Page 11 of Dane

I didn’t know how else to break it to him, so I looked at him and said, “Michael, you know how Aurora is your mom?” I wait for him to nod his head before I continued, “well, I am your dad.”

He looked at me and blinked a few times, then tilted his head. “My dad?”

“Yep, bud.”

“Are you comin home to Mom and me and staying forever now?

“I’ve been a real busy man, but yes, I’m home now and here to stay. Are you okay with that?”

Michael grinned. “Yeah. Can I call you Dad instead of Mister Neri?”

“Sure, of course. I’d like that very much.”

“Okay.” He replied, then climbed off the couch. “Did you wash the she-shells for me, Mom?”

Aurora smiled as her eyes welled up with tears. “Yes. I left them in the kitchen so you can add them to your jar.”

Michael took off, running into the kitchen.

My throat burned, and I had to swallow down the lump that formed. But when I looked at Aurora, we started to laugh.

“Well, that was easier than I thought it would be,” I said, feeling the pain in my throat disappear.

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