Page 41 of The Falcon and the Foe

Even though I kept my full attention on the road, I could feel the smile beaming from Cal’s face.

“That’s ten points higher than his last quiz. He was practically jumping up and down when he told me.”

Warmth took over my body imagining Josh’s gleeful expression. “That’s great.”

“Two days with you, and he’s Good Will Hunting.”

“Nah, it’s all him.”

“Edith will be back next week, but maybe if it’s all right, he can go with you and Quentin after school once a week, if that’s not too much. He seemed to enjoy it.”

“He’s welcome anytime. I meant what I said.” I didn’t mention where I said it, or how I put my mouth on his after I said it. “There’s this multiplication game you can play with him with M&M’s or Cheerios. Basically building them into an old-school multiplication table. It helped Quentin. And yes, I played a game. By choice. And it was fun.” I cut off any potential retort he had.

Cal didn’t go for a joke, though. “Thank you,” he said, his voice thick.

A heavy silence took over the front of the car. The weight pounded in my ears.

I was going to say something, but Cal spoke first.

“Are you ready for low, low, low prices on new and pre-owned Chevys, Hondas, and Toyotas? Then come on down to Roy’s Car Barn.”

“Dad, that’s your ad!” Josh screamed from the back.

“That was you?” It was like a ventriloquist act. Cal wasn’t moving his lips, but his voice filled the car. His radio voice sounded different. Much more polished and fake but with that genuine warmth that I knew.

“I can’t believe they’re still playing that ad. Easiest job ever. I nailed it on the first take.”

“How do you do that with your voice?” I asked.

“I had trained to be an actor. Then I realized the part people wanted to see most was my voice. I literally had a face for radio.”

“No, you don’t,” I said, perhaps too fast and too adamantly.

“I’m proud of it.”

“Dad can do all sorts of crazy voices,” Josh said. “Do your movie trailer voice!”

Cal rubbed his hands together. “By day, he’s Russell the operations supervisor guy, checking spreadsheets and optimizing workflows. But by night, he puts on his beige shorts and blue scarf, and he’s...Scout Leader Russ.” His voice was deep and foreboding, and a little sexy. I’d see that movie.

The van cheered at Cal’s intro.

“Did you just make that up on the fly?” I asked.

“It’s called improv. Here’s another:Ten campers and two scout leaders, one who has never been at a campsite before, are traveling into the woods for a whole weekend. What could go wrong?” His voice was higher this time, like the fun intro for a wacky adventure for the whole family.

“Hopefully, nothing goes wrong.”

“It won’t.” Cal’s voice went deep and foreboding again. “Or will it?”

I burst out laughing, as thoroughly entertained as the kids behind us. “What other voices do you have in your arsenal?”

“Vell, ve are coming up to ze spooky zeason. Puts me in ze mood for blood,” Cal said in a pitch-perfect Dracula. “Look at all zese keedz. All their fresh necks.” He picked up his empty coffee cup. “You may think zis is coffee. No, no. It’s blood. Muhahahaha.”

The kids shouted out cool and awesome. I was right there with them.

“And then after Halloween is Christmas and my favorite,It’s a Wonderful Life.” Cal cleared his throat. “What is it you want, Mary? You want the moon?” He delivered in pitch-perfect Jimmy Stewart patois. “Oh, and then there’s my favorite.” Cal spat out a surge of words in mile-a-minute monotone gibberish.

“What was that?”

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