Burn (Michael Bennett 7)

I let her walk. She’d called my bluff. There was nothing to hold her on. Not yet, at least. If anything, I was even more concerned about Holly now. Roger was recruiting people to help him stalk her.

“This Roger really is a ladies’ man, huh?” Arturo said as we watched her leave. “Maybe that’s what I’m doing wrong. I need to drop my nice-guy routine and act more like I just escaped from the nuthatch.”

PART TWO

ONE OF OUR OWN

CHAPTER 26

THAT EVENING AFTER WORK, instead of heading straight home, I did something pretty out there. Something fairly nuts even for me. Which was saying something.

I drove up into the Bronx near Yankee Stadium and made a purchase. Two purchases, actually. I hid them under my coat as I made my grand entrance that night around seven p.m. into the Bennett family abode.

“Ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages. I have an announcement. A neenie-neenie-nouncement!” I bellowed, quoting Chrissy, as I barged my way through the front hall into the living room.

Mary Catherine came in from the kitchen, giving me a wink as she wiped her hands on a dish towel. I’d already made her privy to the surprise. I’m by no means the sharpest knife in the drawer, but even I was smart enough to know to run something like this by her first.

Seamus appeared behind her with a folded New York Times crossword puzzle clutched in his hand.

“And what’s going on here with all this ruckus?” he said.

“I’m sorry, Seamus. You’ll just have to wait until the masses are amassed and everyone is present and accounted for. This is a four-alarm family surprise. Maybe a five-alarmer.”

“Let me guess,” Seamus said excitedly. “You’ve finally checked yourself into Bellevue?”

“Not yet, old-timer,” I said, hefting my surprise. “But you may have a point after you see what I have behind curtain numero uno.”

The kids rushed in. Even the big ones. Earbuds were removed. I definitely had their attention.

“Now, are you ready?” I said.

“Yes!” they yelled.

Well, the little ones, at least, with a beaming Chrissy and Shawna leading the chorus.

“I can’t hear you!” I said. “Are you ready!?”

“Dad, enough, please, would you?” Brian said. “I have a Latin test tomorrow.”

“Well, then, without further ado, I present to you…”

I pulled the coat away like a magician, revealing the hamster cage I was balancing on my forearm.

And the puppy I was holding in my palm.

“AWWWWWWWW!” said everyone.

And I mean everyone. Even most of the boys.

No wonder. In the palm of my hand was the cutest little border collie puppy in the history of the world. He was mostly white, with some almost tigerlike black stripes on his back and a black patch over his left eye.

“A puppy!” the little girls yelled as they hyperventilated and hopped up and down.

“And a hamster!” Chrissy shrieked. “Put them down! Put them down! I need to touch them now!!!!”

“Why, yes. A puppy and a hamster,” I said, continuing to hold them aloft. “The two newest members of Clan Bennett are here. On one condition.”

“Anything, Daddy!” the girls squealed.