Remember When

Before she could follow Henry's lead, Jack strolled out of the living room to the bottom of the steps.
    "That dog go to get his gun?"
    "Dad." She shut her eyes, caught her breath. "Why do you do this? Can't you just knock on the damn door?"
    "This saves time. You always talk to the dog?"
    "Yes, I do."
    "He ever talk back?"
    "In his way. Henry! It's all right, Henry. He won't hurt you." She continued down, letting her gaze pass over the dyed hair, the rumpled suit. "Working, I see."
    "In my way."
    "Looks like you slept in that suit."
    "I damn well did."
    The bite in his tone had her lifting her brows. "Well, don't snap at me, Jack. It's not my fault."
    "It is your fault. We need to have a talk. Elaine."
    "We certainly do." Voice crisp, she nodded, then turned on her heel and marched into the kitchen.
    "There's coffee, and some apple muffins if you're hungry. I'm not cooking."
    "What are you doing with your life?"
    His explosion had Henry, who'd bellied in to test the waters, scramble back to the doorway.
    "What am I doing with my life? What am I doing?" She rounded on him, coffeepot in hand. Her heated response tore through Henry's fear to find his courage. He barreled in, glued himself to Laine's side and tried out a snarl in Jack's direction.
    "It's all right, Henry." Pleased, and considerably surprised by his defense, Laine reached down to soothe the dog. "He's not dangerous."
    "I could be," Jack muttered, but some of his temper faded into relief that the dog had some spirit.
    "I'll tell you what I'm doing with my life, Dad. I'm living my life. I have a house, a dog, a business, a car-and payments. I have a plumber." She gestured with the pot, and nearly sloshed coffee over the rim. "I have friends who haven't actually done time, and I can borrow a book from the library and know I'll actually still be here when it's due back. What are you doing with your life, Dad? What have you ever done with your life?"
    His lips actually trembled before he firmed them and managed to speak. "That's a hell of a way for you to talk to me."
    "Well, it's a hell of a way for you to talk to me. I never criticized your choices, because they were yours and you were entitled to make them. So don't you criticize mine."
    His shoulders hunched; his hands retreated to his pockets. And Henry, vastly relieved that his valor wouldn't be tested, stood down. "You're spending nights with a cop. A cop."
    "He's a private investigator, and that's beside the point."
    "Beside the-"
    "What I'm doing is spending nights with the man I love and am going to marry."
    "Ma-" He made several incoherent sounds as the blood drained out of his face. He gripped the back of a chair, slowly sank into it. "Legs went out. Lainie, you can't get married. You're just a baby."
    "I'm not." She set the pot aside, went to him and put her hands gently on his cheeks. "I'm not."
    "You were five minutes ago."
    Sighing, she slid onto his lap, rested her head on his shoulder. Henry tiptoed over to push his head through the tangle of legs and lay it sympathetically on Jack's knee.
    "I love him, Daddy. Be happy for me."
    He rocked with her. "He's not good enough for you. I hope he knows that."
    "I'm sure he does. He knows who I am. Who we are," she said, and drew back to watch Jack's face. "And it doesn't matter because he loves me. He wants to marry me, make a life with me.
    We'll give you grandchildren."
    The color that had come into his cheeks faded away again. "Oh now, let's not rush that far ahead.
    Let me settle into the idea that you're not six anymore. What's his name?"
    "Max. Maxfield Gannon."
    "Fancy."
    "He's from Savannah, and he's wonderful."
    "He make a good living?"
    "Appears to-but then, so do I." She brushed at his dyed hair. "Are you going to ask all the clich‚d father-of-the-bride questions now?"
    "I'm trying to think of them."
    "Don't worry about it. Just know he makes me happy." She kissed his cheek, then rose to deal with the coffee.
    Absently, Jack scratched Henry behind the ears, and made a friend for life. "He left pretty early this morning."
    She glanced over her shoulder. "I don't like you watching the house, Dad. But yes, he left early."
    "How much time do we have before he gets back?"
    "He won't be back until tonight."
    "Okay. Laine, I need the diamonds."
    She took out a mug, poured his coffee. She brought it to the table, set it in front of him, then sat.
    Folded her hands. "I'm sorry, you can't have them."
    "Now you listen to me." He leaned forward,