Chapter 20: Ties That Bind

Captain's Log -

Una has made it into grade school.  She passed through her toddling years, with the love and guiding hand of me and Cordelia.

 Una's first day of school was a mix of excitement and trepidation for her, and bittersweet for myself.   But she hardly showed her worries that first day she walked to the bus.  She had a set look of determination on her face and climbed onto the bus, giving Cordelia and me a wave of good-bye at the curb before the bus closed it's doors and moved up the street.
With Una off to school, I was asked by my Sargent to handle more odd-jobs of undercover work since my schedule allowed for it.  Although I held traditional 9-5 working hours, I was frequently called during the nights and weekends to go undercover and keep tabs on suspects with my partner.

There were many late nights, returning home long after Cordelia and Una were in bed.  Some mornings after my undercover work, I'd have to go back in hours later to the station to complete paperwork and report back to the Sargent.  It was hard to leave my family so much, but the end result was worth it.  I was satisfied with the salary that I got for the over-time work and it assuaged some of my guilt at leaving Cordelia and Una.

And leaving them for work gave Cordelia and Una the chances to bond and draw closer to one another.

Cordelia spent time playing with Una, read to her often, and kept her company during those times work called me away.

Cordelia even tucked Una in for bedtimes that I missed.  Cordelia's love for my daughter was no different than if we'd had a child of our own.  Every gentle touch to lovingly groom Una's hair for school everyday, every thoughtful glance to Una when she studied, every kind and appraising word she gave Una to let her know of how proud she was of her showed me how much she truly loved Una. 

 We still spent time all together as well.  I didn't leave Cordelia to care and entertain
Una solely on her own.

I made sure that our evening routine involved sitting down to eat dinner together.

 On nights that I didn't have to go undercover, I would tutor and talk with Una, giving Cordelia a chance to relax when she came home from her corporate job. 

 Sometimes, Cordelia and I would call a baby-sitter so we could visit the local bistro for time alone, too.

 Or we'd simply sneak out the door when the Una was home to give each other a kiss or a loving word.  Una had made it clear that seeing the two of us together was "great and all" but that she'd like to be spared from seeing us kiss and cuddle.
So we kept those moments to ourselves or in the bedroom.
Because Cordelia and I were one in our endeavors to teach Una the importance of family, our ties to one another were strong, and these were the ties that lasted forever, and were stronger than the ties that could rend us apart.  These were the ties that bind.

~Tom Calico

Chapter 19: Smooth Sailing

Captain's Log -

It's been too long since my last entry.  Life has been busy with raising Una that I've lost time to record all the happenings in our life.
First, I must share news that Gertie has married into a prominent family in Barnacle Bay, the Inkbeard's.  No doubt of some pirate heritage with a name like that, but respected very much in town.  She married one of the son's named Bart.  Although I was not in attendance to her wedding, word in town is that she is happy.
And I wish her joy in her union.  Time with Una, finding my own joy in fatherhood, and pride in my work has allowed me to let go of the bittersweet ache that had been holding a place in my heart for some time.  Although I still regret how it all turned out for us, I cannot deny that she certainly found the 'happy ending' she deserved.
Second, Patty has moved on without hesitation since our fall-out.  Last time I heard, she'd been caught on the arm of Felix Soto who was married.  She still hasn't come to see Una.
And last, though by far the best news is that I've been seeing someone. We met at the local gym.

She seemed to be struggling with the weights and I had offered to help spot her (although it doubtless wasn't necessary.)  She accepted and that's how simply our relationship started.


We were friends at first, everything platonic in deed even if my thoughts were otherwise.  We found a mutual love for sports and exercise, and went together to the gym four nights a week.

We spent other times talking on the phone late into the night.

 And when Una was down for the night on other evenings, Cordelia would come over to watch movies or TV with me.
We inevitable forgot about what we watched to talk more with each other.

She seemed to love hearing about my "worldly adventures" and I never hesitated to share some old, nearly-forgotten tale from a life that almost didn't seem like mine anymore.
And when moments were right, I confessed to her my abandoning ship and how I ended up on Barnacle Bay, and how I came to be Una's only parent.
And when she was comfortable, she told me how she had ended a long love affair with an older man who had hidden his marriage from her after years of companionship.
We had both been burned and found comfort in each other knowing we wouldn't inflict such heartache on the other.
Una too, has come to recognize and enjoy Cordelia's company when she's visited on weekends.  It seemed like our little home of two was now more complete with three.
With a little trepidation, fear in repeating the past, I held back on asking Cordelia to move in with me.  But eventually, I warmed up to the idea and she accepted when I asked.
Cordelia has fit into my life as perfectly as any piece to a puzzle.  Una has grown accustomed to having her as a playmate and quite simply, I love her.

~Tom Calico

Chapter 18: Weathering the Storm

Captain's Log -

Patty is long gone and moved on and I am glad of it.  Although, I wish she had thought to say good bye to Una, or to have left me with a promise to come and see her soon.  But she didn't.  It only confirmed to me the lack of character that Patty had.
In the aftermath of her absence, the storm of adversity still went on.  I battled being a single father, caring solely for Una.  I relied on my own resourcefulness to gain a baby sitter through an agency to watch her during the day while I worked at the police station.  When I got home, I played, fed and bathed Una.  My evenings consisted of devoting every moment to my daughter until I had her in bed for the night.  And once she was in bed, I found that I could barely keep my eyes open due to my long shifts on the job and the stress of being the sole caretaker for a baby.
The first two months were hardest without Patty.  It seemed as if Una knew of her absence and cried in mourning over the loss of her mother. Una was clearly pining for her despite everything.  I seemed to be of little comfort to Una at times.  And those long nights when I paced the floors, bouncing Una on my shoulder, I wondered how could Patty have foresaken the love of her daughter for flippant love affairs and selfish desires to better her career.
After awhile, Una seemed to either forget Patty or come to terms in her own infantile way that Patty wasn't coming back and the crying bouts abated.
As time went on, I got to know more about my daughter, and more of her personality came out to shine.  She loved bananas and mangoes, she would giggle at the sight of a pink bunny stuffed animal, she loved it when I would make monkey faces at her.  Most of all, I noticed how much of myself I saw in her.  She had my eyes, my mother's face.
My life had settled into a pattern and at some point in the past the storm I had been weathering out had ceased and I had found a comfortable pace for me and Una.

Before I knew it, she was a walking two year old toddler.
My, how time seems to fly.  The happy moments speeding time on before I was ready for it.
And despite all that, when I look at my child, my daughter, I know that indeed, I have found my rightful place in life and I have true joy.

~Tom Calico, Captain of my destiny