Footfalls approaching him in the shop as he labored under the hood of a hot rod. 

Lost in his thoughts. Holding his breath that Teener would return home soon and relieve him of his forced baby-sitting duty. 

"Whatcha doin?" the tiny high pitched voice inquired. 

Hando didn't answer, hoping that his silence and perceived big-bad-bearness would divert the youngster from his presence. 

"Huh? What is this?" He could hear the clinking noises of tools, his tools, being disturbed. Caitlin picked up a timing light - clicking it on...and off...on...and off...

Without looking away from his task, he knew what she was doing. "Put that down. It's not a toy," he growled. 

"Well? What is it? Looks like a..."

"S'one of my tools. Don't you know better than to mess with other people's things? Don't you have something to do? Where did your friend go?" When Teener left nearly an hour ago, she promised that Caity wouldn't be any trouble. She would be engrossed in her Barbies with her neighborhood pal and had plenty to keep her occupied.

Little did Aunt'een know - a seven year old's attention span isn't nearly as long as a trip to the grocery store...

And why was it that Teener didn't take her along? Something about a birthday...

"Rachel? Oh, she had to go home. Her mama and her went to the store." 

"That seems like the place to be." 

"Huh? What did you say?" She was inching closer to his personal space. On tippy 

toes, peering into the car with a mixed reaction of wonderment and repulsion. "Ewwwwwww. You sure are getting dirty. You know, we haveta wear smocks at school when we're gonna get messy like that..."

Hando growled and buried myself as far under the hood of the car as possible. 

"Unca Hando." 

No response. 

Caitlin leaned against him, stepping squarely on his toes. 

"UNCA HANDO!" 

WHAM! Startled, he raised up and smacked his head on the hood. The pliers and wrench he was delicately operating with went crashing through the spaces of the hoses wires and engine components and landed on the shop floor.

"WHAAAAAAT?" He rubbed his head and stared angrily at the curly blonde-haired girl. 

"Geez, you don't haveta yell." She shrunk away from him, eyes lowered to her shoes. She chewed on her lip - as if trying to decide to stay or go. 

Hando shook off the stars and tweety birds swirling in his vision and began looking for his tools, grumbling to himself. 

Seeing an opportunity to help, Caitlin saw what he was looking for - under the car. With lightning speed she dove, retrieved his pliers, wrench, and two screwdrivers that had eluded him earlier.

Beaming, she held them up to him. Grinning from ear to ear. Proud that she proved helpful to him. 

"Thanks," he mumbled. He went back to his work, ignoring his guest. Silently wishing her away. 

Of course, she didn't. A few moments later, an uneasy feeling crept over him, breaking his concentration. He felt like - like he was being watched. 

He slowly lifted his head, turned and peeked over his shoulder. Caitlin was quietly, intently examining the tattoos on his left arm. Her eyebrows were furrowed together over her squinted eyes.

"Oi." 

She jumped - spooked out of her investigation. Eyes as big as beach balls - on the verge of tears. 

Hando took a deep breath and dipped his head. Bubs used to give him that same scared expression - petrified that Hando would dole out some extreme punishment for whatever his insolence was at the moment. Although he never hit Bubs, he did have his bluff in on the boy. It didn't occur to him that the leader of the gang wouldn't exact a smack on the head. Bubs never had the chance to grow wise to Hando's sham.

"Your mama isn't gonna be very happy that you drew all over yourself with a marker like that. I got whooped big-time when I came home from school one day after I drew a flower on my..."

"Why don't you call your Aunt and ask her when she's gonna be back?" 

"Already did. She has her phone turned off. Got that message, "The cellular customer you have dialed..." doing a spot-on imitation of the recording. All the

while dancing around - doing pieces of cheerleading moves. 

"Ok Ok Ok." 

"Wanna see some of my cheerleading routine? It's really cool!" 

"I'll take a rain-check." 

Caitlin saw him as a challenge, now. He was the only one available to play with. 

"I'm hungry. When is lunch? Aunt'een makes me peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with the crust cut off and..."

"Oi. You are old enough to do that yourself, little girl. Hell, you should be getting' a job and makin' yourself useful." 

"Ooooooooo! You said the "H" word! Aunt'een told you to watch your mouth..."

"How can I when I'm too busy listenin to you? Go on - go inside and leave me be. Watch TV or somethin'" His gruff voice drove the point home. A dejected little girl moped back into the house.

Thank Christ I don't have knee biters. Drive me freakin mental, they would. Why the fuck aren't I away visiting a sister? I've lucked out and been away every other time Teener's sister has dumped her spawn on her. Why can't she just say no? Says it to me plenty...

Eeeeeeeeeee! BAM! 

For fucks sake - what now? Hando tore into the house - wildly searching for 

Caitlin. A wave of terror washed through him. What if she is hurt - really hurt? 

Shit! Teen will never forgive...

"Wahhhhhh - ooooooooowwwww! My kneeeeeee!" 

Caitlin was rolling on the kitchen floor, clutching her knee. Her face was beet red, tears leaving a shiny zigzag on her cheeks. Hando would recall later the knot in his stomach from seeing her in such a state. He quickly assessed the situation. Cabinet door open...broken plate on the floor.

"Christ! What were you doing? What the f... Why were you climbing on the counter?"

"I was tryin to fix me and you some lunch and I ...I... fell." Caity was sobbing in a hic-cup sort of fashion.

Hando scooped up her tiny body from the scatter of ceramic shards. Her arms became a vice grip around his neck as she trembled. It was a pivotal moment for him. He closed his eyes and shushed her.

Placing her gently on the table to check for damage, the unconditional trust evident in the eyes of that fragile little girl made his heart skip a beat. He swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to be all business, but not without some difficultly.

"Shhh. It's ok. Look. Nothing broken. Nothin bleedin. You'll be just apples. 

Here..." Hando retrieved a bandana from the back pocket of his work pants. He unfolded and refolded it a few times, looking for the cleanest area - and wiped her tears from her face.

"Better?" Her arms snaked around his neck again. He reluctantly put an arm around her and rocked her gently. 

All my fault, he thought. I shoulda kept my eye on her instead of chasing her out. What the fuck was I thinking? 

Hoooooooonk. 

Tell me she didn't just blow her nose in my rag....

After a short Q and A session, Caitlin chose McDonald's as her choice of lunch menu. Not Hando's favorite, but he hoped it would make up for his earlier selfishness.

"Wait." She scampered to catch up with his wide stride walk to the restaurant entrance. She grabbed onto the first three fingers of his left hand. He stopped and marveled at how small and soft her hand was. She craned her head back, and smiled up at Hando. "I'm supposed to hold a grown-up's hand when I walk across a parking lot."

"Ah." He nodded and smiled back. "Good idea." 

They ate in silence as he observed the marvel that is the modern 7-year old. She devoured the French fries, the chicken nuggets and made short work of the Blizzard she had begged for. Do they all put food away like that? Do they all have this much energy?

It hadn't crossed his mind until then - when had he ever really been around children? They seem entertaining to watch, in the very least. Are they all that way? Or is it just this one? What's happening? Christ. Why me? Why isn't she afraid of me? Why does she look at me like that?

"How long have you and Aunt'een been married?" 

He began to protest - to correct...but was unaware of what Teener or her mother may have explained about their special situation. "Uh - a few years now," he lied.

"Why aintcha got any kids?" 

"Cuz they talk too much." She beamed at him and he found that he couldn't keep a straight face. 

"Where did you meet her?" 

"On the computer." 

"Oh! My best friend's big sister met her boyfriend that way...but they broke up. She said he smelled funny and had a big nose."

"Good thing I showered, huh?" 

"Unca Handoooo - you are silly!" 

Been called lots of things, but never silly. 

Teener arrived home to find something...quite...odd...for Hando, that is...

There was Caitlin - tiny little Caitlin - standing on a step stool, leaning over the car engine next to Hando. She was wearing one of his work shirts over her clothes, with the sleeves haphazardly rolled up.

Hando was seriously explaining the generalities of the workings of an auto engine to her, to which she was responding with, "Oh, if that thingy does that - then what is this thingy for?"

Not wanting to interrupt this unique exchange, lest she never again see the object of her lust and desire in a moment like this, she quietly observed. Hando had taught her which tools where what and she would carefully step off her stool, find the correct tool, climb back up beside him and present it as efficiently as an ER nurse.

What is that? What is that smile on his face? Is that pride? I never thought I'd see...

"Unca Hando?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Can I stay with you again sometime? Don't tell Aunt'een, but this is the most fun I've ever had here - with you. I wouldn't want her to feel bad." 

Out of the mouths of babes.