Page 42 of Sing with Me

Someone gasped.

Diehl turned around to find Mom and Dad standing there, holding Ethan’s hand. Ethan seemed to have grown a couple of inches taller since Diehl last saw him.

“You played piano at church?” Mom’s voice rose several notches.

“Since when do you go to church?” Dad laughed.

Ethan broke off from their grips and walked toward Diehl, like he was all grown up at nine years old. “Dad!”

Never the hugger, he was one now. “Did you buy me something, Dad?”

“Like what, Son?”

“Like a sports car!” Ethan was loud. “Grandpa said he bought himself a new car. Did you buy me a new car?”

“No, I drove my old pickup truck.” It was only two years old, but whatever.

Diehl turned to Dad. “Hey, Dad. Thanks for flying all the way to Hawaii to pick up the kids. Appreciate it. Mom, you too.”

“It’s the least we can do.”

Mom didn’t directly respond to Diehl. “We have a lot to talk about later.”

Diehl nodded. He suspected she referred to the paternity test that the Bishops had asked for. Or perhaps new development.

“But first, I need to take a nap,” Mom said. “I didn’t sleep well last night.”

“I’ll go with you.” Dad motioned for Cara to handle their luggage. “Take the kids upstairs to their rooms, please.”

“Yes, sir.”

Ethan returned to his small rolling carry-on. It had Iron Man decals all over it. “Where’s your room, Dad?”

“I’m staying in Aunt Brin’s beach house,” Diehl said.

“Auntie Bling?” Ethan looked surprised.

That had been Ethan’s moniker for Brinley when he had been a little boy, unable to curl his tongue. He could now, but he still sometimes called her Auntie Bling.

“You’re not upstairs with us?” Elisa sounded disappointed.

“My room is still upstairs.” Diehl could not give up his childhood memories. “However, your aunt’s house is empty and rent-free.”

“That’s the good kind.” Dad laughed.

“The house is small, but there are two rooms there ready for you if you want to stay there sometime.” Now wasn’t the time to ask the kids to go to church with him on Sunday, but he had all week to sort that out. Maybe they could stay with him on weekends and spend their weekdays here in this big old Brooks Cottage.

“I want to stay with Grandma,” Elisa said.

Mom beamed. “That’s fine. We can all get together during the day. At night, we all sleep, so does it matter where?”

“Only if the bed is not warm and comfortable.” Dad reached for Mom, and they held hands.

“You warm up the bed and we’ll see,” Mom said unabashedly.

Fifty-two years of marriage and they still looked at each other with longing.

Diehl wished he had a great marriage like that. Sure, Mom and Dad fought and argued a lot in their lives. However, they rarely went to bed angry, no matter what happened during the day.

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