The Lyon's Cub Caitlin (Lyon The Next Generation 1)

Mom would sometimes stand on the top step watching us, saying nothing, just with this winsome smile on her face that was always there. Then she’d grouch at daddy for letting me get all dirty and he’d tease her by running after her to dirty her up with his greasy hands.

It’s been a while since I thought about those days. A long time since I remembered those times spent with daddy, the fun we had together and the way he always spoiled me, giving me whatever I want. I can’t remember anything that my daddy didn’t let me have, except going away to college a year early.

Every skinned knee he was there, every doctor visit, when the school called. No matter what he had going on, as long as it was for my benefit, or one of my siblings, daddy is always there. How had I lost sight of that?

Is Todd right? Am I being unfair to daddy? How is it that he understands and I couldn’t? He sees him so clearly, something I would once have attributed to myself. But the one time he didn’t let me have my way, all the good he did just ceased to matter. I’m a horrible daughter.

“I’ll be right back.” I turned and left the garage as tears started to gather in my eyes. I ran up the stairs to daddy’s office where he was still sitting behind his desk. The others were gone.

He looked up and saw me standing in the doorway like a ninny. “Caitiebear, what’s the matter, what’s wrong?” He started to get up from his chair and I ran to him, throwing my arms around his neck as he sat before breaking down in tears.

“I love you daddy.”

“I love you too sweetheart, what’s going on? Your brothers teasing you about being adopted again?” He pushed my shoulders back and looked up at my face but all I could do was shake my head as I held onto him even harder.

“I’m sorry daddy. I was so mad at you, but Todd said you’d never hurt me and I didn’t understand, but now I remember how we used to be when I was little and…”

I rambled on and on jumbling my words and not making any sense even to myself. But when he got to his feet, kissed my forehead and wiped my tears I knew that he understood.

Daniel

“I called you two here because we’ve got ourselves a problem.

“What did you do now? Elena finally grow tired of your shit and kicked you out the house?” I’d called Cy and Drake in for a meeting in my greenhouse.

I have to do it out here even though it’s hot as hell because I don’t want my wife and her meddling friends in my shit. My boy has a problem and I know it must be weighing heavy on his mind for him to come to me with it. The little shit hasn’t done that since he was about five.

As a grandfather you want your kid to grow up and have kids who’d put them through the same shit they put you through, but poor Colt has bitten off more than he can chew. Little Catalina alone is more than enough to send the poor boy wonky.

“No you tool, this is about our granddaughter.”

“I told you the Feds were gonna catch on to you two.”

“Drake put a cork in it. This isn’t about Catalina, it’s Caitie.”

“What about Caitie?”

“Her little friend is back.”

“Who Todd?” Drake sat forward in his seat.

“Yep!”

“Colt must be pulling every hair out of his head.” Cy said as he rolled up a joint which made Drake twitchy.

“That’s not the problem. As you both know, the kid’s bright. She takes after her grandpa. She could’ve gone off to college last year but Colt put the kibosh on that one. Now it’s that time again and he’s still struggling. We need to put our heads together and come up with something.”

“What are you talking about, come up with what? The boy’s been part of her life for years.”

“It’s not that, there’s a reason why Colton won’t give his consent, something that has nothing to do with Todd.” I held up my hand when they both started to ask.

“I don’t know what it is exactly but I get the feeling it has something to do with what my son and those new friends of his have been up to. Which means that there’s some kinda danger involved. I mean to find out what it is in my own time, but my wife’s been on my ass for the past few days about the prom.”

“The prom? Daniel are you high? You’re not making any sense.”

“Keep up Drake. Caitie’s prom. If she graduates early she gets to go to the prom, but since Colt is dragging his feet on the graduation thing, she might not be able to go to her prom. But my wife seems to think that I can talk our son into letting her go. Don’t know where she’d get a fool idea like that. It’s like she doesn’t know our son.”