Page 16 of Missing Moon
Dusk blinks at Anthony. “Danny too. Damn. How the hell did both of you stay looking so young? Wait, I think your husband actually gotyounger.”
“That’s not Danny.” I chuckle. “That’s Anthony. My son. Your nephew.”
Dusk blinks. “Oh, damn.”
“He’s sixteen,” I add.
“Bullcrap.” Dusk laughs. “Are you serious? He’s only sixteen? What are you feeding him?”
Anthony laughs. “Spaghetti mostly.”
“Hi.” Tammy waves at him. “I’m your niece.”
“Hey there.” Dusk holds his hand out.
Tammy goes in for a quick shake.
“Does Mary Lou know you’re here?” I ask, knowing she had been trying to get in touch with him.
“Yeah. I emailed her as soon as I got off the plane.” Dusk exhales. “Hell of a scramble to get back here on such short notice.”
“How bad is it?” I ask in a near whisper.
Dusk sets his hands on his hips. “The house? Mom? Dad? Which bad are we talking about here?”
“All of it I guess.” I look down. “I haven’t exactly been the most dutiful daughter.”
He rolls his eyes and gives me a ‘who can blame you’ look. “Join the club. Not likeanyof us have been here since we left in our teens. I’ve only been here for a day. Mom’s in back. Same as ever. I don’t think she ate much after they took Dad to the hospital.”
“Oh, dang.” I wipe a hand down my face.
“She’s eating now, though—now that I’m here to cook.” Dusk rocks back on his heels. “Dad was taking care of her.”
“Who called 911?” I ask. “Did Mom find him after the heart attack?”
Dusk’s expression goes grim. “A stranger, likely. He went into town to get groceries and collapsed in the store.”
Oh. That explains why his car is missing. It’s probably still in the parking lot of the supermarket over in Klamath.
We exchange a silent moment, wordlessly acknowledging the timing had been perfect. If he’d collapsed here, likely no one would’ve found him, especially if Mom is that far gone. I suppose it’s remotely possible that seeing him on the floor might have shocked her into picking up a phone but… I don’t really think she would’ve processed things.
“Who’s this?” Dusk smiles at Pax.
“One of my Barbies came to life,” deadpans Tammy.
Paxton giggles.
“That’s Paxton.” I put an arm around her. “My youngest daughter.”
“Cool.” Dusk does the same quick handshake with her. “I’m the eccentric uncle who spent the last twenty years wandering around Europe.”
It’s pretty obvious to anyone with working eyes that the kiddo looks completely different than me, Ant, or Tammy. She’s obviously adopted… or I got knocked up by some Nordic Viking dude with genes so powerful they just stepped on mine and produced this super cute blonde kid. Dusk doesn’t seem to notice or care. I called her daughter and that’s good enough for him.
“So how did that go?” I ask. “The wandering thing.”
Dusk smiles. “It was amazing. Met so many people, saw so many things… Crazy to think about how much is out there left unseen. The world’s a huge place.” He exhales. “I think I’m kinda done with all that, though.”
“Oh? The wanderlust is gone?”