Before his father had died so suddenly and life had changed for all of them, Ethan had lived in his own little house, with his own quiet routine. He still missed it, though he tried not to resent the young couple who were now renting it from him. They loved the coziness of it and told him so often. The small rooms with their tall windows, the little covered porch, the shady privacy of the trees that sheltered it, and the gentle lap of water against shore.

He loved it, too. With Cam married and Anna moving in, he might have been able to slip out again. But the rental money was needed now. And, more important, he’d given his word. He would live here until all the legal battles were waged and won and Seth was permanently theirs.

He rocked, listening to the night birds begin to call. And must have dozed because the dream came, and came clearly.

‘‘You always were more of a loner than the others,’’ Ray commented. He sat on the porch rail, turned slightly so he could look out to the water if he chose. His hair was shiny as a silver coin in the half light, blowing free in the steady breeze. ‘‘Always liked to go off by yourself to think your thoughts and work out your troubles.’’

‘‘I knew I could always come to you or Mom. I just liked to have a handle on things first.’’

‘‘How about now?’’ Ray shifted to face Ethan directly.

‘‘I don’t know. Maybe I haven’t gotten a good handle on it yet. Seth’s settling in. He’s easier with us. The first few weeks, I kept expecting him to rabbit off. Losing you hurt him almost as much as it did us. Maybe just as much, because he’d just started to believe things were okay for him.’’

‘‘It was bad, the way he had to live before I brought him here. Still, it wasn’t as bad as what you’d faced, Ethan, and you got through.’’

‘‘Almost didn’t.’’ Ethan took out one of his cigars, took his time lighting it. ‘‘Sometimes it still comes back on me. Pain and shame. And the sweaty fear of knowing what’s going to happen.’’ He shrugged it off. ‘‘Seth’s a little younger than I was. I think he’s already shed some of it. As long as he doesn’t have to deal with his mother again.’’

‘‘He’ll have to deal with her eventually, but he won’t be alone. That’s the difference. You’ll all stand by him. You always stood by each other.’’ Ray smiled, his big, wide face creasing everywhere at once. ‘‘What are you doing sitting out here alone on a Saturday night, Ethan? I swear, boy, you worry me.’’

‘‘Had a long day.’’