Charles Grant: Night Songs

What the hell, he thought, grinning; started over once, I can start over again.

He turned, then, and saw Matt standing at the top of the slope.

He didn't know whether to scold or laugh… laughed when the boy raced into his arms, hugged him and held his hand.

"We couldn't wait," he said eagerly. "We couldn't wait!"

Colin crouched and faced the water, and Matt stood behind him with his chin on the man's shoulder, his arms around Colin's chest. He felt tears in his eyes, and felt so damned fine he wanted to shout.

"There," he said, pointing to Haven's End, "is where you and I met, pal, and that's the way we should remember it."

"Are we going to live somewhere else?"

"What do you think about New England?"

"Is it pretty? Does it have an ocean?"

"Yes, yes, and there are mountains and lots of deer and moose and bear and raccoons, and it's going to be just… just great."

"You'll paint again!" Matt said excitedly.

"You can bet on it."

"The kids…"

Colin reached up and cupped the back of the boy's head. "I won't let them make fun of you, Matt. You do just what you always do, and I'll be there to help you." Then he rose, stretched and imagined the others waiting, just over the rise. God, it'll be great to be human again.

"You and me, we'll take care of Mom, too." He lifted the binoculars; one last check before the end.

"And I'll take care of you."

He closed his eyes tightly, opened them, blinked and watched the island through the snow.

"I miss Lilla," Matt said forlornly. "She was my friend."

"I know, pal. I know."

He had to wipe flakes from the lenses with his gloves, and the view was slightly blurred. "Can I look?"

One last sweep of the dead island, and he slipped the strap from around his neck, handed the binoculars to the boy and put a hand on his shoulder. "Not too long," he said. "Your mother's waiting for us, remember?"

Matt nodded, and looked, and when he'd had enough he took Colin's hand and they walked back to the road. Peg was standing by the car, Hugh and Lee inside grinning. Colin waved, felt a surge and broke into a run.

Matt followed more slowly, stopping once. Turning around. Wondering if Colin had seen Lilla standing in the trees. Standing and smiling, her lips moving in silent singing. If he had, it didn't matter. Lilla was his friend now, and some day he'd be big enough to come back here on his own.

Some day he would ask her to teach him her songs.