Page 24 of Rascal

“Okay, I’ll hold back, but trust me, I’ve never had a daughter, and if you’re Rascal’s bonus daughter, that makes you mine, too. At some point, I’m going to need to go overboard for you on clothes.”

Jesse cracked a smile. “Thank you. I knew I could count on you all.”

Mrs. Hall leaned closer. “Always, Jesse, always.”

Meg didn’t envy Jesse for not having the father support her, but she did envy her for having a baby. It’s one thing she’d missed out on, but she loved the family she had now with Rascal. She could wallow in what she didn’t have or rejoice in what she did. She was choosing joy since she couldn’t change the past. She was planning on being the best grandma to each of them as possible.

Chapter Fifteen

Meg looked over at Rascal as they left Regina’s Roadside Refuge with Phoebe, David, and Joey. They’d picked up the kids for supper out and then playing at the park on the swings. Phoebe and Grant were bound and determined to take their dessert of ice cream cones to the park. Meg had held in a laugh when Rascal paused twenty feet from the door to go back in and get new cones. A shoving match between the kids had their ice cream cones hitting the ground.

“Now, I will not buy you any more if you fight and drop your ice cream again. You’re supposed to be kind to your brothers and sisters,” Rascal’s stern voice had David and Phoebe nodding their heads.

Joey was lying in the stroller she’d grabbed from their house and had fallen asleep. Rascal slid a hand along her waist as they walked down the street.

“So, how do you feel about what the detective said today when he called?”

When she’d been notified that the college accountant had awakened and basically turned on the college president, she was dismayed. At first, she had wanted the day in court, but after thinking about it, she was thrilled she’d never have to go back to that town.

The detective had informed her that not only had an account been set up in her name but also one in the head of the English grad department’s name. Part of the money had been embezzled from the college, but the majority of the funds were from the sale of drugs. The president had enlisted one of the science professors to manufacture the drugs in the college science lab.

“I think relieved the longer I thought about it. Nothing is looming on the horizon, hanging over my head. We can make plans and do whatever we want.”

She pushed the stroller while Rascal took Phoebe and David’s hands to walk across the street to the park.

“Papa, can we do the swings?”

“Yep, run there. I’m going to help Nana Meg get the stroller over the grass.”

Her heart sang every time Rascal or one of the kids called her Nana Meg. She had so much now. Rascal took the stroller and popped up the front, so he only had to deal with the back wheels in the deep grass.

He stopped the stroller to the side of the swings and made sure the sun shade was pulled up before holding her hand as they walked over to push the kids on the swing.

“I’m glad you don’t have to go back. I’m relieved but astonished no one else knew what was going on in the science building.”

Meg nodded. “Me too. I find it hard to believe whatever they were making didn’t smell. Now, tell me why we’re at the park. I love to play with the kids but it’s not like we had to come to the park to do it. There are three different swing sets on the compound.”

Rascal chuckled and grinned at her. “Never try to get something past an intelligent woman. That eyesore lot over there.” He nodded to the overgrown lot across from the park. “It’s for sale. I looked at it space-wise and there is room for four tennis courts and four pickleball courts. I know some of the women have wanted to play pickleball, and I feel bad that the school doesn’t have courts to use for tennis. Since we’re together, I wasn’t going to make that big of a purchase without your input.”

Meg pushed David again and stared at the man with the biggest heart and softest center.

“Do we have the money?”

“Of course, we just did all that stuff at the bank, and you know how much we have.”

“Is it something you want to do?”

“Well, yeah.”

“I love that you want my opinion, especially on a big purchase but we have plenty of money. More than we’ll need probably in this lifetime. I love that you want to do something that everyone can benefit from.”

“Papa Rascal, I want to learn tennis.”

Meg giggled. “Guess you’ll need to think about someone willing to teach classes too.”

“Yes, Phoebe girl. I will always try my best to make sure you and your siblings learn everything you want to.”

Phoebe dragged her feet to stop the swing and then jumped up to wrap her arms around Rascal’s waist. “Love you, Papa.”

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