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"Kid got all the talent," I say. The rest of us boys can't carry a tune in a canoe, but River can play about any instrument he picks up and sings like a damn angel. Just like our grandmother.
Pretty soon they've got a circle of kids sitting around them by the fire while they teach the kids to sing in a round.
Cinnamon's left the cooking to Mom and Current and she snuggles beside River with the baby on her lap, clapping his chubby little hands together to keep him from reaching for daddy's guitar strings.
"It's good to have you back, man." I turn toward the man beside me and give him a pat on the shoulder.
"Thanks man, good to be back," Hayle responds. If I didn't know the guy better, I'd think his voice sounded a little emotional. "Oh, that's me, man, gotta go." He jumps to his feet and heads toward the tent set up at the far edge of our site; leaving me to enjoy a few more moments of watching the family spread out around me till I hear mom call dinner.
A few of the older kids sprint for the grub line, Vera takes the plate that grandpa Don brings over for her and River and Cinnamon start singing an old John Prine song.
Then I see the best sight in the whole scene.
"Where's daddy?" I hear Sage's singsong voice as she leads our youngest in my direction. "Is that daddy?"
Landing's two and half-year-old squeal echoes through the camp as he sees me holding out my arms for him a few feet away. I scoop my son up and hoist him into my arms before he has a chance to take a tumble in the dirt.
I also take advantage of the chance to catch my wife up in my other arm, pressing my lips to hers and savoring that feeling that still washes over me every time I have her near me.
"Where's Basil?" I ask, wondering which uncle or aunt our five-year-old daughter has persuaded into another tour of the river.
Grandpa Don took her on her first canoe ride when she was barely big enough to sit in his lap and she hasn't wanted to leave the river since.
"Your dad and Eddy have her and a couple of the other kids in the big raft." Sage tickles Landing's tummy and we head toward the food.
"Jax?" she asks.
"Right there," I nod toward our oldest who's carrying Toni's plate for her as they head for a seat by the fire.
Sage sighs heavily at the sight and I know how she feels.
A little while later, the whole family has found its way to the fire. River is strumming the guitar again while I help wipe Landing down from dinner.
Dad tries to tell us all the story about how he and mom got married on their first date--again-- and Mom reminds him we've all heard it about a thousand times.
Oz and Meadow managed to make it down the mountain for a while. I see them across the circle with Hayle and January.
One of these days I need to stop by the tavern and thank Cedar for busting my buddy's nose a few years back. Funny how things work out.
