The Seal's Secret Child

“We’ll give you a few minutes to talk it over,” Detective Pullman said. “We’ll go check on the progress of the cleanup.”

“Thank you,” Josie said. “I’ll be ready to leave soon, I promise.”

As soon as the detectives had left the room, Blade went to sit close to Josie.

“Why do I get the feeling you’d rather I wasn’t here?” he asked. “Are you sorry that Archie found me?”

“No, not at all.”

Blade’s blue eyes were wide and intense, a mirror image of Archie’s. “So why the reluctance to let me stay with you?”

“Because...” She struggled to find any words that wouldn’t make her sound like the most selfish, awful person in the world. “Because I never felt such primal and fierce love before Archie came along. I would literally kill anybody who tried to hurt my son.” She shook her head. “Our son. And I’ve been solely responsible for his welfare until now.”

Blade obviously knew exactly what she was trying to say. “And you don’t think you can share him twenty-four hours a day.”

She crossed her arms and sighed. He had hit the nail on the head. Yes, she most definitely was the most selfish, awful person in the world.

“No, it’s not that,” she protested weakly, before bowing her head in shame. “Actually, you’re right. I always wanted you in his life, but I never knew how hard it would be until this moment.”

Blade put a hand on her shoulder. His fingers applied a gentle pressure, and she felt their warmth through her thin cashmere cardigan.

“We’re only just learning how to do this,” he said. “Let’s take it one step at a time. I’ll try to be sensitive to your feelings and not tread on your toes, but I have a right to be with our son while he faces such a serious threat.”

Josie nodded. “Of course you do.” She silently admonished herself. “You’re very welcome to come with us to the safe house.”

“Thank you.”

She rose from the chair. “I’ll need to go pack some things.”

In truth, she was desperate to get away from Blade, to gather her thoughts and say a prayer to soothe all her anxieties and fears.

“Sure,” he said, standing with her.

She brushed past him and headed out the door, not knowing which aspect of today’s developments had scared her the most. Was it the man taking aim at her home with a gun, or the man taking aim at her son’s heart with a fatherly love that potentially would usurp her own?

* * *

Blade watched his son struggle toward the door, clutching a stuffed dog in one hand and a huge birdcage in the other, covered with a white sheet. Josie was a couple of paces behind, also struggling with a suitcase on wheels and a huge file of papers.

He stepped forward and reached for the handle of the case in Josie’s hand. “I’ve got this.”

“It’s better if I keep it,” she said. “It’s heavy and awkward.”

“All the more reason for me to take it,” he said, casting aside her concerned expression with a smile and pulling the case from her grasp. “I’m more than capable.” She didn’t look convinced, and the smile became fixed on his face. “I’ll put it in the car.”

He then turned to Archie and knelt to the floor. Just looking at the boy’s face still took his breath away. The freckles, the piercing blue eyes, the impish grin and blond curls—they were all features that could be clearly seen in old photographs of him as a child.

“Who is this little guy?” Blade asked, pointing to the black-and-white toy dog.

“It’s Oscar,” Archie replied. He held up the cage. “And this is Sherbet. He’s a blue parakeet and he’s two years old. I’m covering him so he doesn’t get scared by the lights on the police car.”

“It’s okay,” Blade replied. “It’s an unmarked car, and they won’t be using any flashing lights.” He lifted up the sheet to see a small bird with a beautiful bright blue chest sitting on a perch. The long tapered tail bobbed up and down as the bird edged along the perch, his inquisitive black eyes instantly responding to the human face studying him.

Archie bent his head to peek under the sheet. “Say hello to my dad, Sherbet,” he said. “He’s looking after us now.” The level of pride in his voice was unmistakable.

Blade quickly swallowed the emotion forcing its way to the surface. He’d become a dad overnight and was constantly awestruck.

“Hello, Sherbet,” he said, focusing all his attention on the bird so Archie wouldn’t see the moisture collecting in his eyes.

“Hello, hello, hello,” Sherbet chirruped.

“That was the first word he ever learned,” Archie said. “He says it a lot. But he can say tons of other stuff, too. I’ll show you when we get to our new house.”

“I’d like that,” Blade replied, taking the cage from Archie’s hand. “Why don’t you let me carry this for you? It’s kinda big.”

Archie gave up the birdcage without a fight and grabbed hold of Blade’s shirt with his free hand. The small gesture of vulnerability was enough to bring the tears back to Blade’s eyes. Man, this was killing him, but not in a bad way. The instant love he felt for this small child seemed to produce enough power to knock him right off his feet. Seven years ago, he had assumed he was not a sufficient man to be a good husband and potential father. He had written himself off as worthless. But now was his chance to prove his worth. Now he could be the man he had failed to be back then, even if Josie doubted his physical capabilities.

It was then that he noticed her watching his and Archie’s interaction. She was standing by the front door, where the two Wichita detectives were waiting to escort them to the vehicles outside. She was smiling, yet there was sadness in her eyes, and she was biting down on her lip and furrowing her brow.

“You two look like you’re getting on well,” she said, grinning a little too brightly. “You both have the same nose, you know that?”

“No way!” Archie exclaimed. “Mine is not that big.”

Blade laughed. “Not yet, son, but just you wait.”

Detective Sykes turned the knob on the front door. “Are you ready to leave, Miss Bishop?” she asked. “Your father is already in one of the cars. We’ll have to go in two vehicles. Would you like to ride with your dad or your son?”

“My son,” she replied quickly. “I’ll ride with my son.”

Archie let go of his father’s shirt and walked to his mother’s side. But he turned and looked at Blade earnestly. “Are you okay riding with Granddad?” he asked. “He’s really funny and he knows a lot of jokes, but don’t let him tell you the one about how to make a tissue dance because it’s gross.”

Blade smiled. “How so?”

Archie stuck out his tongue and pretended to gag. “Because you put a little boogie into it.”

Blade laughed out loud. “It sounds like your granddad has a good sense of humor. I’d love to ride with him.”

Detective Sykes opened the door. The January air was damp and chill, seemingly charged with an ominous threat. Was someone waiting for Josie to show herself? Blade automatically positioned himself in front of her and Archie, but he couldn’t rest his fingers on his holstered weapon. In one hand, he held the birdcage, and in the other, he wheeled Josie’s huge suitcase. He hadn’t thought this through.

“Mr. Harding,” Detective Sykes said. “You get into the second vehicle with Detective Pullman. I’ll be with Josie and Archie, leading the way.”

Blade walked down the path, checking the vicinity all the while. The street was quiet. It was just a few days after New Year’s, so everybody was probably taking down decorations and recovering from the overindulgence of the last couple of weeks. Blade didn’t like things quiet. He’d spent far too long in his own company, wallowing in self-pity, shutting himself off from the world. It was as though he’d been through a long, dark tunnel, finally emerging into the light with the help of a fellow wounded soldier named Peter.

Peter had handed Blade a Christian leaflet on the street one day, and the words written on it had spoken directly to him: “Does your life have no meaning?” Blade had felt that way ever since losing his leg, so he had stopped to chat before accepting an invitation to attend a church meeting, where Peter had surprised and amazed him by revealing his own story. He, too, was a wounded veteran, a double amputee injured in the field in Afghanistan, yet he was an athlete, having competed in the first Invictus Games. Peter had shown Blade that the love and grace of God might not be able to give him a new leg, but they could give him a new purpose. That was his turning point. He became a new man, looking after himself, working out, becoming strong and fit again. And now he was an athlete like Peter, looking forward to competing in his own Invictus Games.

But it looked as though the Lord had a new challenge for him: protecting his newfound family. Even though his relationship with Josie was well and truly over, its legacy meant that he was intrinsically bound to her forever.

Tim opened the trunk to allow Blade to put Josie’s case inside. “So you’re riding with me, huh?” he said with a kind smile. “It’ll give us a chance to talk.” He glanced at the birdcage in Blade’s hand. “I think you’d better keep Sherbet on your lap.”