Page 21 of Gator

“Me? Oh, I didn’t know, darlin’. Old women like me just get hints now and then and seem to know change is comin’.”

“Uh, huh,” said Jak and Gator together.

Dylan just smiled at the interaction, realizing how wonderful it would be to become a part of this family. Mama Irene gave her a fast wink and then turned back to Ham.

“Well, let’s go. Time’s a wastin’, and I got a stew in the slow cooker at the cabin.”

“Yes, ma’am.” They watched as Ham was practically led out the door by his nose. Jak could only laugh, shaking his head.

“We have got to figure out how that old woman does that.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Gator walked with Dylan to pick up Joey from the daycare at the front of the property. When they entered the building, she was surprised to see that he not only had to enter a code but also a retinal scan and handprint image in order to get inside.

“All this security?” she asked.

“It’s never enough,” he shrugged. “Our family, our kids, and those that are entrusted in our care are everything. Many of these children belong to the people who work in the cafeteria or the café or who help out at the cosmetics factory, tattoo shop, or bike shop. These people are important to us.”

“I understand,” she nodded. “I’ve just never seen anything like it.”

“You know, that does bring about a question,” said Gator. “Hanz is an important man with a lot of important and influential friends. Not all of them are good people. His security on the house was for shit. Two guards watching a Stallone movie. The nanny drunk and sound asleep in the nursery. That seems odd.”

“I guess I never thought about that,” she said, looking into the nursery. Asia was changing Joey’s diaper and getting him dressed and bundled for the frigid air. “When I was little and home from boarding school, there were always lots of people in the house. I didn’t pay much attention to them, but probably because they ignored me for the most part. Hanz was always nice to me, but he never did anything inappropriate back then.”

“You were very lucky,” said Gator. “We know that he trafficked girls as young as twelve, although from what we’re hearing now, he’s more into crypto and other forms of monetary trading.”

The door to the nursery opened, and Asia handed Joey to Dylan.

“He’s a sweet boy,” she smiled. “He’s very well-adjusted and extremely bright. We have music time for the infants when they get to listen to classical music. He loves it. He ate very well, also.”

“Thank you, Asia,” smiled Gator.

“You know, I seem to remember when you were a baby, changing your diapers,” she grinned.

“Okay, okay, we don’t need to tell those stories,” he laughed. Gabi came out of the preschool class and smiled at the group.

“That was before he got big,” she blurted out. Dylan’s eyes went wide, and Gator shook his head.

“Ignore her,” he blushed.

“Why? Didn’t you get big?” smirked Dylan. She walked toward the exit, leaving Gator speechless behind her. Gabi laughed, shaking her head.

“Well, don’t just stand there. Follow her!”

Gator caught up to Dylan and reached for Joey.

“I know he’s heavy. I can carry him,” he said. She nodded as he took the boy, cradling him against his chest.

“I’m sure I can trust you with him since you rescued him from the mansion.” They walked quietly for a long time, then Gator turned to her.

“Hey, about what Gabi said, sometimes she just blurts stuff out without thinking.”

“Ian, I’m okay with what she said. It didn’t embarrass me. Besides, I would expect a man your size would have a larger, uh, be big,” she blushed. Gator gave her a half smile, nodding.

“Dylan, how many men were you with before all this happened?”

“Not many. Three. I was in an all-girls’ boarding school until I was eighteen, but we had an all-boys’ boarding school down the road that we did dances and football games with. My senior year, I was dating one of the school’s baseball players. I guess we both just thought it was time, and well, honestly, I didn’t want to go off to college as a virgin.

---