Page 16 of Embers in Our Souls
“River, baby, what the heck are you doing?” Kennedy asks.
“I just really like this outfit, so I felt like changing.” He crosses his arms across his chest.
“Is that why you called and harassed me about my outfit earlier?” Clay asks.
River continues the stare down with his brother until Clay breaks it and looks over at Abby.
“You’re fucking losing it, Riv,” Clay says.
“I just look up to you. Remember, you are older.” He smiles, but there’s nothing sweet about it.
“By two minutes,” Clay says through clenched teeth. “You’re a real dicksickle, you know that? Isn’t this a bit stalkerish, even for you?”
River ignores his brother’s comments and gets a sly look on his face, walking over to his niece. With the way both are dressed today, it’s hard to tell them apart and it isn’t until this very moment that I start to put the puzzle pieces together.
“Ella, baby,” River says. He smiles at her. Ella looks up at him. You can see her do a double-take between Clay and River, trying to assess the situation.
“Dada,” she says in River’s direction and that’s the win he was going for. The look of satisfaction he has across his face is immediate. He snatches her from the ground and plants kissesacross her cheek, telling her, “No, sweet girl, I’m your Uncle River. That’s Dada.” He points at his brother.
Then he runs her through the park, making her laugh and smile. When they come back, he puts her back down on her play mat, looking over at Clay again.
“You satisfied now?” Clay asks. “She still didn’t call you that first. She’s been saying that for a while now,” he says.
“Oh, I know. You really think I’d take that from you?” He smiles. “But I was on a mission to do it today at least.”
“Why? What did I do?” Clay throws his hands in the air.
“I spoke to Mom. And guess what she had to tell me?” He walks closer to his brother while all of us watch this interaction. He bends over and scratches behind Lola’s ear. “You told her that you think Lola loves her more than me—my Lola will always love me more.” He looks down at his golden retriever and blows her a kiss. Jesus.
The rest of us all groan. River is ridiculous. He’s seriously obsessed with his dog. But I will agree, Lola loves his mom. I’ve seen her interact with River’s mom and Lola is quite honestly over-the-moon when River’s mom is in the room. She will sit with her and put her head on her lap. I hate to admit, but Clay might have a point.
“So you did all that over my comment to Mom about Lola?” Clay says.
“Obviously,” River says.
“Seriously, Riv, you’re exhausting.” He throws his hands in the air. “Kennedy deserves an award for dealing with you.”
“Thank you,” Kennedy says, a look of satisfaction across her face.
River points toward Kennedy. “Watch it, babe. And Clay, most of the stuff you have, I have as well. You’re wearing a Boston F.D. shirt with shorts. It’s not hard to replicate this outfit.”
As much as I’m not one to usually care for this back and forth between the brothers, maybe the distraction will be enough to distract the group from asking me about my little marriage omission. I sit back and allow them to carry on as if I’m not even here. I continue to take in our surroundings, not even getting up to grab food, even though I’m hungry. If I don’t move maybe they’ll forget I’m here.
Right when I think I’m out of the woods, Malloy says my name. Damn him and his memory.
“Hunter, what the hell was that about the other day? Care to fill us in?”
“Not particularly, no,” I answer.
“That’s not good enough,” River says on a laugh, already forgetting his little stunt with his brother and niece.
“Well, there isn’t much to say. Indiana and I are married,” I say, matter-of-factly.
“Really, that’s it? You’re not going to elaborate?” Kennedy says.
“I mean, what do you want me to say? We got married when we were eighteen right after we graduated high school. We didn’t tell anyone. It was sort of a secret. We did it because she was in a bind due to health reasons. She needed my health benefits and I had it to offer through the Army. Some stuff went down with her parents right about that time, so I was someone she could lean on for support. I wanted to make sure she was cared for before I was gone for boot camp. That’s it.”
When I look up, I see Kennedy and Abby swooning at my explanation, but before I’m able to ask why, I’m interrupted.
