The Trophy Exchange (54 page)

“
Lucy, I didn
’
t think I
’
d ever see you again. The party was fun
’
cept for Kirsten. She
’
s not very nice, Lucy.
”

“
What did she do, Charley?
”

“
She called me an orphan. I told her I wasn
’
t no orphan. I had my
d
addy. Right, Daddy?
”

“
Right, Charley.
”

“
I have my Lucy, too. That
’
s almost as good as a mommy. And she has a gun,
”
Charley said.

Lucinda winced at the mention of the gun but, at the same time, had to fight the tight lump forming in her throat caused by the sentiment expressed.

“
And then she said I was, too, an orphan,
”
Charley continued.
“
I told her she was stupid. I told her to look orphan up in a dictionary if she wasn
’
t too stupid to find it. Then she told me she was going to tell. And she did. She told
Mrs.
Phillips I called her stupid. And I got in trouble. But I don
’
t care. She is stupid.
”

“
Stupid is not a very nice word,
”
Evan said.

With a dismissive flick of her wrist, Charley said,
“
Oh, Daddy.
”

“
I
’
ve got a surprise for you Charley,
”
Lucinda said.

“
What? What? What?
”
Charley asked bouncing on Lucinda
’
s lap.

“
Look under my eyepatch.
”

Charley lifted it up and gasped. She pulled the patch off Lucinda
’
s head with a whoop.
“
It
’
s beautiful, Lucy.
”

“
Not bad, one of your dad
’
s doctor friends fixed it all up.
”

Charley put one little hand on each side of Lucinda
’
s face and turned it back and forth as she looked from the real eye to the prosthesis.
“
Lucy, your glass eye looks real. It looks just like the other one. Nobody will know. Honest.
”

“
Thank you, Charley.
”

“
Can I keep your patch?
”

Lucinda nodded.

“
Can I try it on?
”

“
It
’
s yours now, Charley. Do what you want.
”

Charley pulled it over her head and tried to position it on one eye but it slipped down and hung around her neck.
“
Oh.
”

“
Your dad can adjust that for you, Charley. Give me another hug. I need to move on before I wear out my welcome.
”

“
Please don
’
t go, Lucy. Please. Stay for dinner.
”

“
Charley, that
’
s very sweet of you but you really shouldn
’
t invite anyone for dinner without checking with your dad first.
”

Charley turned an exasperated look on Evan.
“
Daddy?
”

“
I
’
d be delighted if you
’
d stay for dinner, Lieutenant.
”

“
Well, then, M
is
s Charley, looks like you have a dinner guest. Thank you, Doctor.
”

“
My pleasure, Lieutenant.
”

“
Daddy, why do you call her that?
”

“
Lieutenant? Because that
’
s who she is.
”

“
But she
’
s Lucy. That
’
s what I call her. You should call her that, too.
”

“
Well, Charley, you see, I
. . .”
Evan stammered.
“
That
’
s just not something I can do without permission from Lieutenant Pierce.
”

“
Ask her, Daddy.
”

Evan looked at Lucinda and smiled.
“
May I, Lieutenant?
”

No one has called me Lucy since my father did before he died. No one but Charley. It’s time to put that boogie man to bed, too.
She looked down, saw the eagerness in Charley
’
s eyes and grinned. The intense attachment she felt to this child moistened her eye and blurred her vision.
“
If that what makes Charley happy, why not?
”