Page 98

I nod again. “Thank you.”

She offers me that tight smile again. “How are Faye and the kids?”

“They’re all good. Wonderful.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” She stands. “I’m going to grab those prescriptions for you. One moment.”

She leaves the room and returns in minutes. Still, it’s enough time to set my mind to whirling. For the fear to overwhelm the relief that I’ll soon have answers.

I take the prescriptions Doctor Maddens offers. “Thank you.”

She holds my eyes with her own, assuring kindly, “We’re going to figure this out.”

That’s what I’m afraid of.

39

RIGHT AS RAIN

JULY 2021 – 31 YEARS OLD

The mountain runoff has left the rivers around Rubble Ridge unbearably cold, but the warm days have warmed the lake enough that the beach is bustling on the first Saturday of the month. Now that school is out, and sports are finished for the summer—keeping the kids preoccupied means beach days, hikes and camping. It’s ice cream shacks and movie nights with homemade popcorn drenched in butter. It’s slow mornings on the front porch swing with my wife, daughter and dog tucked in close. It’s late nights on the back porch with that same woman’s hand in mine as we watch the sun fall to the stars. It’s watching my son find his first true crush, and what it means to be a gentleman.

It’s living.

“Daddy, look!” I tear my gaze from the lake where Owen, Colton and Hayden race to the floating dock. Even over the distance that spans us, I can hear the smack-talk that reminds me of what it means to be a boy. Mabel drops to her knees beside me on the blanket we tossed down on the sand, opening a fist to show me her captured treasure.

“She’s four,” Mabel tells me proudly, protecting the ladybug from Duke’s curiously sniffing snout. “I’m going to be four.”

“That you are.”

Colt leans over the side of his chair that’s been steadily sinking into the sand over the last couple hours. “How do you know it’s four?”

“The dots, silly.” Mabel shines a pearly grin at him as she shoves the drying strands of her sun-blonde hair from her face.

“Silly me,” Colt agrees. “How do you know she’s a she?”

Mabel gives him a pained look far beyond her years. “She’s a ladybug.” She enunciates with long, drawn out syllables. “Laaaaady.”

“My bad.” Colt rewards her with a sheepish expression that has Adeline, his wife, biting back a smirk.

Mabel leans close to me, and under her breath she whispers, “Did he go to school like Owen?”

A bark of laughter breaks free, but I wrestle it down as I tell my daughter, “That’s why paying attention is important.”

Mabel nods matter of fact, like she wholly understands why such a thing would be important now that she’s seen an adult man mistake the gender of a ladybug. I love her innocent mind.

“Poor Harlow.” Faye juts her chin toward the lake where Harlow is doing her best to keep up with the boys.

“Oh,” Adeline waves her hand. “She loves chasing the boys. She’s been waiting just as anxiously for today as Hayden.”

“That’s good.” Faye stretches out in the sun, freeing a long sigh as she does. “God, this is nice.”

The moment is broken by the toot-toot of a horn, and we all turn to see Tanner rolling up in his truck, grin stretched wide through the windshield.

Mabel yells, “It’s Uncle Tanner!” And then she takes off at a run, leaving an incensed Duke behind.

Tanner hops down from the truck in time to lift Mabel into his arms, swinging her around just the way she expects, before he sets her down on her feet again. I grin, because she loves my best friend like he’s her true blood uncle.