One of the moms sat next to him. While Tim was distracted talking with the woman, Taz took a toy car away from a boy older than her, who was now crying.
Tim noticed and stood. “Anastazia!” She looked up, guilt on her face, and ran over to him.
“Yes?”
He knelt so he could talk to her privately. He lowered his voice. “Where did you get this car?”
“From Billy. He gave it to me.”
“He gave it to you, or you took it?”
She fixed him with her green eyes. It took every ounce of his will to focus and not lose himself in her powerful gaze. “Gave it to me.”
“Anastazia,” Tim said with a warning tone, “did he give it to you, or did you ask him for it?”
She looked down. “I asked him.”
“Did he want to give it to you?”
She shook her head.
“Go return it. Then come here.”
She did. He moved to another bench for more privacy. He made her sit and look at him.
He softened his tone. “Taz, we’ve talked about this.”
“But he gave it to me. I asked him.”
“But you made him give it to you when you asked, didn’t you?”
She finally nodded.
“What if I asked you for Mr. BinkBink and you didn’t want to give him to me, but I made you?” She looked horrified. The thought of giving up her cherished teddy bear brought tears to her eyes.
“You cannot force someone to give you things,” he said.
“But I can.”
“I know you can, but it doesn’t mean you should. Never, ever, force someone to do it. It’s rude. And it’s mean. You don’t want to be a rude, mean little girl, do you?”
She shook her head. “No.”
He smiled at her. “You are a very special little girl. You must never be rude or mean. Never take things that are not freely given. Do you understand?”
She nodded.
“If you forget, think about Mr. BinkBink, how you would hate to give him up if you didn’t want to.”
She nodded, earnestly this time.
Point made. Hopefully. It was a lesson she had to learn now, or he wouldn’t be able to teach her at all. If she didn’t learn empathy at this age, she would grow up to become very, very dangerous.
“Were you looking him in the eye when you asked him?”
She nodded.
“What have I told you about that?”
“Not to do it unless it’s you or Momma or Daddy or someone I want to be very close to.”
“Right. And?”
“Never ask for something when I do it.”
“Right. Why?”
Because it’s rude.”
“Good girl. Remember Mr. BinkBink. Don’t be rude, don’t be mean, and don’t take things from others unless they really, really want to give them to you. Understand?”
She nodded.
“Good girl. Now go play.”
He returned to his seat next to the mom to continue their conversation.
“She’s so beautiful and well mannered. I don’t know how you do it!”
He smiled. “She’s a very special little girl.”
Robertson stood in the doorway and looked at the television screen. “Anastazia, what on earth is that?”
She looked up from the couch. “It’s SyFy. It’s an old show called Dark Shadows. It’s pretty neat.”
He thought he successfully hid his smirk.
You have no idea how old.
“I did my homework already,” she continued. “You said I could watch TV when I got done.”
“Yes, I did. Very good.” Ten years old, she proved brilliant in school.
“Did Mom say if they’ll be home this weekend?” she asked.
“I’m sorry, dear, she didn’t. Would you like me to call her back?”
She shook her head and turned back to the screen. “No, it’s okay. Never mind.” She fell quiet.
“What is it, Taz?”
She finally turned to him. “Would you mind taking me to the movies tomorrow?”
“I would be delighted. Pick what you want, PG or below, young lady, and I’ll be happy to take you.”
“Can we get popcorn?”
“With all the extra butter you can wade through.”
She laughed. “Thanks, Robertson.”
“You’re welcome, my dear.”
He returned to his office. She hadn’t seen her parents in two months. Her father busy on the racing circuit, her mother in one movie after another, and busy with promotions when she wasn’t filming. He knew he was not a substitute for them, but Taz needed nurturing or she would become bitter.
That was the last thing he needed.
She picked a comedy, not too crude, and he laughed through it with her. As they left the theater, she took his hand and held it all the way to the car.
“Thank you for spending time with me,” she quietly said.
“Sweetheart, it’s my pleasure.”
He held the car door for her. She looked him in the eye when she got in. “You’re like a dad, you know that? That’s how I think of you. My other dad.”
He smiled. “Thank you, Taz. You have no idea how much that means to me. You’re like a daughter to me, too.”
She nodded. They rode home in companionable silence.
“Anastazia Proctor, downstairs right now, young lady! You’re going to be late.”
“Jeez Louise, I’m coming,” she shouted back.
Tim sighed as he finished getting her scrambled eggs ready. She bounded into the kitchen, her long, wavy auburn hair in a loose ponytail. “I’ve still got twenty minutes before we have to leave. Chill.”
He eyed her choice of clothes. The shirt would do. It wasn’t his favorite, but it covered all her parts and wasn’t too tight. The jeans didn’t have holes in them, plus they covered all the parts not covered by the shirt. Her sneakers looked worn but were her favorites, so who was he to complain? They were on her feet. Her makeup was light, the agreed-upon amount, although in reality she didn’t need any.
But try to convince a thirteen-year-old of that.
“I don’t want you to be late for your first day of school,” he said.
“Will you come to the parent meeting?” She ripped into her eggs like a starving wolf.
He nodded. “Of course. I’ll be there at three.” How would he keep the boys off her this year? Junior high. How did other parents do it?
She finished her juice, rinsed her plate, and grabbed her backpack. “I guess my ’rents are passed out upstairs?”
“Taz!”
She shrugged. “I heard them come in last night. Excuse me, this morning. About six. My alarm went off a few minutes later.”
He shook his head. “Come on. Let’s go.” He grabbed his keys, and fifteen minutes later they neared the school. He pulled up to a red light and looked at her, fixing her with his gaze.
“Anastazia.”
She looked at him and he had her. “Remember,” he warned. “Avoid their eyes. Never ask for something when you’re looking someone in the eyes. Understand?”
She nodded with a dreamy expression on her face. He looked up as the light changed to green. “You have a good day today.” Fortunately for him, all he had to do was give her reminders from time to time.
She nodded. “Yeah, yeah,” she said, but she smiled. “What do I have for lunch?”
“Turkey wrap, swiss, light mayo.” He pulled into the drop-off and she leaned over and hugged him before getting out.
“See you at three, Robs.”
“Have a good day, sweetheart.”
He watched her walk toward the school. She smiled at a group of boys as she walked past.