Page 20 of Secrets on the Mountain

Mable sips from a glass and waits not entirely patiently for me to respond.

I glance around nervously, hoping that April or Zephyr might rescue me the way they've been doing most of the evening whenever they see Mable managing to get me cornered.

Seeing the way my eyes keep wandering to where I can see Cane and Donner deep in conversation on a bench in the back yard, Mable smiles. Her expression goes soft as she slips her arm around me.

"You know, he never told us what really made him give up playing professionally. We all thought he came back to the Ridge to help us out when Hayle left."

There's an edge to Mable's voice that I can't quite decipher when she mentions Cane's older brother.

She takes a drink of whatever she has in her glass before continuing.

"I haven't seen him laugh like that since before we lost his father."

Through the window, we watch Cane throw his head back and laugh. He looks young again, carefree, and so much like the man I met in that parking lot carnival so long ago. It's hard to think that the Cane I fell for is the same man that his family worries so much about, the one who's been carrying the weight of so much guilt over so many things that aren't his fault.

"I'm so glad you came looking for him, June. He needs you and that boy more than you will probably ever understand."

Mable gives me a slight squeeze before dropping her arm, giving her beverage a deeply contemplative stare, and heading off without another word.

* * *

Hurricane

Donner's been telling me about the pictures in Mom's living room that look like him. He thinks it's pretty cool that I looked so much like him when I was his age-- but he's also having a hard time believing I was ever his age.

If he wasn't keeping me in tears from laughing so hard at his impression of Gran, I'd probably be feeling pretty emotional about him not understanding the family resemblance just yet.

Junie and I agreed though, we're going to try not to dump too much on him all at once. We'll answer any questions honestly and we won't keep any secrets from him-- we just figure he's got enough big changes to adjust to, we can hold off on filling in so many details at once.

"So are you going to be my dad now, Hurricane?"

Donner swings his feet back and forth nervously over the edge of the bench we're sitting on. His eyes are focused on something in the distance, possibly the soft glow of light coming from my sister's place.

Under different circumstances, I'd probably ask him how he feels about it, but being Don's father is a done deal, whether he likes it or not. Why that is, is something June and I will find a way to explain to him over time as he's ready to understand it.

"Yes, I am." I answer him honestly in the new dad voice I recently discovered I have. "You cool with that?"

I admit, the kid had me nervous for a second. When Donner looks up at me, he's nothing but one big smile.

"Yeah! That'd be awesome! Can I call you 'Dad' too?"

Behind us, the sound of Junie's gasp interrupts our man-to-man conversation.

When we turn to look her way, she's standing by the back door with her hand over her mouth and I know she's been there long enough to hear the best parts.

"Can I?" Donner looks up at me and whispers urgently, obviously eager for my answer.

He gets an enthusiastic nod. I don't trust my voice.

"Mom!" It's easy to tell why he wanted my answer so quickly. He jumps off the bench and runs to Junie, grabbing her by the hand and pulling her back to me.

I'm glad to see it doesn't take much effort.

"Hurricane's going to be my dad, is that okay?"

The sound of June's laugh makes me want to pull her into my lap and kiss her in the ticklish spot behind her ear so I can hear it again.

"I heard," she says, "and yes, it's okay. I'm glad you're happy about that."

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