After dinner, the three sat on the couch talking, both Valerie and Chloe probing Lorne with questions about his climbing. He appeared reluctant to share much at first, but their unrelenting interest egged him on, so he offered a few glimpses of high points among his adventures.

As he related an experience on Mount Waddington, he pointed to Chloe, who had curled up with her head in his lap, and was emitting near-silent moans and snores. "Told you my stories would bore you. She's asleep."

"No, I'm not. I'm purring. Please don't stop. How long did the storm last? Were you scared, Daddy?"

Oh, God! She's adopted him.

Lorne carried on as if he hadn't noticed. "Not afraid, Sweetheart. But full of fear."

"What's the difference? Aren't they the same?"

"Being afraid is uncontrolled fear. But it's best to think of fear as a friend, to see it as a warning to be careful. If we allow ourselves to be overcome by fear, we're no longer in control, and this isn't good. We need to embrace fear and control it; it's there to guide us."

"I like that. It's like when I decided to turn my back and walk away from the bullies. I knew they'd be confused, and the farther I walked, the less they could do, and the better I felt."

"Yes, that's it. I'm delighted you understand." He laid a hand on Chloe's head and lightly ruffled her hair. "But it's past your bedtime, and we have an exciting day tomorrow."

"Will you come to tuck me in?"

"I think your mother should do that, Sweetheart. But I'll join her to kiss you goodnight once you've settled."

Valerie hummed as she listened. Oh, God! Must have done a crash course on safe parenting. And one on being so fucking desirable. She rose still in a daze and assisted Chloe up. "Which bed should she use?"

"Patrick will have made up the starboard forward for her. The loo is all the way to the front of the cabin." He stood and limped, massaging his thigh. "Leg's asleep again." He shook it and took some tentative steps.

Valerie nodded and smiled. "You need to learn to shift her. I'll rub it for you in a while." She winked at him, then guided Chloe forward to the curtained area. Inside, she sat on the bed and patted the space beside her. "So, what do you think, Sweetheart?"

Chloe sat and snuggled into her mother's side. "I want you to keep him happy, so he'll let us stay."

"He seems happy with the both of us, and he appears to like you a lot."

"Yeah, I sense that." Chloe straightened up and grabbed the waistband of her fleecy top to pull it over her head.

"You should go to the loo before you undress. We're not alone here like at home. Patrick and the pilots are also here." She pointed to Chloe's carry-on bag. Grab your toiletries case, go tinkle and brush your teeth, then call me when you're ready for a goodnight kiss."

"Daddy said he'd come with you to kiss me goodnight."

"That's twice you've called him that. Do you see him as your daddy?"

"He's what I've always dreamed a perfect father would be like." She sighed. "He's better than any I've seen on TV or in the movies. Even in the books."

"Yes, he is. But he may not want to be called daddy. Yet."

"Do you like being called mummy?"

"Yes, I do, Sweetheart."

"Well, then he should like being called daddy, shouldn't he?"

"It's different. I'm your mother, so the name fits. He's a friend." My forever and ever friend. Oh God! I hope so.

"You could marry him. That would make it fit."

Yes! Oh, God, yes. "Relationships are complex. We've talked about that. It's not only young people who have trouble figuring them out. Grown-ups are also confused about them."

"So, you don't want to marry him?"

"I didn't say that."

"So, you do want to, don't you?"

"Go to the loo, Sweetheart." Valerie attempted a straight face.

"That's yes, isn't it?" Chloe giggled. "Gotcha, didn't I?"

"It's just that I'm not saying no. Go to the loo. Call me when you're in bed."

Valerie joined Lorne on the couch, and after a kiss, they cuddled. The first thing out of Lorne's mouth was, "Chloe called me daddy, and I was surprised how it warmed me. Do you mind if she does?"

Oh, God! "Yeah, I noticed that as well, and we were just discussing it. She wanted to know if you would allow her that privilege."

"And what did you tell her?"

"That you might not like it."

"I do like it. A lot. What do you think?"

"I love it. I love the easy way you interact. The way she adores you."

"Does she?"

"What?"

"Adore me?"

"We both do." Yeah, we do.

"I like that."

"I love it." She nuzzled her face into his neck. "Keep in mind that Chloe has never had any father figure. Nor any close male. No brothers, no uncles, no grandfathers, no friends of mine until you."

"Your mother's family? Her father, brothers, uncles, cousins?"

"She fled an abusive family when she was sixteen." Valerie blew out a deep breath. "Never looked back. Refused to tell me who they were."

"So, you had no male influence in your upbringing."

"None, and I don't want Chloe to continue being deprived of it."

"So, am I a father figure for her? Or a lover for you?"

"A lover first and foremost. But with benefits. I'd love her to respect you as a father. She's at a delicate point in her maturation. Now into her puberty, and she needs the enfolding acceptance."

"Puberty already? That's early, isn't it?"

"Well within the normal range these days. Some begin their monthlies at nine, even eight."

"The reason for the early sex-ed."

"Oh, for sure." Valerie rose and retrieved her computer case. "I printed one of these for Penny, and I want you to see it as well. It shows the guidelines Grace and I have been following. Modern thinking from the most respected of authorities." She dug out a page and handed it to him.

Lorne took it and quickly read.

Early childhood: Two to five years old — Children should understand the very basics of reproduction: a man and a woman make a baby together, and the baby grows inside the woman's belly. Children should understand their body is their own. Teach them about privacy around body issues. They should know other people can touch them in some ways but not other ways.

Middle childhood: Five to eight years old — Children should have a basic understanding that some people are heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual. They should also know what the role of sexuality is in relationships. Children should know about the basic social conventions of privacy, nudity, and respect for others in relationships. Children should be taught the basics about puberty towards the end of this age span, as a number of children will experience some pubertal development before age 10. Children's understanding of human reproduction should continue. This may include the role of sexual intercourse.

Tween years: Nine to twelve years old — In addition to reinforcing all the things above they have already learned, tweens should be taught about safer sex and contraception. Tweens should understand what makes a positive relationship and what makes for a bad one. Tweens should also learn to judge whether depictions of sex and sexuality in the media are true or false, realistic or not, and whether they are positive or negative.

"So, she's familiar with the mechanics, as you had called them?"

"Rather thoroughly, I think. She's likely augmented her awareness by internet browsing. The complication was your arrival in our lives, and the questions raised by her observations of our interactions. And her wild imagination. Her questions seem to come out of the blue; a child one moment, and an adult the next."

"I'd love the challenge of helping her through this."

Valerie moaned a quiet hum as she captured his lips with hers.