The Ghost Files

Chapter Sixteen

"You're welcome, Squirt."

"Didn't you promise to show me how to play poker?" I ask.

"Yeah. So, why do I feel like I'm about to get fleeced?"

"Would I do that?"

"Yup, I bet you would."

He helps me settle back into the mountain of pillows. I know most hospital beds only come equipped with one, so I'm betting Dan had managed to swing a few extra for me. I need lots of pillows, lots and lots of them to get comfortable.

Dan grabs his jacket off the chair and fishes out a deck of cards. He jumps back onto the foot of the bed and sits cross legged, Indian style before opening the cards. He gives me a run down on the rules and starts explaining different types of pairs to me, using the cards to show me what they look like.

"So what do you do for fun Dan? Besides helping the psycho ghost girl?"

He shrugs. "The usual stuff.  I hang out with my friends, play a little Rockband."

"And the girlfriend," I remind him. "Don't forget her."

"Yeah, and the girlfriend," he laughs and starts shuffling the cards. "My mom doesn't like her though."

"Really?' I ask.

"She says I can do better."

"Can you?"

He shrugs. "I like her."

"That's all that counts, I guess." I pick up the cards he's given me and do my best not to cringe. I do know how to play poker and I've been dealt a losing hand. Dang it.

"What about you, Squirt? What do you do for fun?"

"I draw," I say, "but you already know that. I have a secret love of Star Trek too, but only the newer ones. Captain Picard is awesome."

"You're a closet Treky?" he laughs and arranges his cards. "You do not look like a Treky. I'm going to have to take you to Vegas to one of the conventions so I can see you all dressed up in full Klingon costume."

"And how, pray tell, do you know those are held in Vegas?"

"Because my dad is a Treky. I grew up watching Deep Space Nine and Voyager. I guess that makes me one by default too."

"Your parents are nice," I tell him, changing the subjects.

"Yeah, my dad is great. Mom's usually a lot friendlier. I don't know what was up with her."

"She wasn't expecting you to show up with a teenage girl in tow," I say. "Unless you bring home jailbait every day?"

"No, I don't bring girls home very often. I think I've only ever had two of my girlfriends over before."

Curious. Most guys tended to bring their girlfriends home. Jake had practically dragged me home after three dates.

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure, Squirt."

"Have you ever thought about finding your parents? Your birth parents that is?"

He sighs heavily. "Yeah. I did. I used to think about it a lot. I always wondered why, ya know? Was it because my mom was poor and couldn't afford to keep me or was she forced to give me up? Or was it something worse? The more I thought about it, the more I realized it didn't matter. I had two people who loved me, who raised me and who would give up everything for me. That's really what life is about. The people who love you. It's all I needed. So I didn't go looking for my birth parents even though I could have. Mom and Dad would have supported me and helped me any way they could, but I didn't need to find what I already had."

I nod. "I think about trying to find my dad."

"Your dad?"

"I don't know his name. Mom never told me, but I don't think he's dead. I wonder about him all the time."

"If you want to find him, Mattie, then we'll find him."

My head snaps up. "You would help me find my father?"

"I'm all in, Mattie."

And he is. I can see it. But why? "Why?"

"Hell if I know, Squirt," he grins at me.  "I don't know why you matter to me. I mean, I barely know you, but I need to know you're safe, that you're happy, and that you have everything you need. You're important to me. That's about all I've figured out right now, at least until you get a little older. You really are jailbait until you turn eighteen."

My mouth falls open. Did Officer Dan just admit he likes me?

"Close your mouth, Squirt." He smiles at me and his brown eyes are full of warm chocolate gooeyness. "Pick up those cards and let's play. I want to win at least a few hands."

Well, he did win a few, but he threw me for a loop there with that admission. I mean come on! This puts a whole new perspective on things for me. Am I ready to think about Dan like that? Can I think about him like that? Danged if I know.

Instead I turn my concentration back to the game and take him for every dime in his wallet.