“Thing is…I don’t know if it worked. And that’s killing me just as much as Delanie’s distrust of me.” Trace shook his head. “I need to get her some help…and learn how to deal with this. If I’d known, I’d have sued for custody from the start.”
Except four years ago, Trace might not have been able to make his case. He’d never gotten in serious trouble with the law, but he had hung around with guys who had. He’d been an alcoholic, so bad he had to go through rehab. How much drugs had been part of it, Ty never knew. People may not think drugs made it into ranch country, but no community was immune. Trace had darn near bankrupted the farm during that phase of his life, hence the mortgage. Ty’s interference then hadn’t been welcomed, but it had been necessary. And Trace resented it to this day and probably forever. The fact he was actually asking for Ty’s help now was a testament to how much he was committed to making a good life for Delanie. And Ty had to admire him for swallowing some of that Martin pride for the girl’s sake.
“It will take me a few weeks to liquidate some things, but I can set up an account for you to draw on. I can also arrange for a good family-court lawyer for you. I know one of the state judges for that court. And he should be able to direct me to a professional who deals with this sort of thing.”
Trace nodded.
It wasn’t much in the way of thanks, but then Ty didn’t really expect any.
When Ty stepped into the living room, there was Mandy, sitting cross-legged on the floor, providing the voice for the doll she held in her hand. Little Delanie, standing, was telling the baby doll that it was bed time and she mustn’t sleep in anyone else’s bed.
A shudder went through him. What the hell had his niece had to endure these last four years as a child of a drug addict? He didn’t want to imagine.
“Hey, ladies,” Ty said, bending down on his haunches so he was eye level with them both. “What a pretty baby you have, Miss Delanie.”
“Thank you. But you mustn’t touch her. She’s afraid of you.”
Ty felt his heart squeeze. He shot a look at Mandy. Questions filled her eyes. Questions to which he didn’t have the answers. “Is she now? Well, she’s not afraid of her uncle, is she?”
She looked so cute and innocent as she stood with her head to the side, thinking. “What’s an uncle?”
“An uncle is someone who is related to you, a brother to your daddy. And someone who protects you from harm, just like a daddy does.”
“Daddies protect you?”
“Yes, darling, they do. Does your baby have a daddy?”
She shook her head. “But maybe someday we’ll find one for her and visit him.”
“Then he’ll protect her. And she won’t have to be afraid of anyone or anything.”
He sensed rather than saw Trace enter the room as Delanie shifted her line of sight.
“You have a daddy, Delanie, don’t you?” he continued.
She nodded a solemn nod.
“Your daddy is my brother. That makes me your uncle. All three of us are family.” Then he remembered Mandy. “And Mandy is my wife, so she’s your aunt, and that makes her family too. And aunts and uncles and daddies, they all look out for the children in the family. You’re the only child in our family.” She looked so vulnerable as she glanced from Ty’s face to Mandy’s face up to Trace’s face as if she was silently questioning the truth of that statement.
“And my mommy. She looks out for me too, right?”
God, he hoped so.
“Yes, when she’s here. But when she’s not, your daddy looks out for you. That’s how it works.” That’s how it had worked, however imperfectly, in his life too. “When your daddy was a lot bigger than you, he lost his mother. And his father had to take care of him.”
“Really, Daddy?” she looked up, hope overflowing in her eyes, but it didn’t quite hide the wariness that also resided there.
“Yes, Delanie.”
“But baby doesn’t have a daddy. Just me, her mommy. So I’ll be looking out for her.”
“Why don’t you go wash up, Delanie? And we’ll have something to eat with your uncle Ty and aunt Mandy.” Trace stepped forward, careful not to crowd his daughter. It must be hell, walking on eggshells. “You two will stay for a little bite? One of the neighbors sent over a lasagna. She’s been helping me out when she can.”
“That okay with you, Mandy?” Ty asked. He hadn’t planned on staying long. He was tired and was sure she was, but Trace sounded uncharacteristically needy for some company. He imagined his brother must feel at sea with all this. But at least he was stepping up and doing what was right, what he had to do for his little girl.
Mandy nodded.
“Can baby eat with us, Daddy?” Delanie asked.
“Sure, honey.”
“And Buddy?” She nodded at the stuffed dog in her arm.
“As always.” Trace sounded almost jovial.
“Okay. I’ll take baby, and we’ll all wash up.” Delanie held out one arm to receive the doll from Mandy and then toddled off toward the bathroom, Buddy in the crook of one arm, the baby doll in the other.
“Shall I go and help her?” Mandy said, rising.