Love Is Where You Find It

Part 4

Somehow she thinks that if she closes her eyes, her daddy might not be standing there anymore when she opens them. But before Loretta can give that a try, he grabs her and pulls her against his chest. He's a tall man and she's not a very tall woman, so it makes her feel like a child again.

"Who is that?" Cissie asks while tucking on her dress.

"That's your grandpa Webb," Loretta manages to say. "Say hello."

"Hello," Cissie chimes. She gives Ted a wide grin and of course, he's charmed by her right away, as most people are.

"Did you give her a name yet?" Ted asks.

Loretta blushes. "Clara Marie. But no chance that she's gonna listen to that."

They couldn't think of a name when Cissie was born. When the nurses told them that they had to name her before they could leave, Doo decided that he did not like to be told what to do with his own child and took her home. It was strange at first- they'd call her baby but the kids called her their little sissy and somehow that stuck. They didn't name her Clara Marie that long ago. Loretta thinks that she doesn't understand. But she can't quite write yet so they started spelling Cissie with a C; it makes more sense that way.

Her daddy picks Cissie up and cuddles her. Cissie doesn't mind but rather revels in the attention.

"Look what I have," Ernest pipes up, stepping forward to show his grandfather his sword.

"That's somethin' real nice," Ted says.

Ernest beams. Before her father can respond, Loretta finally ushers him and his luggage inside, closing the door behind them.

Her father stops to look at her for a long time. "My, Loretty," he sighs. "What didya do to your hair?"

Loretta blushes some more as she confesses, "Accident. I slipped."

"Long as you didn't take your eye out. You're still pretty as a picture."

Loretta offers him a small smile.

"Where'd you get that sword, Jack?" Ted asks Ernest, who wrinkles his nose and says, "I'm not Jack."

"That's Ernest," Loretta supplies. She should have sent more pictures of the kids.

"Ernest," Ted breaths, looking the boy up and down. "You sure are big."

Ernest nods enthusiastically. Loretta pulls Cissie away from her father's luggage while surveying the area for the two older children. She spots Jack a little further away, but Betty is unaccounted for.

"You come here," she beckons him over. "Don't you wanna meet your grandpa?"

"No," Jack says. "I don't know him."

"Of course you don't. That's why I want you to meet him. Grandpa Webb was there when you was borned in Kentucky. Now come here."

"Me too?" Ernest asks. "Was I borned there too?"

"No, baby. You was borned here, remember?"

Ernest's face falls. "Oh."

"Now come." Loretta tries again, holding a hand out for Jack, but he shakes his head vigorously. When her daddy waves at him though, he waves back. Figuring that it's at least something, Loretta lets it go and asks, "Where'd Betty go?"

"To the room," Ernest says.

"Little Betty," Ted marvels. "Eight years old now, right? I 'member her toddling 'round our old place in Kentucky, smilin' at everybody..."

"I'm sorry she slammed the door right in your face."

"That's alright. She just wanna make sure no stranger comes walkin' in her house. You raised her good."