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THE COM CALLS all came in at the same time. Agustin Garneys, who happened to be looking at his eldest daughter, saw her close her eyes in relief when she saw who was calling. Carmen placed a hand on Ava’s shoulder and squeezed gently, nodding toward Francisca who was watching Ava anxiously.
“Is that Daddy?” she asked.
Ava smiled at her. “Yes it is. He must have remembered you didn’t have a com unit anymore. Come and talk to him.”
“Hello Carlos,” Ava said. “Did you get him?”
He could see them both, since Ava had an arm around Francisca, who was leaning against her chair.
“Yes, I got him, and none of us are hurt,” he added anticipating her next question.
“When are you coming home?” Francisca asked,
“We’re on the way now.” Carlos told her. “I’m going to stop at the house and clean up before I get there. I stink.”
Francisca giggled, and Ava laughed.
“It would be appreciated if our noses didn’t announce your arrival before you get here,” she said, handing her com to Francisca so she could take a few private moments with her father.
“Excellent,” Tamara pronounced. “Tomorrow we can get back to Normal. Just in time for Judith’s bridal shower. You can introduce your new daughter to everyone then, Ava.”
Tommasa felt a jolt of surprise. The de’Riccis had been more inclined to shut her away when they had guests than introduce her as a member of the family.
“Introduce me?” she whispered to Ava. “I thought—”
“Did you think we were going to hide you in a closet and pretend you don’t exist?” her new mother demanded.
“Well, not really, but I didn’t expect—”
“Nonsense child,” Carmen intervened. “You are a very welcome new member of the Garneys, and we are proud of you.”
“Absolutely!” everyone agreed.
Tommasa turned red. “Thank you,” she stammered.
“Let’s go through your new wardrobe and see what you have suitable to wear to the bridal shower,” Carmen said, putting an arm around her new niece and leading her off.
When Ava would have followed them, her father stopped her. “A moment please Ava,” he said.
Ava sank back down in her chair. “Yes?” she asked warily.
“I saw your face just now when we learned Carlos Santana had come through his hunt for Jerome Redglove unscathed. Are you in love with him?”
“I’m not sure but I think I might be,” his daughter admitted. “We haven’t really had much time to spend together. So much. has been going on—But I have no idea if he feels anything for me but friendship, Dad.”
“Time you found out; don’t you think?”
Ava smiled wryly. “Probably, but any husband I choose has to be willing to accept Tommasa as well.”
“Of course,” Agustin agreed.” That goes without saying.”
“Is that why you’ve turned away everyone we introduced you to?” her mother demanded. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Because I don’t know how he feels,” Ava said. “He has a daughter. I’m sure he won’t get married unless she agrees to it. Tommasa needs to agree as well.”
“You won’t be able to go back to your map charting now that you have a daughter who will be attending school,” Tamara said. “Have you thought about what you will do instead?”
“I’ve got a good-sized nest egg put away. I thought I might finish that book I started writing in high school.”
“It will save money if you and Tommasa stay here with us,” Agustin suggested.
“That’s true, but I’ve also discussed things with Aunt Carmen. She says she’s getting lonely living by herself. She suggested I take her offer to employ me as a paid companion. I would have time to work on my book and she has plenty of room for me and Tommasa.”
“I don’t like the idea of you isolating yourself to write,” her mother protested. “You’re young, you need to get out and explore the social scene—”
Ava snorted. “In case it escaped your notice, Aunt Carmen has a very active social life. And I’ll have a teenager to chaperone at social events. I won’t be bored!”
“And you are much too independent to live with us,” Agustin added with a twinkle in his eye.
“Well, yes,” Ava admitted.
“Have you told Tommasa about your plans yet?” Tamara asked.
“Yes, we talked about it while we were away. She likes Aunt Carmen.”
“I like Aunt Carmen too in small doses,” Tamara said dryly. “It isn’t the same as living with her.”
“We’ll manage,” Ava said.
She found Carlos and his daughter having a serious discussion in the library. “Am I interrupting something?” she asked.
“Not really,” Carlos said. “We were just discussing new rules. Is there something I can do for you?”
“Yes, you can allow Francisca to attend Judith’s wedding shower tomorrow. 1 PM, here.”
Carlos hesitated. “It’s kind of a grown-up affair. Are you sure she will be welcome?”
“Tommasa’s coming. I’m sure she would be glad to have someone her age there, and I think a couple of Judith’s friends have younger sisters. They’ll probably be there as well.”
“I have no problem with it. Of course she can come.”
“Aunt Carmen is helping Tommasa pick out something appropriate to wear,” she told Francisca. “Why don’t you join them?”
Francisca jumped up and darted out of the room.
“Do you have a few minutes to talk?” Carlos asked her.
“Of course.” She sat down on one of her mother’s overstuffed chairs. “Anything in particular you wanted to say?”
“Well, I do want to thank you for taking care of Francisca. She seems like a completely different girl than the one who ran away.”
Ava shrugged. “We didn’t do much. Just provided her with some new clothes and a trip to see the Dancing Whisps. She’s growing up, Carlos. She is about to be pitchforked into her teenage years. It’s a difficult time especially for girls. Children learn by imitating the people they are around. She needs some good female role models.”
“I know,” he said. “I’m hoping you and Tommasa will stay in touch with us. From what she said just now, I can’t think of better role models than you and Carmen.”
Ava chuckled. “Wait until she starts taking lessons on shooting the pistol and using the poniard Aunt Carmen gave her.”
Carlos stared. “A knife? And a pistol?”
“That’s right,” Ava watched him assimilate this. “Tommasa’s going to be taking lessons right along with her.”
“I see—that’s—do you really think it’s necessary?”
“Changing your mind about what type of role models we’ll make?”
“No,” he said after a moment. “I’m not, Will you have dinner with me tomorrow night?”
“Yes, I’d be delighted to. Formal or casual?”
“There’s a French restaurant I thought we’d try.”
“Sounds good. What time?”
“Sevenish too early?”
“That’s fine. In fact, when you bring Francisca over for the shower, stick in a pair of pajamas and the girls can have a sleepover.”
“All right. I guess I’d better collect my daughter from the dress choosing gang.”
The girls were delighted with the plans for the sleepover, and immediately began discussing what vid to program to watch.
“A dinner date with Carlos?” Aunt Carmen looked Ava over. “It looks as if you need my assistance in picking out what to wear as well. Casual or Formal?”
“It’s that new French Restaurant on the water,” Ava said.
“Semi-formal then,” Carmen said, examining the clothes in Ava’s closet. “None of these will do. Where’s that dressmaker bot when you need her? Gelica!” She bustled off to find the bot.
“A date with Carlos, huh?” Tommasa had come to find them.
“That’s right,” Ava said. “Where’s Francisca?”
“Her dad took her shopping for a shower gift. I guess I need to do that too.”
Ava made a grimace. “You and me both. I was going to order one delivered. Would you mind doing it that way?”
“I don’t have any money,” Tommasa reminded her.
“Dad’s going to get you set up with a bank account for your allowance as soon as he gets time. In the meantime, I’ll put it on my credit chip.”
“Okay. What do you give someone for a bridal shower?”
“Lingerie or stuff for the house, towels, dishes, I guess. C’mon, we’ll dial it up and see.”
While they were waiting for the shopping app to load, Ava took time to bring up the subject of her date.
“Tommasa do you mind my dating Carlos?”
“No, why should I?”
“Because if it goes where I think it’s heading, both you and Francisca have a say in what happens. You are now my daughter, and she is his. I need you to think about what it would be like if Carlos and I get married. He will be stepping in as a father to you. As I would be as a mother to Francisca, so both of you need to be willing for it to happen. Just give it some thought,”
“Alright.”
Carlos and his daughter had nearly the same discussion until he mentioned he might marry Ava.
“I like Ava,” Francisca said, “You should have seen her flip the Wicked Witch of The West on her butt when she tried to hit me. Just like a real mom would.”
“Some woman tried to hit you? When? Who was it?”
“At the hospital. She said I was a little bitch and tried to slap me. Ava got between us and flipped her over on her butt. It was great.”
“Who was it?”
“Elinor Crawley. She tried to say she was going to marry you and you were going to send me off to boarding school to get rid of me. I said it was a lie and she tried to slap me.”
“Don’t worry about her. She’ll never get near you again.”
“Aunt Carmen said it’s important for girls to learn to protect themselves. That’s why she got me the pistol and the knife. As soon as I learn to use it, I’m going to start wearing them the way Aunt
Carmen said to.”
Carlos closed his eyes briefly, wondering if he should have second thoughts about the kind of role models Ava and Carmen Garneys would make. Well, he wanted Ava, so he realized he was going to need to accept them as they were. Francisca would undoubtedly come out of their tutelage a much stronger woman.
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