight.
“Daddyyy,” they chorused in protest. Casey rolled her eyes. Shandi wrinkled her nose.
“You loved it. You both begged to go back last time.” His voice was plaintive.
“Daddddy, I was six and Shandi was thirteen,” Casey whined. “I can’t go now, our first coed dance is coming up.” She lisped slightly through a mouth full of metal. Her braces would not come off for months.
“I’ve got school,” Shandi declared flatly. “I have to study.”
He regarded her thoughtfully, her tricolor hair, dark blue nail polish and studded earlobes. “I’m so glad you’ve finally seen the light and made school your number one priority.”
He glanced back at Casey, busy attacking her dessert. “I just thought it would be nice for us to spend some time together as a family.”
“Why start now?” Shandi asked flippantly.
He didn’t like her attitude or the way she simply seemed to push the food around on her plate without eating.
“That’s no way to talk to your father,” Kathleen said calmly.
“What is it with that nail polish?” He could not resist the question.
She studied her manicure. “Everybody wears it. It’s vamp.”
“It makes you look like you should be thawed out.”
Casey giggled.
Shandi shot her a contemptuous look, then smiled unexpectedly at her father. “It’s really popular. All the models wear it. Dad, do you think I could borrow the new car this weekend?”
“What’s wrong with yours?”
“That piece of junk?” She made a face. “It’s embarrassing to be seen in.”
“It’s a pretty decent set of wheels for a college kid without a job. When I was in college—”
Shandi groaned. “I know, I know. You worked, you paid your own way. You didn’t have a car. But,” she added boldly, “you didn’t have a father. I do.”
He put his fork down. “Your car is only four years old. If it is a piece of junk, that means you’re not taking responsible care of it. Maintenance is important, and given what happened last time you used my car—”
“Not my fault,” she said quickly.
“That’s right,” Kathleen said quietly, “the officer said she was clearly not at fault.”
He didn’t like being double-teamed. “Well,” he said, “if you hadn’t let her drive it—”
“She didn’t!” Casey burst out, her freckled face flushed. “Mom said she couldn’t, but Shandi took it anyway.”
The painful silence that followed told him it was true.
Lourdes, on her way in to pour coffee, heard the exchange, turned around and disappeared back into the kitchen. He pushed his plate away. “Is that true?”
Shandi stared sullenly at her nails.
Casey watched, eyes expectant.
“It doesn’t matter,” Kathleen explained haltingly. “At least no one was hurt.”
He ignored her. This was the time to wrest back control. “You’re grounded for a month, except for school.”
“A month!” Shandi looked astonished. “You can’t do
The sight of a stunningly statuesque woman, probably a model, interrupted his thoughts. On Rollerblades, she wore skintight short shorts and a tank top and pushed a bright yellow baby stroller. She smiled at him as she skated gracefully by and he sneaked a peek in the stroller. The passenger, a pampered white poodle, wore a flashy rhinestone studded collar and yellow hair bows. Frank laughed aloud. Life was good. Lucca was on the job. Soon he would know all about the donor whose death saved his life. Like a schoolboy at Christmas, he eagerly anticipated what lay ahead.
A low-flying jet, inbound for Miami International Airport, blocked the sun for a moment and a shadow fell across the sunny mall. A fleeting millisecond of doubt followed the chill he felt, remembering the oft-heard warning. Be careful. You might get what you wish for.
He announced at dinner that night that in a week or so, after he had cleared up a few minor matters, they would all go to Disney World for a few days. He expected squeals of delight.
“Daddyyy,” they chorused in protest. Casey rolled her eyes. Shandi wrinkled her nose.
“You loved it. You both begged to go back last time.” His voice was plaintive.
“Daddddy, I was six and Shandi was thirteen,” Casey whined. “I can’t go now, our first coed dance is coming up.” She lisped slightly through a mouth full of metal. Her braces would not come off for months.
“I’ve got school,” Shandi declared flatly. “I have to study.”
He regarded her thoughtfully, her tricolor hair, dark blue nail polish and studded earlobes. “I’m so glad you’ve finally seen the light and made school your number one priority.”
He glanced back at Casey, busy attacking her dessert. “I just thought it would be nice for us to spend some time together as a family.”
“Why start now?” Shandi asked flippantly.
He didn’t like her attitude or the way she simply seemed to push the food around on her plate without eating.
“That’s no way to talk to your father,” Kathleen said calmly.
“What is it with that nail polish?” He could not resist the question.
She studied her manicure. “Everybody wears it. It’s vamp.”
“It makes you look like you should be thawed out.”
Casey giggled.
Shandi shot her a contemptuous look, then smiled unexpectedly at her father. “It’s really popular. All the models wear it. Dad, do you think I could borrow the new car this weekend?”
“What’s wrong with yours?”
“That piece of junk?” She made a face. “It’s embarrassing to be seen in.”
“It’s a pretty decent set of wheels for a college kid without a job. When I was in college—”
Shandi groaned. “I know, I know. You worked, you paid your own way. You didn’t have a car. But,” she added boldly, “you didn’t have a father. I do.”
He put his fork down. “Your car is only four years old. If it is a piece of junk, that means you’re not taking responsible care of it. Maintenance is important, and given what happened last time you used my car—”
“Not my fault,” she said quickly.
“That’s right,” Kathleen said quietly, “the officer said she was clearly not at fault.”
He didn’t like being double-teamed. “Well,” he said, “if you hadn’t let her drive it—”
“She didn’t!” Casey burst out, her freckled face flushed. “Mom said she couldn’t, but Shandi took it anyway.”
The painful silence that followed told him it was true.
Lourdes, on her way in to pour coffee, heard the exchange, turned around and disappeared back into the kitchen. He pushed his plate away. “Is that true?”
Shandi stared sullenly at her nails.
Casey watched, eyes expectant.
“It doesn’t matter,” Kathleen explained haltingly. “At least no one was hurt.”
He ignored her. This was the time to wrest back control. “You’re grounded for a month, except for school.”
“A month!” Shandi looked astonished. “You can’t do
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