Dancing with the Devil

Chapter Forty-Six

"I don't believe she will. Though to make it legal ya know ya will have to sign papers and such." 

"Since when do I worry about legal?" Ance grunted. "As far as I'm concerned my feelings, her feelings and these rings are all we need and I've read up on common law marriage so I know damn well it's allowed. That said, if Audrey wants things done the other way around then we'll sign some damn papers." Ance nudged Irish aside. "Is your curiosity satisfied enough now that I can tend to my daughter or would you like to sit and chat about the weather?" 

Irish was laughing as Ance stepped into Penelope's room. Her plate was empty and she was sitting and staring out the window. "You okay, Penny?" Ance asked quietly. 

"No..." She looked his way with tears in her eyes. "Are the bad men going to keep coming, pa? Is it always gonna be like this?"

Ance clenched his fists and took several deep breaths to combat the anger that her words stirred in him. How dare those bastards do this to Penelope's innocence. Those no-good, worm shit bound, sons of bitches! 

"No, Penny, it won't always be this way. Now listen here--" Ance crouched in front of the small white rocking chair she was sitting in. "The world's full of bad people, Penny. We've all gone through our own share of pain and suffering and, let me tell you that I know how terrible it is to be your age and have your belief that the world is good be stolen from you. But you can't let it stop you from being happy, Penny, because there are good people in the world too. Your mama is good, you're good, lots of people are good." 

"You're good, pa," Penny assured him, placing that chubby soft hand upon his bearded cheek. 

Ance smiled. "I'm better now than I used to be," he agreed. 

"And Irish is good too," Penelope added. 

Ance chuckled. "Let's not get carried away now, Penny."

Penelope giggled. Ance stood up and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Pa?"

"Hmm?" Ance replied, finding it a strange, new and surprisingly pleasant thing to hear himself referred to by that term. 

"Are you staying here now? Mama said you weren't going to.. She said that you were wild and would want to leave. She said we shouldn't ask you to stay because it wouldn't be fair but..." Penelope chewed at her lip in a way endearingly similar to her mother. "But I really want you to stay. I don't want you to leave us." 

Ance sighed. "I'm not going anywhere, Penny. I'm gonna stay right here with you and your mama for as long as the two of you will keep me around." 

Penelope's face lit up with the brightest smile that Ance had ever seen grace it. She leapt from her chair and crashed into his arms, knocking him off balance and causing them both to tumble against the white bedspread covered in pink and purple flowers. 

"Really pa? You're really gonna stay forever! I'm so happy! Have you told mama?" 

Ance propped himself up on his elbow and smoothed her blond hair from her face. "Yeah, me and your mama talked a bit about things." 

"Was she as happy as me?" Penelope inquired. 

Ance chuckled. "Well she didn't knock me down in the bed, but yeah, I reckon she wants to keep me around a while too." 

Irish poked his head in the room and Ance quickly rose from the bed and cleared his throat. "What do you want?" he grumbled. 

Irish winked at Penelope who giggled in response and then met Ance's gaze. "That person from town who I said was coming has arrived."