Ah yes. It is indeed that time. The sequel has arrived! You guys already know what this is about. As of right now, there is one chapter online
Chapter One: My Kid Defeats Airport Security
The handcuffs were not my fault. Ok, let me rephrase that. The handcuffs were indirectly my fault because I unknowingly adopted an adorable thieving monkey for a daughter. What happened was after we got off the plane from North Carolina, after we said goodbye to Annabeth, airport security pulled me to into a holding room due to what they called ‘questionable contents’ of my secured (padlocked) luggage. The contents included a bunch of water samples from where I had worked in Louisiana, Georgia, and North Carolina, as well as odd looking souvenir rocks.
They (a shorter man named Sanders and a high cheek boned African American woman called Ruiz) left Felicity and I alone in the room while they searched our luggage. She sat on my lap, alert and attentive to the surroundings, playing with a paper clip she had found on the floor. I stood up and walked to the one way mirror, setting Felicity on the metal chair. I studied it, pretending to be looking for someone behind the glass while really thinking about Annabeth.
Annabeth Chase was the girl I had fallen for in high school. It’s been eleven years since, and apparently neither of us has gotten over our feelings (luckily for me). She went off and did great things in the architecture business, I watched her facebook page from afar (sue me. I like her), checking it every now and then. I got busy about four years ago, when I found a tiny blonde bundle covered in sand on the beaches of Louisiana. I’ll get back to that later.
I suddenly felt cold metal pressing onto my wrists as the zip-snap of handcuffs locked shut. “Felicity,” I said without turning around, “Would you kindly remove the cuffs? And give them back to Agent Ruiz?”
Felicity giggled. “But Daddy it took me so long to get them!”
“If you keep this up, then you’ll be the one in handcuffs.”
“Then I’ll just get out of them!” She replied enthusiastically.
“Oh yeah? Bet you can’t do it.”
Instantly I felt the clicking of something undoing the locking mechanism. The cuffs popped free and Felicity held up the paperclip as she cried triumphantly, “Told you so!”
I barely let out a ‘yep’ before I started tickling her. Felicity is very ticklish and she loves it. “Not fair! Not fair! Cheater!” She gasped in between laughing spurts.
Someone coughed. I swung Felicity up and onto my shoulder before I turned around. “Yes?”
It was Agent Ruiz. “You’re free to go- are those my handcuffs?”
Felicity was playing with them, and then looked up to give the Agent big blue puppy eyes. “Can I keep them?”
Agent Ruiz was flabbergasted. “How did you-did she- is that why she hung on my leg?” Felicity laughed and threw the cuffs underhanded to the Agent. “I think she likes to go for women because she hopes they won’t notice or mind a cute six year old around them.”
“You mean she’s done this before?”
“Several times. Though never at an airport before. Last time it was a police officer’s badge and cuffs, before that a tech geek’s watch… You get the gist.”
The agent looked me up and down. “You seem less of the father type and more of a surfboard rat.”
I shrugged, and then noticed Ruiz’s eyes lingered on my abdominal region. Which shouldn’t have been visible. Was I wearing a tight shirt or something? “Um. Well. It just kinda happened one day. So, are we good to go?”
“Mmm, yeah… You’re good… to go!” Her eyes snapped to mine.
“Great.” I said, dropping Felicity gently to the floor. Her small palm found mine quickly, and I grabbed the rolling suitcase that held our clothing from our last trip. “All your other luggage is waiting for you at the front desk.” She stammered.
We left the room and were almost at the front desk, when there was a cry of “Percy!”
It was my mom and Paul. I had only enough time to set my suitcase upright before I was engulfed in a hug. She looked the same as the last time I’d seen her, but with a few more strands of gray in her hair. “Hey Mom.”
She bent my head down with her hands and gave me a kiss on the forehead before giving me another quick hug. Paul scratched the back of his neck as he shook my hand. “She was getting anxious.”
I laughed, and then gestured to the miniature blonde hiding behind my leg. “Mom, Paul, I’d like you to meet Felicity. Felicity, meet Grandma and Grandpa.” I pulled her tenderly from behind me. Mom dropped down to one knee and hugged her. “Hello Felicity. Percy says you love chocolate. At our house I like to make chocolate chip cookies every Friday.”
“Never helps my diet.” Paul muttered.
Felicity looked at Mom in adoration. “Really?”
Mom smiled. “Really really. You can help make them if you want to.”
“Yes!” and she threw her hands into the air.
Paul grabbed the water samples’ case, and then led us out to the parking lot. The day was hot for early May, but the humidity was next to nothing and a breeze blew our hair around. Mom held Felicity’s hand while crossing the parking lot. As we neared the car, I started to recognize the taillights. And the bumper. And-
It was. It had obviously not weathered my time away from home well; the wheel wells were rusted through the paint, hail dents in the hood and front fenders. The clear coat was peeling on the driver’s half-door; on the passenger’s rear fender it had been smashed in.
“I kept it running. Figured you’d want it back someday.” Paul intoned quietly as we loaded the luggage into the rear.
“Paul, why did you want to use this thing to pick them up? There’s no cargo space.” Mom asked.
“It has sentimental value to Percy. I figured a dose of his history would be great for a reentry to Cincy.”
I shrugged. “Worked.” I lifted Felicity into the back seat, and then climbed over the tailgate to wedge myself into the seat next to her and the cargo. Paul started the car and drove home.
We ate dinner as a family, three generations. One biological mother, two adoptive fathers and one adorable blonde kid. After we finished and were doing the dishes, I was still laughing about Paul’s attempt to work my grampa’s old Catalina. “You did what to the what?”
I hope you keep reading. Honestly, I think it’s as much of a ride for y’all as it is for me. Thank you!
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