When Hidden Lanterns Glow We Find Roads Toward Peace by Ryn Arlo Dane 35

Kaylee’s Revelations Part I 

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“Stop looking over your shoulder,” Gulliver hissed in her ear. 

“They’re staring first,” January grunted as she adjusted in her seat angrily. 

“Why is it bothering you so much?” Gulliver questioned her. 

“It’s an invasion of my privacy.” 

“You weren’t complaining about it earlier. In fact, you made a comment about how you hoped they all got in a circle and,” he stopped talking when she put her hand over his mouth. 

She shot an annoyed look at her father who chuckled at Gulliver’s comment. 

“You did make a rather crude comment about what they could do.” 

“You’re not helping, Dad.” 

“I’m sorry,” he gave a snicker as he took a long sip of his soda. “I really wish this was a beer.” 

“You need to drive home.” 

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“I know.” 

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“I would feel much better if you were not driving,” Gulliver said quietly as he looked to where Kaylee was frantically coloring a sheet, her hands sliding all over the place on the back of a paper placemat. “If they decide to get aggressive, I would much rather one of my men be in control of your vehicle. They are highly trained to drive in situations which are not normal.” 

“Why?” 

The blunt question from her father made January press her lips together. 

“Because as a billionaire and CEO to one of the world’s biggest engineering firms, I receive threats daily. My brother is also incredibly wealthy, and he has a small child. We frequently travel with precious cargo,” Gulliver gave a pointed glance at Kaylee, “in our vehicles and we need to make sure the best of the best are in place in the event of things like kidnappings and hostage situations.” 

“What’s a hostage?” Kaylee didn’t even look up from her drawing. “Like in the movies where people take people with guns and stuff?” 

“It is.” 

January gave Gulliver a furious glare for telling Kaylee such a 

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Kaylee’s Revelations Part I 

thing and Gulliver shrugged back. 

&t 

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“Kaylee, nothing bad will happen to you. As your dad, it’s my job to keep you safe and secure. I hire the best people in the world who would do everything to keep us all safe. The man who drove in the car with you and your mom and grandparents is my favorite driver because he’s very good at doing things safely.” 

“He will make sure we’re safe?” 

“He will.” 

“Why do you want him to drive and not Papa? Are we going to be kidnapped?” 

Again, the child didn’t look up from her frenetic coloring and January kicked Gulliver under the table. 

“No, sweet Kaylee, we are not going to be kidnapped. There are old friends of your grandfather’s,” he threw Terrance under the bus, “who are spying on us because they think I’m really rich and doing things I shouldn’t be doing. I’m worried they may try to make your Papa pull over to talk to them.” 

“The police people?” Kaylee asked this time flitting a glance in the direction of the men seated at the nearby table. 

3/6 Something in her words made Gulliver frown and look at 

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Kaylee’s Revelations Part I 

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January before putting a comforting hand on Kaylee’s back and rubbing it softly, “do you know those police people?” 

“Yeah. Sometimes they come to my school and talk to the class. They always talk about how it’s important if we see bad things happening we need to tell the police right away. They always come and talk right to me and ask if I’ve seen any bad men around. The bald man over there, the last time had a cut on the top of his head. I remember him because I kept looking at the cut.” 

January was pushing the chair back to go confront the man, but Gulliver draped his other arm over her shoulder and forced her to remain seated. 

“Kaylee, do they always single you out and take you by yourself or do they question all the kids in the class.” 

“Just me and my friend Darwin. He’s my best friend. Sometimes they ask him questions too.” 

“Your best friend’s name is Darwin?” Gulliver’s lips twisted angrily as he thought of the man who wanted to ask January 

out. 

“Yeah. Bonnie bullies him a lot so I stuck up for him all the time and he said he’ll be my best friend forever. Bonnie makes fun of him because he’s really skinny and wears glasses and his 4/6 

dad is a nerd. At the beginning of school this year, I got in 

Kaylee’s Revelations Part I 

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trouble for pushing her down into a puddle, but she was asking. for it. She called him names and made fun of him because his mom died.” 

January was in shock, “Kaylee, when the teacher and I asked 

you about that, you swore you didn’t push her. The kids who were there all said you didn’t push her. Are you saying you did push her?” 

“My friends like me better than they like her. She’s a bully. It pushed her and I gave them all cookies from my lunch the next day. Nana makes the best cookies in town. All the kids were happy to get cookies if they said I didn’t do it.” She looked up with her lashes batting against her cheeks, “I can’t get punished now, right? It was a long time ago.” 

“Kaylee!” 

“Bonnie isn’t nice Mom.” 

“Pushing her into a puddle wasn’t nice.” 

“She made fun of him cause his mom died and she said I was just as bad because I don’t have a dad. She can suck eggs. I’m not sorry.” 

“Let’s get back on track,” Analia said seriously. “We can discuss that later however how many times have the police officers, 5/6 

taken you aside to chat.” 

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& 

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“Lots of times. They come to the school all the time. I think they are friends with the principal. They always give him. cards.” 

“Cards?” 

“Yeah, I think it’s cards. It’s in envelopes like when we buy cards at the store for birthdays.” 

“They’re bribing the damn principal?” January asked incredulously. 

“To get access to our daughter and you wonder which of us is the more duplicitous?”