“No, honey,” Azure said. “David needs to go talk with Daddy.”

Presley gave her mother a quizzical look.

“I know what,” David said. “Let me tell you a different story. It’s one about a family of geese my dad told me a long time ago. Want to hear it?”

Jimmy watched Susan break the ice with the Michaels family. She was so good at smiling and making others feel comfortable, even with Nate following everyone around the house with his phone. David went into one of the back rooms with Azure and Presley, then they came to the living room and Presley had to show David all the pictures in their photo album.

Brian wandered into the kitchen and Jimmy approached him. “So Presley is five years old?”

Brian handed him a can of soda and leaned back against the sink, shoulder to shoulder with Jimmy. “Yeah. I guess she would be David’s half sister.”

A silence followed and Jimmy took a breath. He had planned to talk with Brian and say what was on his heart at some point, but he wasn’t sure Brian was ready for anything but small talk. Finally he launched in.

“Hey, thank you for having us over. It really means a lot to David that he got to meet you.”

Brian turned and looked at Jimmy, then looked at the floor. “I’m just sorry it took so long.”

His words were filled with regret and his face showed shame.

“I understand,” Jimmy said.

Brian kept his eyes on David and Presley and leaned forward as if he were trying to gain momentum to get something out, like digging at a splinter jammed deep in his soul. Finally he turned to Jimmy with a furrowed brow. “Thank you for raising him in a way that I know I never could. I’m certain that he’s going to go much farther than I ever did.”

Brian reached out a hand and Jimmy shook it, and something was exchanged between them, a strength for strength. Jimmy couldn’t help feeling that he might be taking some of the pain and regret from Brian in that handshake.

“You gave him that,” Brian said. And that was it. He turned and walked into the living room.