“I’ll get you a towel. Don’t forget I can make some calls and see what we can do about the skunks.”
“I think she was actually mocking me,” Slade grumbled while heading back to the hose with a lawn chair in his hands.
Mindy giggled.
“I know, Mindy. No one will believe he is standing guard waiting for a skunk to return home.”
Tory went into the house and grabbed a large towel. When she walked through the kitchen to the back door, she noted the stacked dishes by the sink. She shook her head and stepped outside to the sight of Slade bolting out of the lawn chair, switching on the hose, and running toward the returning skunk. His feet hit one of the mud puddles and flew up into the air. Slade landed on his back, staring at the sky, with the hose in his hand, squirting water upward like a fountain. It fell in sheets onto his prone body, thoroughly soaking him.
Mindy doubled over laughing while Slade pushed himself to his elbows, water dripping off him. The skunk disappeared under the house. The hose continued to drench the ground around Slade.
Tory hurried to the faucet and twisted it off. “Stay there. I’ll get some more towels.”
“Oh—Dad-dy—you’re—too—much.” Mindy started toward the stairs to the backyard.
“I agree, Mindy, but I think you’d better stay here. It looks pretty slippery out there.” Tory waited until Mindy stopped by the railing before she headed back inside for some more towels.
She knew there was a competitive edge to Slade, but with a skunk? He was too much, Tory thought, her own laughter bubbling to the surface as she recalled his soaked, muddy body. When she returned to the deck, Mindy held the hose and was spraying her father clean. He pirouetted slowly, allowing her to reach his back, as well. When he was rinsed off, he took a towel from Tory and turned the faucet off. The sounds of two animals fighting came from under the house.
He arched one brow, a frown marring his features.
“It’s catching.”
“Like—a cold?” Mindy asked with a giggle.
Slade shivered, hugging his arms to him. “If I don’t get inside and changed, I’ll get a cold,” he grumbled.
“It’s ninety degrees out here. I don’t think so.”
Slade sloshed up the steps. “It could happen. I’ve heard of summer colds.”
“Hold it. Where do you think you’re going? You’re still dripping wet. And those shoes!”
He held up his hands. “I’ll take them off. Promise.” He bent down and removed his tennis shoes and socks, then draped them over the chair to dry. Taking another towel, he ran it down his body one more time. “Okay?” He spread his arms wide and turned in a full circle.
“Fine.”
When Slade disappeared into the house, Mindy looked over the railing at the crawl space where the skunks lived. “They—don’t—sound—hap-py.”
“If your father has anything to do about it, they won’t be until they move on.”
“The—ba-by was—cute.”
“Melinda Donaldson, you better not try to hold one again.”
Mindy stuck her lower lip out. “I—won’t.”
“Good.” Tory clasped the child’s shoulder and started for the back door. “Now, we have a dinner to clean up. Do you think you can help me while your daddy is changing?”
“Yes!”
Together they entered the kitchen and began rinsing the dishes to put in the dishwasher. Tory thought back to the past few hours and even though nothing had gone according to plans, she had enjoyed herself. Combating the skunk problem had made them seem even more like a family. She relished that feeling.
* * *
Slade sat down next to Tory in the audience and leaned close. “Are you sure about this?”
“Yes, Mindy will be fine. I got her in her horse costume and she knows her line.”
“Still—”
“Slade, stop worrying. You saw the children with Mindy. They have accepted her and she feels part of the group.”
Sighing, he settled back and crossed his arms as though steeling himself for the next twenty minutes.
The lights in the recreational hall dimmed and the audience of parents and friends quieted. The curtain on the stage opened, revealing a boy playing Noah standing in front of what was supposed to be the newly built ark, even though it was a cardboard cutout. Soon the children appeared who represented the various animals of the world. When Mindy came on stage, dressed in brown burlap, a long tail of twined rope fastened to the back, Slade tensed, clasping Tory’s hand and holding it hostage.
Mindy trudged toward Noah and stopped. “We—want—to—join—you.”
Tory heard the swoosh of air leave Slade when Mindy finished her line. He squeezed her hand, but instead of releasing his grasp, he kept it clasped. His hand surrounding hers felt right. He didn’t let it go until the end when everyone clapped as the children took their bows.
He rose and stretched. “I’m glad that is over.”
“Why?” Tory came to her feet.
“It’s not easy holding your breath until your daughter makes her appearance.” His mouth quirked in a lopsided grin.
“Holding your breath?”
“Not exactly the whole time, but it was hard to breathe properly when all I could do was worry if she would remember what to say. I definitely hope she doesn’t want to go on stage as an actress. I don’t think I could take it.”
“Knowing you, you’ll support anything Mindy wants to do.”
“Dad-dy,” Mindy called out a few feet from them. She weaved among the adults until she was standing next to Slade. “I—did—it!”
“Yes, you did, sweetheart. You’re braver than I would be. I don’t think I could get up in front of a group of people and recite lines.”
“I—didn’t—for-get one—word.” Mindy’s chest swelled, her chin lifted.
“Nope.”
“I’m—get-ting—bread.” Mindy crunched her face into a frown. “I mean—cake.” She headed off into the crowd toward the table at the back of the recreational hall that had a large sheet cake on it with fruit punch next to it.
“Mmm. Chocolate cake sounds good.” Slade eyed the pieces being sliced.
“I’m sure there’ll
