It felt like the sun after a long, cloudy day.
He stopped in front of us. He looked at each of us in turn, and I remembered when he was nothing but a boy, a brave, quiet, lonely boy who didn’t talk much because he thought he was going to get shit all his life. How much bigger he’d become. How much greater. His heart was a drumbeat in my head, steady and strong.
He said, “Hello.”
And Joe said, “Hello, Ox.”
He smiled. “I’ve been on a walk into town. I’ve seen some of the most wonderful things. People helping each other. They waved at me. They stopped to wish me merry Christmas, to see what our plans for the holiday were. It was nice. I went to see my mother.”
Blue, soft and muted.
He said, “It’s been a long time since I’ve been to see her. I had much to tell her about us. About all we’ve done. And about what lies ahead. Do you think she heard me?”
“Yeah, Ox,” I said. “I think she heard you.”
He nodded. “I think so too. Those we love are never truly gone, even if it seems like they are.” He looked off into the trees toward the clearing. “Especially here, in this place. It’s like… a current. I feel it.” He turned back to us, looking at me and Kelly and Joe, and for a moment I thought he could see into our heads, could know what we’d talked about at the bridge. It wouldn’t surprise me if he could. A unifier, Joe had said. Making something out of nothing. That was Ox, all right. “I think we would do well to remember that. Even if we’re gone, part of us will always remain.”
Joe stood then. He went to Ox. He cupped his face before leaning in to kiss him sweetly.
“What was that for?” Ox asked, obviously pleased as Joe pulled away.
“Just because,” Joe said.
Ox smiled at him. “I like just because.”
WE WERE STILL SITTING ON THE PORCH when they came back. Mom and Jessie had gone inside and come back out with mugs of tea for Gordo and Mark and Bambi, coffee for Dominique and Ox, and hot chocolate for Kelly, Joe, an
d me.
Ox heard it first. The rumble of an engine in the distance. He raised his head and said, “They’re home.”
My heart tripped all over itself.
“It’s okay,” Kelly said quietly. He put a hand on my shoulder. “He’s okay.”
I nodded tightly.
I could barely make him out in the back seat, Tanner blocking my view. Rico pulled the truck up in front of the house before he turned it off. The engine ticked. He climbed out of the truck, a grin on his face. Which was good, because that meant no blood had been spilled. Unless it meant all the blood had been spilled. Rico could be bloodthirsty.
He said, “Aw, you were all waiting for us.”
Bambi snorted. “Keep telling yourself that.”
He pressed a hand against his chest as he gasped. “You wound me. Joshua, don’t listen to your mother. She’s obviously suffering from—”
“Do you really want to finish that?”
He balked. “Uh. No?”
She smiled sweetly. “Good answer.”
“Woman, I will—”
“He’s obviously pushing to sleep outside again,” Bambi said to Jessie. “Now that he’s a wolf, I don’t feel bad about it.”
Jessie grinned. “And you shouldn’t.”
Chris and Tanner were standing in front of Gavin. I could see the top of his head, but not much more. For a moment I was worried about what they were trying to hide.