Page 16 of Woods of the Raven

“Oh, thank God someone gets it,” Cass grumbled.

“But,” I began, grinning at her, and she groaned, “I’m sure he likes you—you’re related to him, after all—but he most certainly doesn’t like me.”

Her breath caught. “He doesn’t like you either?”

“Again,” I said with a smile, “I’m sure he adores you.”

The headshake was adamant. “No. He’s mean all the time. I don’t think he knows how to smile or be in a good mood, and sometimes you just need a hug, you know?”

I needed to point out the obvious. “Don’t you have your father for that?”

She glanced away, and Delia grimaced.

“Cass?” I prodded, because I always pushed. It’s what I did.

“My dad, he’s…sort of checked out since my mom died.”

“I see.”

“It was really bad before Uncle Lorne came over to our house. Everyone was worried—family on my mom’s side, my grandparents, my other uncle and aunts—but Uncle Lorne, he was the only one who came in and got my dad out of bed and put him in the shower.”

I had a visual in my mind of her poor father drowning in grief and regret, slowly fading, until the chief showed up at his door, charged into his room, and made him face the world again.

“At least my dad gets up now, and he got a job as a property manager with Sterling.”

Amanda again. She probably met the man, saw him struggling, saw his pain, and put him to work. It was very much like her. “That’s good.”

“He has to drive around and talk to other people. He’s still mostly a zombie when he’s at home with me and Uncle Lorne, but it’s better than it was.”

“He’ll come around.”

“I hope so.”

“In the meantime, how about asking your Uncle Lorne for that hug you needed?” I suggested cheerfully.

“Nooo,” she breathed out like that was the worst thing she could think of.

“Yes,” I said, nodding. “He’s the one who got your dad out of his funk, right?”

“Yeah. I mean, kind of.”

“He got him in the shower that first day and brought you both here with him, yes?”

“Yes,” she agreed.

“So I’m thinking he’s more of a caretaker than you’re giving him credit for.”

“Maybe,” she said, looking at me skeptically.

“And if not, if you’re not ready for that, Delia’s aunt Rita is a world-class hugger. And I know what I’m talking about because after my grandfather died, she was the second one at the door, squeezing the stuffing out of me.”

Quick nod as the tears came fast, both of them crying now.

Delia needed to open up to her aunt and uncle, Cass needed to talk to her uncle. They could both do with a lot more communication in their lives. Epiphanies were painful but necessary.

When I felt the soft wind on my face, I took a deep breath. “Okay, you two, listen up. I want you to lean into the breeze and stretch out your arms wide like this,” I said, modeling it for them, “then lift your face, close your eyes, and let the wind wash everything away.”

They looked uncertain.