“Kid, you’re making me look bad here,” Gibson said, elbowing her playfully in the ribs.

Catherine giggled. She sounded just like Bear. For the first time, he saw his small companion for who she was: Bear’s daughter. Bear had fought for this little girl. Given her life to keep her away from Benjamin Lombard. And in that light, it was amazing to look at Catherine now. Smiling, laughing. Bear’s little girl. Healthy and safe.

When Toby came back again, they ordered a large dinner. Gibson insisted on chocolate milkshakes when Catherine admitted she’d never had one before. When the food came, she ate tentatively at first, but then gobbled down her burger and fries. She slurped her milkshake and swung her feet under the stool. After dinner, they split a piece of apple pie.

“How old am I, really?” she asked in between bites.

“You’re ten.”

She thought that over.

“When is my real birthday?”

“February 6.”

“It’s always been in May before.”

“I know.”

“Do you think I can have another one this year?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“It’s not greedy?”

“Kiddo, it’s not greedy. It’ll be our secret, okay?”

“Okay.” She smiled at him. “Will you come to the party?”

“If I’m invited.”

She beamed. “I’ll invite you.”

“Then I’ll be there. But I want you to have one present early.”

He slid a photo across the counter to her.

“That’s a big frog,” she said. “Is that you?”

“It is.”

“Who is she?”

“That’s your mother.”

She looked again, more carefully this time.

“Did you know her well?” she asked.

“Yes, I knew her very well. She was smart like you. Do you like to read?”

Catherine nodded enthusiastically.

“So did your mom. She always had a book in her hands.”

“What was her favorite?”

He told her about The Fellowship of the Ring, about how he’d read it to Suzanne. Catherine seemed to like the story and studied the picture again as he told it to her. When he was done, he excused himself and stepped outside to make the phone call.

When they got back in the car, Catherine asked where they were going. “Home,” he said. She nodded and went right to sleep. If diner food was good for one thing, it was conking out kids.

Gibson drove south, alone with his thoughts. He thought about his childhood. Memories he’d suppressed for more than a decade. Of Bear and his dad. Good memories. Next season, he would take Ellie to her first baseball game. Although he wouldn’t ask her to listen to it on the radio. Not at first.