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“Oh,” his face dropped, “I, ah,” he sputtered, but when he looked at his mom, he swallowed heavily and gave a tight nod. “Let me get my coat.”
“Did he just agree?” Meg nearly tore my arm off when she grabbed it.
“I would think so.”
We were both happy to get him past the property line for the first time in some eight months. Other than our trip to Washington to present our idea, and visits to the building site, he hadn’t set foot off the place. Maybe we should have pushed him harder, but he needed time, and, in that time, he’d made progress. The scar was barely covered over, but I could see the healing had started.
Daniel had been silent on the drive. Meg chatted happily to fill the void when he leaned forward from the back seat of the pickup and looked at me.
“Dad.”
“Yeah?”
“What will the name be for the safehouse?”
“Name?”
“Yeah, it should have a name. We can’t call it safehouse.”
“True.” I nodded and looked at Meg, thinking how true that was. “What do you think we should call it?” He leaned back and crossed his arms.
“Shadows.” He cleared his throat.
“That’s a good one. Why that name?” What I would do for a little look inside his head.
“Because.” I looked at him in the rearview mirror. I couldn’t see his eyes as they were hidden by the brim of his ballcap. Then he turned and looked out the window. “Because we had to be shadows to survive over there.” I felt Meg shift in her seat. We were happy to get some insight into what he’d been through, but it broke our hearts at the same time.
“Shadows it is.” I nodded and pulled off the main road into the parking lot of the restaurant. Things were going to be okay.
We hopped out, and I noticed Daniel hesitated. I knew this was hard for him, being back in public, but he opened the door and got out when he spotted Zack.
“Nice to see you, brother.” Zack walked across the parking lot. I noted his expression mirrored Daniel’s, and I could see that damn demon still perched on their shoulders. “I’m glad you called to meet up.” I was happy we’d suggested that Daniel ask Zack to join us for dinner and was even happier when he accepted.
“Yeah, it’s great to see you.” Daniel took his ball hat off and ran a hand through his hair as he looked around at his surroundings. “I figured the town needed some new gossip about me.” He tried to make a joke, but his insecurities about being back in the public eye was obvious.
“Nothing like being whispered about while walkin’ down the grocery aisle.” Zack matched his dark sarcasm. “Everyone wants to hate the boys who fought the needless fight.”
“Daniel?” a female voice called from behind us. “Daniel Logan, is that you?”
“Hi, Tracy.” He suddenly looked unsure. “Nice to see you again.”
“You too.” She approached him carefully, as though he might bite her. “I heard you were back, but we haven’t seen you.”
“I’ve been busy.” I watched for cues in case he needed me to step in with a story as to why he hadn’t been anywhere.
“Sue’s going to wig out when she sees you,” she whispered more to herself.
Sue?
“Is she here?” Daniel asked as he looked at the ground.
Meg gave me a small smile, apparently seeing what I was.
“She was.”
I threw a confused look to Zack, but he shook his head and watched with interest. He obviously didn’t know what it was about either.
“When I see her, I’ll say hi to her for you. It was really nice seeing you again, Logan.”
