Page 64 of Ambush

“You joined up right away?”

He nodded. “It was a way of finding my dad. My uncle Ron recruited me, and Mom was ready to kill him. He was right though. It was time to be my own man, to find my own way. And I wanted Mom to find a life that wasn’t all about raising me.” He couldn’t recover the lost years with Paradise, but they could go forward into a new future.

“Blake?” a small voice said.

He turned and saw Levi in his Spidey pajamas rubbing sleepy eyes. “Hey, buddy, you should be sleeping.”

“I wanted you or Paradise and you weren’t there.” Levi’s voice quivered. “I dreamed about Daddy.”

“Oh, buddy.” Blake rose and went to lift his little brother into his arms. “I know you miss your daddy. You’ll see him someday in heaven. He’s walking around with Jesus, taking in all the sights.”

“But I want himhere!” the little guy wailed, burying his face in Blake’s neck.

A boulder formed in Blake’s throat, and he wished he could take Levi’s pain. He knew how it felt to lose his dad too, and even now, there were so many things he wanted to ask his father about. Mom had tried to be both mother and father to the boys, but it was impossible. Blake knew because she’d tried with him too. She was the best mom, but she wasn’t his father. No one was.

He spotted Paradise wiping her eyes and knew she understood too. He wished the unrelenting pain of loss didn’t have to be part of life, but it couldn’t be changed. All the platitudes in the world didn’t ease the hurt. It was something that had to be endured, not eradicated.

He squeezed his little brother tight and murmured comforting words in his ear. “You can snuggle with me here on the sofa,” he said when Levi’s sobs tapered off. “We’ll lay there and think about fishing in the pond with the hippos.”

Levi gave a small hiccup. “With Bertha?”

“Yep. She’s back to burying herself in the water and spying on any fisherman who throws a fly her way. I’m sure she’s lonely by now and wondering where you’ve been.”

“Could we go tomorrow?”

“We have church, but we could go after work in the afternoon. Maybe Paradise will come with us, and we can teach her how to cast a fly. I’ll bet she doesn’t know.”

“I don’t have any idea how to do it. I think I need Levi to show me.” Her voice held no trace of the tears he’d seen a few minutes ago as she rose and came toward them. She smoothed the little boy’s rumpled hair. “I’m sure I can learn if you show me. Just like you told me what to call a group of hyenas.”

He wiped his eyes. “A cackle.” Levi lifted his head from Blake’s neck. “It’s pretty hard to throw a fly, but I won’t mind if you miss it. I’ll just show you again.”

“Deal.” She blew a kiss Blake’s way and went down the hall.

Chapter 30

Paradise tiptoed into the kitchen. Blake must be up somewhere in the house because the sofa was empty. She opened a window to let in the breeze before turning to her task of prepping for dinner. The boys loved Mexican, so she decided on her chicken fajita recipe. She found the slow cooker and plugged it in, then took chicken breasts from the freezer. She found peppers and jalapeños in the fridge and onions in the pantry, then grabbed the chopping board.

The sound of the park waking up wafted through the screen: the woodpeckers hammering, the lemurs cackling, the troop of monkeys screeching, and the water burbling from the artificial falls by the otter habitat. She inhaled the scent of early morning dew and the roses blooming in the backyard. This place held more and more allure to her, and it wasn’t just because of Blake. It already felt like home.

She turned at a noise and spotted Jenna, dressed for church in a red dress that skimmed her hips and made her look twenty-five.

Her dark brown hair was up in a ponytail. “You’re fixing dinner? I always knew I loved you.”

“It’s the least I can do for all the support your family has given me.” Paradise eyed her. “You must have gotten a good rest. Your eyes are sparkling like you’re ready to take on the new day.”

Jenna stepped past her to take eggs and bacon out of the fridge. “Isaac stayed in one place all night, so I’m good. We have a busload of kids coming in at eleven and a group of seniors at noon. It’s a good thing we have an early service. Should be a great day. At least some people haven’t been put off by the rumors.”

It was best to keep her mouth shut and not tell her boss about the rumors flying around Pelican Harbor. Paradise didn’t want to dim Jenna’s enthusiasm. “If it’s okay with you, I’m going to do some social media posts. I’ll get pictures.” She told Jenna about her plans, and Jenna’s smile widened.

“That’s wonderful, Paradise! I haven’t had time to do any of that. I’ll text you the login information.” She glanced toward the slow cooker. “What’s for dinner?”

“I’m making chicken fajitas for wraps or quesadillas, whatever anyone wants to do with it.”

“My mouth is already watering.” Jenna put bacon on a cookie sheet and slid it into the oven, then cracked eggs into a bowl. She picked up a whisk. “You guys were up late.”

Jenna had lived here a long time, and she had known Paradise’s mom. Could she remember something from back then? “I found out something shocking last night, Jenna.” Paradise put the lid on the Crock-Pot and turned to face her. “My mother had a son five years before I was born and gave him up for adoption. The evidence was in the old tub of belongings Evan gave me yesterday. Somewhere out there is an older brother I’ve never met.”

Jenna’s whisking paused, and she turned toward Paradise. “You never knew?”

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