Page 27 of Come to Me

Patrick mirrored the boy's actions, casting into the lake although not quite as far as Tate.

“You did it again.”

Patrick wasn’t sure anyone had ever been so proud of him as Tate was in that moment. It was both sweet and sad.

“Now what do we do?” Patrick asked.

“Now we sit and wait.” Tate sank down onto the soft ground. Patrick joined him and they sat in companionable silence watching their lines drift quietly in the water.

“You’re pretty good at this,” Patrick said.

Tate shrugged. "My dad taught me."

“He must be good too.”

“He is. He can fish in the ocean too. Sometimes him and his friends go out on a boat in the ocean.”

“That’s impressive.”

“He can hunt with a gun and a bow.”

“Bow?” Did people still hunt with a bow and arrow?

“Yep. Can you hunt?”

“No, I can’t.”

Tate turned his face to Patrick. “What can you do?”

Patrick laughed. “I’m afraid my skills are more fitting for the big city.”

“Like what?”

Patrick had no clue what skills he had that would interest a seven-year-old. “I can drive in in Manhattan.”

“My dad can drive. He has a special car that can go fast when he’s chasing bad guys.”

“Your dad is very talented.”

Tate nodded and sat quietly for a minute. “My mom died.”

He said it the same soft way he’d had the day before.

“I’m sorry that happened. It’s hard when we lose someone we love.”

Tate leaned closer to him. “Some days I’m not sad anymore.”

Patrick glanced at the boy, his heart going out to the youngster at having to deal with such significant loss so early in life. “Do you feel bad about that?”

Tate nodded.

“Do you think your mom or others in your life want you to be sad?”

He shrugged.

“The thing is, Tate, life keeps going. Yes, it’s sad that your mom is gone, but it’s okay for you to live and smile and have fun. That doesn’t mean you don’t love your mom.”

“Sometimes it feels like I'm gonna forget her."

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