Page 72 of Awakening the Sheriff

Everyone was working so hard to make him feel accepted, and I loved them for it. Keaton was relaxing, his nervousness dissipating and the tightness in his shoulders releasing. He was starting to have fun, and what a relief that was.

Violet and Dani were still uncertain about how to interact with their teacher outside of school. Keaton took the initiative and talked to them about their favorite movies and TV series. That sure got them chatting, as they both loved to watch TV.

As Keaton got drawn into a conversation with Ennio, Dani approached me. “Dad, what did Mr. Perry…I mean, Keaton, get you for your birthday?”

How did I respond to that? He hadn’t mentioned a gift, but I didn’t want everyone to know that. Not that I needed one to begin with.

“Well, Dani.” Keaton sighed. “I’m not the most organized person on the best of days, and I didn’t remember until yesterday that I had to buy a birthday gift and that it wouldn’t magically appear out of nowhere. I know, right? Whole new concept.”

Dani giggled. “You can’t do magic?”

“Not that kind. I wish. Anyway, I did get your dad something I’m pretty sure he’ll love, but it won’t get here till the day after tomorrow. Wanna see it?”

She nodded, and Violet also stepped closer when Keaton pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Milton helped me choose it.”

He showed the girls a picture, and they both gasped. “Dad! You’re gonna love this,” Dani all but shouted, and I laughed.

“Yeah? He picked me something good?”

“Is it a surprise, Mr.…Keaton? Or can we tell him?” Dani asked.

He pretended to think about it, then nodded. “You can tell him.”

“Dad, he got you the biggest LEGO set ever. The Millennium Falcon!”

What?He’d gotten me the one set I’d been eyeing forever? I hadn’t been able to let myself spend the money on it, and this man had bought it for me as a gift. He had such a big, generous heart.

“Let me see,” I said, and Dani bounced over to me, holding Keaton’s phone and showing the picture to me.

“That’s one of the best birthday gifts I’ve ever gotten,” I said softly. When our eyes met, something passed between us. I didn’t need to say anything. We understood each other without words, a quiet understanding of what we were doing. Building relationships. A family.

“Thank you,” I mouthed, and his smile lit up my whole being.

Dani handed Keaton back his phone. “When’s your birthday? Because Dad had better get you something just as cool.”

Laughter rippled through the room. Milton piped up, “I can give you some ideas, but they all have to do with books and reading.”

“I’d appreciate some ideas,” I told him, as eager to accept his offer as Keaton had been to connect with my kids.

As we continued to mingle and enjoy each other’s company, a surge of gratitude filled me for this diverse group of people who had come together to celebrate my birthday. My parents, my brother, my kids, even my ex-wife and her fiancé, they’d all gone out of their way to make Keaton feel accepted and welcome. I was a blessed man.

When the last guests filed out the door, Keaton and Milton stayed behind. I’d asked them to spend the rest of the day with us and have dinner together, and they’d accepted. It sucked that Byron was missing out on all this, but that was his own choosing.

Milton shifted his weight from one foot to the other, looking as if he didn’t know what to do now that everyone else was gone.

Before I could walk over to him, Dani came to the rescue. “Hey, Milton, want to join us in playing Xbox?”

She gestured to the console in the living room. Dani had such a sensitive social antennae, and it made me so proud of her.

“Sure.”

The three kids settled on the couch, controllers in hand, and were quickly engrossed in their game.

With the children occupied, Keaton and I retreated to the kitchen, our fingers grazing as we reached for the same cold beer bottle. We sat at the table, the familiar hum of the refrigerator accompanying our conversation.

“Everything okay, Keaton?” I didn’t like the crease between his eyebrows. We hadn’t spent much time together recently due to a robbery case in the next town over that had taken up a lot of hours this week.

He sighed and took a slow swig of his beer. “That fight with Mandy is still bothering me.”

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