Cape High Kindergarten

by R. J. Ross

  “You really expect me to buy a line like that?” Rocco asks.

  “At least let me spend some time with my daughter,” the man says, looking straight at me.

  “And I’m really supposed to believe you’ve suddenly discovered familial love?” Rocco asks, letting out a sharp laugh.

  “Okay, fine. I have to at least show up here for a bit, otherwise Isotonic’s going to bring up tossing me into the cells again.”

  “Wait, so this is some sort of community service?” Rocco asks. “Oh, thanks, Pop, how grateful we are to have you USE us to keep from prison,” he says in a dark tone. I look at him, seeing anger and a hint of hurt on his face.

  “Daddy?” I ask, pointing at the man.

  “That’s right, honey, I’m your daddy,” the man says, holding out his hands. I think he expects me to do something, like jump over to him, but nooooo waaaay, not going to happen!

  “Why now?” Rocco asks, looking down at the paw prints on my skirt and starting to walk again. “You just suddenly show up the one day I get to take Evie out for the day? I’m not buying it.”

  “Do they know you’re taking one of the kids out on the town?” he asks. “Even I realize just how protective they are of them. I’m surprised you don’t have a dozen black suits trailing you around.”

  “I’m a fully working cape,” Rocco says, “and there are only two people on the planet that can follow me if I decide we need to make a break for it. You, sadly, happen to be one of them. The other, well, he can follow me around all he wants, if he chooses to.”

  “Reaper doesn’t follow,” I say, wrinkling my nose, “he doesn’t like the smell.”

  Rocco starts laughing. “That’s exactly right,” he says, looking at me proudly.

  “Herold is out there,” the man says.

  “I know,” Rocco says, “which is why we’re staying within shouting distance of the Hall. We’re going to go swimming next, right, Evie?”

  “Swimming?” I ask. “I wanna go swimming!”

  “Where? I’ll have to get some shorts—” Daddy starts out.

  “We’ve got a pool at the school,” Rocco says coldly. I look at him, not used to him being this mean. Rocco is ALWAYS nice to people! I reach up, touching his cheek, and he looks at me.

  “Don’t be mean,” I tell him.

  “That’s right, Rocco, don’t be mean,” Daddy says. “At least give me a chance to get to know my kids.”

  Rocco looks like he wants to argue, but he gives in, and I know it’s because of me. “Fine,” he says. “We need to get Evie’s swimsuit and mine, so we’ll meet you at the Central Hall Water Park in fifteen minutes.”

  “Where—” Daddy starts out, but Rocco heads for the nearest shadow, leaving him behind and heading for the school campus. I look over his shoulder, half expecting Daddy to follow, but all I see is one of the shadow dino’s scurrying past.

  “Dino,” I say, pointing in that direction.

  “They won’t bother us,” he promises.

  “I wanna pet one,” I say.

  “You don’t like dogs but you like dinos?” he asks, surprised. “No, trust me on this; dinos are a lot worse than dogs.”

  I want to argue, but he’s already stepping out of the Shadowlands by this point, so all I do is wave goodbye to the dinos. THEY never ruined a dress given to me by my very bestest friend in the universe!

  We head into the school campus, because the entire school keeps swimsuits in a building next to the pool, and then we head out. He doesn’t seem very happy. “Do you not like swimming?” I ask him.

  “I like swimming,” he says, and then sighs. “Evie,” he says, “Our dad isn’t… he’s not totally bad, but he’s not…” he hesitates, and I can see him thinking hard. “When he fails, and he will, a lot, I’ll step up, okay? You can trust me to come to all your special days, no matter WHERE I’m at when it happens. I’ll come from the other side of the planet, if I gotta, okay?”

  I nod, because he seems extremely serious about this fact. “Daddy is bad?” I ask.

  “Daddy is… how about this,” he says, “we’ll find you a step-daddy, and you can pretend that Daddy’s a ghost.”

  I hesitate, because the only time I’ve ever heard the term “step” is from Cinderella. “Like in Cinderella?” I ask.

  “No! Definitely not like in Cinderella,” he says, shaking his head. “I’ve got a step-daddy, you know? He’s a pretty nice guy. I mean, I’m living in the school so I don’t see him very often… or at all, except for phone calls, but he’s way better than…” he stops, sighing. “It’s just… what’s important is that no matter whether our dad’s a good dad or not, I’m going to be the very best brother you’ve ever had,” he says, firmly.

  I nod, since he’s the ONLY brother I’ve ever had, so it makes sense he’s the best. I don’t mention that to him because he looks so grim right now. I don’t think my daddy is a very good person…

  “Is he… a super villain?” I whisper.

  “Yeah,” he says as we head off campus and he picks me up, walking through a shadow. I’ve only gone through the Shadowlands a few times, but I think I like them. Oh, they smell funny, but they’re interesting! I turn left and right, wanting to see everything before we leave. I’m so busy looking that I forget about my daddy being a super villain. It can’t be THAT bad, can it? Cubby and Robo’s daddy is a super villain! I don’t think Hana HAS a daddy, actually. She’s got a ‘ji-ji’ though, which is a grandpa, which I don’t have. Do I?

  “Do I have a ji-ji?” I ask him as he gets in line for the pool.

  “A Gee… gee?” Daddy asks as he moves behind us.

  I try to hide behind Rocco, surprised at how Daddy just appeared.

  “A grandfather,” Rocco says. “That’s a good question, Evie, DO we have a grandfather, Pop?”

  “He died a while back,” Daddy says. “What, fifty years ago, or so? He was pretty up there at the time, close to two hundred, I’d say, maybe a bit over. But I don’t know about on your mothers’ sides. You’ll have to ask them.”

  “I didn’t even get to meet him,” I say, sadly.

  “On the other hand, our dad is OLD enough to be our great-granddad, so that makes it okay, right, Evie?” Rocco offers. I have NO idea what he means. It must show on my face because he shrugs and goes to pay the entrance fee.

  “One student and a child,” he says to the guy at the desk.

  “I’m going to have to see your identification,” the guy says. Rocco hesitates, shrugs, and pulls out a card, flashing it at him. The guy’s eyes widen. “Oh! Go on in,” he says. “You’re free to enter.”

  “Thanks,” Rocco says, pocketing everything and carrying me in.

  “What about your old man, huh?” I hear Daddy call out. I wave at him, since he looks lonely. He lets out a groan and then snorts before pulling out his own wallet to pay. Then he comes running in, stopping next to us just to poke my forehead. It doesn’t hurt. “What was that wave about?”

  The look on his face makes me giggle, even as I touch my forehead. “Bye bye, Daddy,” I tell him.

  “Bye bye daddy, huh?” he repeats as Rocco starts laughing. “Do you have your swimsuit on?” I shake my head. “You’re not sending her into the girl’s side on her own,” he says to Rocco. “I’ll take her into the family changing room.”

  “We’ll all go,” Rocco says, heading for it.

  “I’m their dad,” Daddy says to people we go by. Rocco groans at the line waiting for the changing room in question, and then heads for the men’s changing room, his hand coming up and covering my eyes. I tug at his hand, but he doesn’t budge.

  “I’m not letting you see naked butts,” he tells me. I start giggling, because that’s FUNNY!

  “He said naked butts!” I say.

  “He’s got a point,” Daddy says. “What’s the plan?”

  Rocco keeps walking and I hear a door swing shut behind us, and then we’re in the Shadowlands. He pulls his hand away and I look around curi
ously.

  “The Shadowlands is in here?” I ask him.

  “There are shadows,” Daddy says, stepping through a portal, “the Shadowlands are everywhere, honey.” He seems to have trouble saying “honey” but I don’t mention it. Rocco puts me down, pulls his swimming trunks out of the bag, and spins around so fast that all I see is a blur. A second later he’s standing there in his swimming trunks and holding out my swimsuit to me. I look at it for a little too long, so he puts it in my hand and tugs his shirt over my head.

  “Change in there,” he says.

  “But… it’s a dress,” I say. “It’s gotta go over my head.” He’s silly, I think, but I can’t give him the appropriate look because my face is covered by his shirt.

  “Okay, then arms up!” he says. I do it as well as I can when trapped in a shirt. The shirt goes up, my dress goes up, and the shirt comes back, all in a second. I start laughing, because it was like a magic trick! “Again! Again!”

  “Evieeee,” he says. I give up and tug my swimsuit on the best I can, and then hand him my panties, because he has the bag. Daddy starts laughing. I shove my hands through the sleeves and tug the shirt down. It’s HUGE! I could wear this for a dress!

  “Swimming!” I say, clapping my hands and jumping up and down excitedly. He picks me up and we head back into the changing room, where he repeats the eye-covering process all the way out of the building. I’m laughing like crazy as we come out into the light because he keeps teasing me by ALMOST pulling his hand away and then going, “Whoops, no, you can’t see that, either!”

  “Does she know how to swim?” Daddy asks as Rocco finally pulls his hand away.

  “We’ve been working on it,” Rocco says, only to hesitate as he looks around. “We don’t actually use those balloon things… what are they called, floaties? At our school, though.”

  “Why not?” Daddy asks. “They look like they’d keep her from drowning.”

  “MALINA keeps her from drowning,” Rocco says.

  “Malina!!” I say, getting excited. “Is Malina coming?! I LOVE Malina!”

  “Not today,” Rocco says. “It’s just you and me today, but I’ll make sure you don’t drown,” he promises.

  “And Daddy,” I say.

  “Well, if he drowns, I MIGHT pull him out, but I’m not doing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation,” he says as we head for the kiddie pool. People stare at us. Usually they only do it AFTER Rocco and Daddy have walked past, but I can see it, because I’m looking over Rocco’s shoulder. I scoot closer, resting my chin in the crook of his neck and feeling shy. “What’s wrong?” he asks me quietly.

  “They’re looking at me,” I say.

  “Well of course they are,” he says. “You’re the cutest little girl in the park.” He puts me down in the foot deep water and tugs his shirt off of me. I look down at my Divine Justice swimsuit, distracted. I LIKE this swimsuit. I like Emily, too!

  “It’s a shame,” Daddy says. “Looks like she promises to be quite the beauty. I wonder if that super surgeon will still be working when she’s old enough.”

  “Don’t even go there, Pop,” Rocco says.

  “You don’t see them staring at me!” he brags.

  “Nah, they’re staring,” Rocco says quietly. “They sense it when we’re together.”

  “EVIE!” I stop, shocked to hear the familiar voice, and start looking around wildly. I forget entirely that we’re surrounded by strangers.

  “HANA!” I squeal as I see her running my way. I break out into a run to meet her, I’m so excited.

  “Hana, no running!” her mommy says, following along behind her with several bags of things in tow.

  Just as she says that, I feel my feet go out from under me. I turn, seeing the concrete rising up to greet me, but right before I hit, someone grabs me. “ROC—” I start out, about to cry from the shock. The tears stop before they can begin, because it isn’t Rocco holding me, it’s Daddy.

  “Don’t run,” he tells me, setting me on my feet. I nod, only to let out a little yelp as Hana throws her arms around me and Cubby and Robo come out, yelling and being silly, with their parents following behind.

  “You came!” I say.

  “The school thing finished quick!” Hana says, “And then Nico said you were here and I wanted to go swimming and Cubby and Robo said THEY wanted to go swimming, and so we came here! Who’s he?” she asks in a whisper, pointing at Daddy.

  “Daddy,” I say. “Daddy, this is my bestest friend ever!”

  “Nice to meet you,” he says, but he’s looking at Cubby and Robo’s daddy instead. How rude!

  “Shadowman,” Panther says. “I didn’t know you were taking such an interest in your daughter’s childhood.”

  “We’re his community service,” Rocco says, picking me up and checking me over.

  “He saved me,” I tell him.

  “And that’s one good thing he’s done,” he says, sighing and hugging me. I look over at Daddy, seeing a strange look on his face as he watches us. Then he looks past us, a slight frown on his face as he sees more people coming.

  “Evie!” I hear Mommy say. I pull out of Rocco’s hold and jump up and down, waving as I see her and Mr. Tony from school heading into the area.

  “Who’s that guy?” Daddy asks Rocco quietly.

  “Tony Accardi, father of Fire Hazard and the school janitor,” Rocco says, starting to grin. “Evie, does your mommy and Tony spend time together?”

  “He comes over for dinner sometimes,” I say.

  Rocco shoots Daddy a grin. It’s hidden as Mommy and Mr. Tony get to us. Mommy is staring at Daddy, though, with her mad look. “What are you doing here?” she asks.

  “There’s no law against me getting to know my own kids,” he says, holding up his hands. “In fact, Rocco and I hang out quite a lot, don’t we, kid? But the girl is hidden away like a prisoner.”

  “She’s protected,” Panther says, “as all of our little ones are meant to be. You should appreciate that fact.”

  “Except for the fact that I can’t visit,” Daddy says. All of the adults look at him.

  “You can visit!” I say, urgently, reaching up and taking his hand. “Can’t he come visit, Mommy?”

  “Only when we do a lot of arranging,” Rocco says before Mommy can reply. “‘Daddy’ is a…” he looks both ways and then leans down, whispering in my ear, “a super secret super villain.”

  “Super secret?” I repeat.

  “Super super secret,” he agrees. I look at Daddy, who gives Rocco a look before smiling a bit crookedly at me.

  “Super super secret,” he agrees. “I’ve got big jobs all around the world. They’ve taken to loaning me out to other groups, did you know that? I just did a week long stint over in England for Knight. Talk about a stick in the mud,” he complains as he crouches down in front of me. “So… you probably won’t see me very often, kid. But that’s fine, right?”

  It doesn’t FEEL fine. I know I just met him, but—but he’s like me. I only know Rocco who’s like me, and Reaper is a little like me, right? And there’s Aunt Skye, but she’s far away and busy with work. I feel my bottom lip tremble, because I… I don’t like people leaving. He reaches up, cupping my cheek.

  “Hey, now, don’t cry,” he says. “This is only for now. Someday you’ll be a big girl and running around the world, and I can show you some of my favorite places. You, me, Rocco, we’re the only ones that can use the Shadowlands—”

  “Reaper,” Rocco says.

  “Well, yeah, but if you could go through the Mirrorlands would you bother with the Shadowlands?” Daddy asks.

  “Mirrorlands?” I repeat, distracted.

  “What’s a mirrorland?” Hana asks. “Is it like the Alice story and the kitty with the big smile?”

  “Not that I know of,” Daddy admits. “I’ve never been.” He looks at Rocco. “Get her in the game.”

  “She’s too young,” Rocco says.

  “Then play it with her.”

  �
�Evie, why don’t we go swimming?” Mommy asks, trying to distract me. “Hana wants to go swimming, don’t you, Hana?”

  “Then I’ll just be going,” Daddy says.

  “No, wait!” I say, panicking. I run up to him, wrapping my arms around his waist, and he picks me up. “I… I don’t want to… I want my family!” I say.

  “It’s okay, I’ll make sure to check in, okay?” he says, but he looks a little uncomfortable. “You can stop glaring, Panther, I’m not going to hurt the kid,” he says, looking over my shoulder. “She has my eyes.”

  Rocco pulls me out of his hold and he waves once before walking away. I watch him go until he reaches a shadow, and then he’s gone for good. The adults look relieved, and I look over at Mommy, who looks a little shaky.

  “Is… is Daddy bad?” I ask Rocco.

  He gives me a half smile. “He has been,” he says. “He’s been very, very bad.”

  “Do you not like him?” I ask.

  “I…” he hesitates and then sighs. “I don’t like the things he’s done, but, well, he IS our Pop. We’ve got a very long time to deal with him. But trust me, Evie, I will NEVER let him do stuff like he’s done in the past.”

  I nod, and then grin at him. “Let’s go swimming!”

  “Let’s go swimming,” he agrees, putting me down. I run into the water, splashing happily, and my friends quickly join in.

  I hear Rocco say something to Mommy, but not what, it’s too loud here. But that’s okay, I decide. I’m going to focus on having fun with my bestest friends in the world! Daddy said he’ll check in, right? That’s good enough!

  ***

  *That night*

  “Can I show Evie something?” Rocco asks. I’m sleepy, it’s been a very busy day, but I get excited at the question.

  “I wanna see something!” I say.

  “Only for a little bit, she needs to go to bed soon,” Mommy says.

  Rocco nods and leads me into the front room while Mommy cleans up the table. He pulls out his phone and taps on it. The wall lights up, showing a game. I blink, seeing a character that looks a lot like Daddy standing in front of us.