Page 62 of Second Start: Family
Hall had the greater strength to overcome the urge for his son’s benefit. To overcome that urge and something else she’d caught in his voice, for all its evenness. Traced, she suspected, to that moment Bobby clung to her.
“He thought I was his mother,” she said. “That’s all.”
“That’s all?” he repeated, scoffing wryly.
“I mean, he was responding to a woman’s touch, maybe the smell, the feel, the texture.”
“Yeah. I’ll never pass muster there. Maybe my sister-in-law has a point. And not just about Dan.”
He described a recent unexpected visit from his sister-in-law and Naomi’s unwelcomed input on having Dan take the scholarship if offered.
In every syllable, in every inflection, she heard how much he hated the idea.
But she saw the other side. The value of the opportunities for the boy. To build whatever his dreams led him to.
“Would that be so awful — if Dan lived with his aunt and took the scholarship, I mean. It would be such an education for him.”
Before he could say anything, could solidify his opposition even more, she nodded to two figures coming around the corner of the building, probably having exited by the back door.
“Look, there’s Dan now, with Bobby.”
The older boy carried the younger one, who talked and gestured enthusiastically to his brother. Dan leaned his head away to prevent damage to his deathly makeup, but otherwise listened to his brother.
Spotting his father, Dan changed course toward them.
“Problem?” Hall asked him.
“Not really. Bobby got so excited, he ran from scare to scare, leaving Molly and Lizzie behind. When he got to the end, he tried to go backward. Clogged things up. Bexley said to bring him out, take a break.”
“Thanks, Dan. Go get your break. I’ll take Bobby.”
Dan paused, as if he wasn’t sure Bobby would go to their father, but the toddler reached out his arms and practically jumped to Hall.
Barely had he landed and Dan turned away, and it became apparent Bobby had an agenda.
“Scare bus now. Scare bus now.”
“Not yet,” Hall said. “We have to wait for Lizzie and Molly. They want to go, too.”
Bobby gave that serious consideration and came up with an alternative.
“Cookie,” he declared, pointing to a nearby table selling homemade doughnuts.
“One,” Hall said, putting him down. “Give them the ticket, get your doughnut and come right back.”
“Two cookies,” Bobby said.
“One.”
“Three cookies.”
“This kid’s going to be a politician,” Hall mumbled. “Three, but you split with Dan.”
“Okay,” Bobby said happily. He took the three tickets his father held out and ran toward the table, calling as he went. “Dan, Dan! Cookie!”
Dan walked away from the nearby drinks table to join Bobby.
“He walks like you,” Kenzie said. “Dan, I mean. From behind like now, it’s so obvious…”
