Chapter 45

Christopher found out the next day that it is illegal to buy a child, but he has no plans on telling Hannah's grandma that until just before they are ready to make their move.

He strings her along when he picks up Hannah on the Wednesday of August first. "Here's your phone call money and your drinks." As Christopher is walking out of the house holding Hannah's hand he says to himself, "May you choke on them both."

"Hey!" she yells from the screen door.

Hannah jumps.

"Yes." Christopher says, pushing Hannah towards the car where Sarah is waiting.

"What about the deal?"

"It's going to take a couple of weeks to hear back."

"Come on, rich boy, just give me the money."

"You having the money and me having Hannah won't do us any good if we are in jail."

"Don't tell anybody."

"I can't just make a hundred thousand dollars disappear from my funds without it raising questions. I'm working on it. Trust me." Christopher says it with a grin that annoys her and makes him smile, because he knew it would be a jab in her side.

"If you want to continue to see Hannah I better see some money pretty damn quick."

Christopher pulls out his wallet and walks up to her and hands her a bill. "Here you go."

"Ten dollars! What the hell am I supposed to do with ten dollars?"

"By a six pack and have a good night."

"Get the f•©k off my property, asshole."

As Christopher is walking down the walkway he grimaces because he really shouldn't have done that. No matter what happens, Hannah is going to be the one who pays for it.

When he gets in the car he has two very lovely young ladies looking up at him from the passenger seat where they are both fastened in. He stares back at them and then gets a silly smile on his face. "So, my little speed racers, what should we do first?"

"I didn't get my hello kiss."

Christopher takes in a quick shocked breath. "Oh my god, how could I forget such a thing!" He leans over Sarah as Hannah is sitting by the door this time and attacks her with a million little kisses. Hannah giggles prettily. When he is pulling back he sees Sarah smiling. "What are you smiling at?" And then he attacks her with a million little kisses.

"Waffle World!" exclaims Hannah, hopefully.

"Waffle World?" Sarah nods her head vigorously with a big smile. "I think we can manage that." The Chevelle roars to life. Christopher pushes in the pedal to free the clutch and slides it in first of the Muncie Rock Crusher transmission. When he lets it out the rise in RMP's is music to their ears. Of course it doesn't hurt that the white knight on his brilliant steed is taking the princess away from the wicked old witch.

"Christopher?"

"Yes, Sarah."

"Why are you calling him Christopher and not daddy?" Hannah wants to know.

"Because I want him to be straight with me so if I call him Christopher he'll know it means something to me."

Christopher looks at Sarah and again he knows he is in trouble, because this is one very smart nine-year-old sweetheart. "Ask away."

"Do you think I would look silly if I wore my pink swimsuit to practice?"

"You mean, do I think you would be less formidable, or do you actually care what other people will think? For example, Hannah in her yellow hotrod outfit says here I am, beat me if you can, but you are concerned that your pink one will say I'm cute and cuddly and it's okay if you beat me."

"Yes."

"Okay, I get that, but imagine this pretty little girl comes out in her adorable pink swimsuit. Now everybody may or may not have an opinion about it, but most people will just think it is a representation of your beautiful heart, the parents anyway. Anyhow, imagine the look on their faces when this sweet little pink girl blows them out of the water. That is of course the people that don't know you from the other swim leagues, which we will be starting this Saturday. Why don't you wear it today at practice like you are thinking, and then see how you feel for Saturday's competition."

After they get back from Waffle World Sarah hugs him and goes upstairs to change. Once again the girls come in first and second with the little red-haired girl right there, and even sweet little Mary is getting better. This swim league couldn't have four better girls to represent them in the quarterfinals. Sarah and Hannah have really started cheering Mary on, and they are becoming friends with her. "Daddy?"

"What, babies."

"Can Mary come over tomorrow and train with us?"

"You know she's your competition."

"So, we like her." says Hannah. Even though Hannah and Mary became friends first, soon Sarah joined in.

It amazes Christopher how much he can love these little girls so much. "It would be up to her parents."

The three girls take off like a shot. "Daddy, this is Mary's mom Helen."

"Well hello, Helen, I'm Christopher."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." she says, shaking his hand. "You have two very good swimmers and two very sweet girls."

"Thank you, and Mary is a good swimmer and an absolute sweetheart herself." as Christopher is saying that he bends over and looks at Mary. She giggles prettily.

"Where do you train the girls at?"

"In our backyard. I even built them dive platforms and everything. Please, why don't you and Mary and your husband, if he is going to be home, come over about ten'ish and we'll make a day of it."

"My husband is in Afghanistan. He is a Green Beret."

"Wonderful! I fought alongside quite a few Green Berets in Iraq. How are you folks doing while he is in country?" She tears up and Christopher hugs her. He leads her over to the bleachers and they sit down. Mary sits to the right of her mom, Sarah sits to the left of Christopher, and Hannah sits in Christopher's lap. As Christopher looks over to his right at Helen he asks, "What's wrong?"

She spills it like she has been holding it in for far too long. "The bills are piling up. It's all I can do to put together a decent meal for Mary."

"Have you contacted the Army Emergency Relief Fund? They help families out with exactly those kind of things when the parent or parents are in harm's way."

"No. And I won't go on welfare either because I don't want to bring shame to my husband's family when he is serving so bravely and unselfishly."

Christopher immediately likes this woman. "Girls!" he says, as he looks over to Sarah and around to Hannah as she is looking up and back at him. "I think we have our day planned out."

The smiles Sarah and Hannah have on their precious faces make the pretty brunette Helen smile, even though she doesn't know why. Mary is a spitting image of her mom. "What?" Helen asks, still smiling.

Christopher looks down at Hannah and nods. "Why don't you and Mary come over for dinner tonight."

"Oh, I don't want to be a bother."

"Helen, I'm sorry, but do you see the look on these divine faces?" he asks, looking at Sarah and Hannah.

Helen smiles and says, "Yeah."

"Well, their hearts are even more beautiful than those, and they like Mary and there is really no point in arguing with them because their smiles will only melt your heart and you'll give in anyway."

"Please." adds Sarah.

"I really don't want to..."

"I've heard enough of that bullshit. You are coming over for dinner, and not only that, but why don't you bring your own swimsuit and nightclothes and you can spend the night. The girls can sleep in one of their bedrooms and have a sleepover. You can sleep in the other girl's bedroom."

"You can sleep in my bed." offers Sarah.

"You can have some adult conversation with somebody who has lived through combat, and I want you to bring all your bills over with you."

"I don't..." Christopher crosses his arms the best he can with Hannah in his lap, and gives her one of those looks that says I'm as stubborn as you are. Mary is looking back and forth between her mom, Christopher and the girls. "What do you think?" she asks Mary. Mary nods her head vigorously. "Okay. Thank you. Give me your address and we'll walk over later tonight."

"Why walk?"

"My husband's Chevy truck broke down a couple of weeks ago and I haven't been able to afford to get it fixed." Sarah and Christopher share a look that says divine providence is in play again. "What?"

"My daddy is a great mechanic and Hannah and I even help him sometimes." Hannah nods proudly.