Jill Lynn - Her Texas Family

Graham rubbed a fist over his aching heart. He wanted to make her happy, but more than anything, he wanted to keep her safe. Sometimes parents had to make the hard decisions, and this was one of them.

“Are you joking?” Lucy’s hands landed on her hips, and she looked as though he’d just told her she couldn’t buy another pair of shoes all year. Guess it had been naive of him to think she’d walk away and let him handle his daughter’s care without injecting her opinion. “You can tell she wants to go. It’s obvious. Why won’t you let her?”

“You’re overstepping your bounds, Lucy. You don’t understand.”

“What I understand is that little girl will do anything for you—including give up a dance class she really wants to go to. You should have seen her light up when we were talking about it. She wants to go.”

“Mattie struggles with athletics. I don’t want her getting injured or feeling left out if she’s not as good as the other girls.” Rarely did he get heated, but right now? Not feeling so calm. “Plus, who are you to have an opinion about Mattie or question my parenting? You’re acting like a sixteen-year-old.”

“I’m offended for sixteen-year-olds everywhere. And you’re acting like an ancient grump.”

“At thirty-one, I am ancient compared to you. And since I’m Mattie’s old, grumpy father, I get to make the decisions.”

“I’m twenty-four. You’re not that much older than me.”

“I am in wisdom.” What? That sentence didn’t even make sense. “Age doesn’t matter. I’m her father. It’s my choice.” Graham did the math in his head. “Wait—didn’t you just graduate from college last year?” A fifth-year senior. The way Lucy acted, he could see her not finishing in four.

“Yes. Before I started college, I traveled with a dance team.”

“And then you went to college after that?”

She nodded.

He was being a jerk. Again. Why did he expect the worst from Lucy? Most people wouldn’t take time off and still go back to school. She should be commended. But while she might surprise him in certain areas, she was definitely driving him nuts right now.

They stared each other down. Graham wasn’t planning to budge. He’d made his decision.

Eventually Lucy’s stance softened. “Listen, Hollywood, I understand you’re worried about her, but the class is really safe. I’ll be there the whole time to watch out for her and help her so she doesn’t feel lost or uncomfortable.”

Hollywood. Why did she keep calling him that?

Lucy glanced at her watch. “I know you’re my boss and all, but since it’s the weekend, I don’t think that counts. Do you?”

Strange logic. “Ah, I guess not?”

“Great. Then you won’t fire me when I take her to dance anyway.” Lucy headed down the hall, and it took a second for her words to register. When they did, Graham went after her. She and Mattie were standing by the reception desk, and Lucy was helping Mattie into her coat.

“You can’t just take her. That’s kidnapping.”

Lucy faced his daughter. “Mattie, do you want to go to dance with me?”

Mattie looked at him with mournful eyes, then at Lucy before her gaze dipped to the floor. Finally, she gave the most imperceptible nod.

He felt like the worst dad ever. Especially since she rarely went against what he said. Must have been hard for her to admit. But even with seeing her blatant desire to attend ballet, letting her go was so hard. She’d had a lot of hurt in her life. Was he so wrong not to want her to go through more?

They were leaving. Mattie and Lucy were walking out the front doors while he stood there thinking. Graham followed them into the parking lot.

“It’s illegal for her to ride without a booster seat.”

Lucy marched over to his car. She wouldn’t get anywhere with it. He always locked the doors. She pulled on the back door handle, and it popped right open.

Impossible. He always locked his car. That verse about everything being possible with God seemed to also apply to Lucy. Whatever she touched turned to gold. Did God just shine down on her life with rainbows and unicorns?

She grabbed Mattie’s car seat and walked back over to her Volkswagen. After putting it in her backseat, she helped Mattie buckle in.

When she climbed into the driver’s seat, Graham approached.

“I’m calling the cops. You can’t just take my daughter.”

Lucy shrugged. “Call the cops, then. The girl needs some fun in her life. You know I’m right or you would have already stopped me.” At that, she slammed the door and drove off.

* * *

Turned out, Matilda Grace Redmond had some natural dance ability. And even if she didn’t, the whole morning fiasco with Graham would have been worth it just to see the look of joy on the girl’s face.

She’d missed a few steps—okay, a lot—but it was her first class. She’d improve. And, really, it wasn’t about getting the steps perfect. It was about a little girl’s delight when she learned the five positions and got distracted watching herself in the mirrors. The way she tried to stand on her toes the first time she wore ballet slippers, even though she shouldn’t, just because she wanted to be like the older girls in pointe shoes. It was about falling in love with dance the way Lucy had so many years before.

When they’d arrived at the studio with barely any minutes to spare, Lucy had scrounged through the share bin—a place where dancers left items that no longer fit them—and found a skirt and shoes for Mattie. Total score. The dance school had a small area where they sold a few necessary items, and Lucy had snagged a leotard and tights there. A small price to pay for the way Mattie kept twirling in the outfit even though class had already finished.

Yes, the morning had been worth it. But now that Lucy was removed from the encounter with Graham, she really wished she would have handled things better. Niggling doubt about the way she’d acted snatched her joy at seeing Mattie so happy. Why couldn’t she just be calm and reasonable? She’d always been passionate. Sometimes her emotions ran a bit...dramatic. She rarely thought too long before making a decision, usually jumping right in. But this time, she might have been a little too Lucy.

At least her intentions had been good.

She’d just wanted to help Mattie, not ruin her own newly improved relationship with Graham. Or hurt Mattie’s chance to do dance in the future. She hadn’t even thought about that. What if Graham never let Mattie come back and it was all Lucy’s fault? That would be awful. Mattie really did seem to love it.

She sent up another of her trademark help-fix-what-I’ve-already-done prayers, hoping God could help her and Mattie out. They could certainly use some divine intervention.

Lucy corralled Mattie and Belle—the other little girl from class who hadn’t been picked up by her parents yet—into the waiting area so that the next class could start. Just as they walked into the space lined with chairs and couches, the door to the studio opened and a female police officer walked in.

Panic climbed Lucy’s throat. Graham wouldn’t really... He hadn’t...

The cop scanned the room, and Lucy broke out in a sweat worthy of a marathon runner. Had Graham seriously called the cops? She needed a place to hide. But would that be considered resisting arrest?

Mattie and Belle were chatting and comparing ballet shoes, completely oblivious to Lucy’s turmoil.

She dived behind the closest chair, body barely fitting in the space. She was probably overreacting—as usual. Maybe the officer had already moved on. Lucy leaned ever so slightly from behind the chair and peeked out.

Drat! The woman’s black boots were headed right for her! She ducked back behind the seat, hoping the officer hadn’t seen her.

“Excuse me, but are you Lucy? Lucy Grayson?”

Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no.

Lucy winced, slowly standing from her position. She was going to use her one phone call to call Graham and yell at him. As if she had actually kidnapped Mattie. He could have stopped her if he wanted to. She wouldn’t have left if the man had put up a fight. He’d been wavering the whole time. Lucy had simply taken advantage of his indecision.

And now she was going to suffer the consequences. Lucy squared her shoulders. Time to take it like a woman. “Yes. That’s me. I can ex—”

“I’m Peggy.” The officer extended her hand. “Belle’s mom. It’s nice to meet you.”

Lucy’s mouth flopped open. Belle’s mom. Graham hadn’t really called the police. Yet... Lucy had just been hiding behind a chair.

“You are the new instructor for beginning ballet, right?”

“Yes.” Lucy shook the woman’s hand. “I am. I was just—” She glanced at the chair that had recently been her safe haven. “We were just...playing hide-and-seek.”

It was the truth. Only Lucy had been hiding from a police officer, not Belle and Mattie. She could have told Peggy more of the truth, but I hide from law enforcement hadn’t seemed like the better option.

Thankfully Peggy was gracious and didn’t ask Lucy about her strange behavior. She did ask about Belle’s time in class, and by the time they left, Lucy hoped she’d redeemed herself and her escapades would be forgotten.

Hoped, but didn’t necessarily believe.

After Belle left with her mom, Lucy stuffed Mattie’s ballet shoes into her own dance bag and helped her put on her pink tennis shoes.

They walked outside, and again, Mattie’s hand slipped into Lucy’s. The child still sported that dreamy look. One Lucy understood well. Dance had always been that place for her. Olivia had played volleyball, creating a bond with Dad, and Lucy had danced her way through life.

Even if Graham didn’t forgive her, the morning had been worth it.

They got into the car, and Lucy pulled out her phone and texted Graham.

Are you still mad? She had THE BEST time. She’s got natural talent. No injuries.

His reply came back in record time.

Maybe a little.

The man must have been glued to the phone. Remnants of guilt slithered across her skin. She definitely could have handled this morning better.

Lucy would have to work on that whole think-before-you-do thing.

I’m sorry I stole your daughter.

I’m still considering pressing charges. :)

He’d included a smiley face? He was putty in her hands.

If it makes you feel any better, when one of the dance parents arrived in a police uniform to pick up her daughter, I thought you HAD called the cops on me.

Ha! That does make me feel better. Did she really have fun? She fit in okay? She didn’t get hurt?

Overprotective man. His barrage of questions made Lucy grin.

“When are we going?”

“One sec, Mattie.” Lucy had forgotten about the little girl in the backseat.

She looked so happy. Like she was living a fairy tale.

That might be overdoing it a little, but Lucy needed to plead her case a bit. She continued texting.

It’s dance. There’s not that many ways to get injured.

Not completely truthful. But at Mattie’s age, the steps and classes were simple. The older girls had more chances of injury.

Any chance I can keep her for another hour? I think the first dance class deserves an ice cream celebration.

Crickets. No answer. Lucy glanced in the rearview mirror. Mattie was staring out the window. Patient, serious little thing.

Fine.

Graham’s begrudging response made Lucy laugh. He didn’t exactly sound excited, but she’d take it and run.

“What’s so funny?” Mattie piped up from the backseat.