I open the door slowly, but it’s snatched from my hand by the wind and slams against the wall as if the storm itself has entered the house. The wind and rain whip into the living room. Then, as if carried in by both, Koji rushes through the doorway and shoves the door closed behind him. I can’t believe he’s standing there looking like a crazy man, drenched and muddy in an old raincoat and hat. I’ve never been so happy to see anyone in my life. And there’s something more that has dashed in with the storm: it’s the first time since Franklin has left that I’ve felt a stirring in me beyond anything more than just gratitude. I shake the thought away.

“Uncle Koji!” Daniel shouts, and runs to him.

“Careful, careful,” Koji says, “You’ll get wet and muddy, yeah.”

“How did you get here?” I ask.

He takes off his boots and raincoat and drops them by the door, but not before he pulls a brown box out of his coat pocket.

“I have my ways,” he says. “Wanted to make sure the house was still standing. Big storm, yeah?” He looks down at Daniel. “I know you’re taking good care of your mom, but sometimes it’s good to have two men watching over things.”

Daniel nods. He relaxes into Koji’s hug.

I can’t help but smile. “Let me get you a towel,” I say. “Don’t want you getting sick on our account.” From the moment Koji steps into the house, it’s as if all of our fears have left.

I return to see him handing the box to Daniel.

“What is it?” Daniel asks.

“You won’t know until you open it, eh.”

Daniel looks at me and I nod. Rain continues to thunder down, but my little boy no longer seems to notice. He opens the box to find a metal railroad engine that looks just like the ones that rattle through the Hilo train station, the ones he’s loved since he was a toddler.

He holds it up for me to see. “It’s an engine,” he says. Marveling, he inspects its intricacies, the shiny black paint, the smokestack, the electric lamp, and the red cowcatcher on the front.

“Not just any train,” Koji says. “It’s a Lionel number five steam engine. There are thirteen in the set, and I thought you might like to start collecting. We’ll get you some track, yeah. One day you’ll have them all.”

“What do you say?” I remind my son, raising my voice above the noise of the storm. I look up and catch Koji’s eyes before glancing shyly away.

“Thank you,” Daniel says. Across his face blooms a big smile that I haven’t seen since his father left.