A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk Along the briny beach

We spent worried hours wondering what happened to Johnny. Picasso yelled at Shannon for no better reason then to relieve a bit of tension.

After a while, it was obvious that there wasn't anything we could do, so life sort of went back to normal.

I pondered the latest chess puzzles.

Hans did the laundry.

Picasso snuggled his little brother.

Shannon and Catherine ended up spending the night, they both thought it would be too creepy to go back to their home with Johnny missing. It was a little crowded with 2 more people but we couldn't just send them away.

We ended up pitching a couple of tents in the back, the girls spent the night in the tents.

They were actually quite excited by the prospect. I suspect that they chatted and giggled well into the night. Shannon took Elizabeth's bed for the night. Sharing a room with Picasso might not have been high on her to-do list, she took the offer with grace.

Finally, the next morning, Johnny came back. He looked haggard, and was very hungry.

After supplying Johnny with some food, we had a family conference at the table.

"Johnny, what the hell is going on?" Well, I do like to get to the point.

"Alaina is what's going on. She's managed to get a court order to keep me away from Catherine. I spent the night in the holding cell for not being cooperative enough for the local law."

"What? How? What grounds could she possibly have to prevent you from being with Catherine." I was just gushing with questions.

"The cops were more than a little vague on the story, but it seems that she's using Shannon as the reason. I'm not a suitable parent because I have a lover."

"I wouldn't mind making the arrangement more permanent" Shannon said softly.

Johnny beamed for just a moment. Shannon really is special to him.

"Johnny, we are talking about Alaina? How could she use that as a reason to say you are a bad parent? Didn't she want a divorce so she could have more variety in her men?"

"Picasso, were you serious about spying on your Aunt Alaina for me?"

"Sure thing, Uncle John". My son grinned at my brother.

Johnny pulled one of the old cameras out of his pocket. He tossed it at Picasso.  "If you see Alaina hanging out with any guys, take a picture. The camera has enough of a zoom that you shouldn't need to be too close. We just need to see who the heck she's talking to." Johnny paused for a second. "Don't take stupid risks. You shouldn't get hurt doing this. I know of three people who won't forgive me if that happens and one of those is me."

Catherine suddenly left the table. She was nearly in tears. "But Daddy, you can't spy on Mom."

Johnny was right there. "Honey, do you want to be able to visit me? Or live with me?"

Catherine slowly nodded.

"Well, your mom is trying to make it so you won't be allowed to be anywhere near me. I won't be allowed to visit, you won't have a choice of who you want to live with. None of that."

"Really?"

"Really sweetheart. If you'd rather live with your mom than me, that's ok. Truly. But I do want to stay in your life. And your mom is trying her best to prevent that. If she moves back to Sunset Valley with you, well, it's the same thing. I don't have the money to travel there regularly, and while we can phone and email, it's not going to be the same."

"But mom said the family would move back?"

"By family, she meant you and her. Your mother and I are divorced, Cathy. She doesn't consider me in her family now."

Catherine slowly nodded. I think the full implications will take some time to sink in but she's listening to Johnny.

"Hey, kid, I love you. You do know that, don't you?"

"I love you too, Daddy."

I think I'll make more time to spend with my family. They are the most important people in my life, after all.