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She looked back, smiled, and walked forward. The doe's tail wove back and forth like a dog's. Baby Celeste lifted both her arms toward it, and to my surprise, the doe took a few steps in her direction. I held my breath.

And then the headlights of Mr. Fletcher's car cut into our driveway, pushing the darkness back.

The doe leaped to the right and then bounded into the woods. disappearing. I hurriedly scooped up Baby Celeste and watched as Mr. Fletcher drove up.

"Hey. Noble," he said, getting out. "What's going on?"

"Mama wanted me to take the baby out for some air," I said quickly.

"Yeah, it's a beautiful night. Still quite warm for this time of year." He paused. "Hi, Celeste."

She reached out for him and he took her into his arms and kissed her cheek. "What have yall been up to today?" he asked me.

The usual. I'm getting pretty much along in the firewood." I said nothing about helping Betsy do her math homework.

He stared at me so hard, I felt a little

uncomfortable.

"I've been thinking a lot about you lately. Noble. Betsy's suggestion that night at dinner wasn't all that bad, you know. Have you given it some thought?"

"A little," I lied.

"Well, no one has to rush into anything, fortunately, but I hope you don't think it out of line for me to give you some advice now that I've signed on to this family." He smiled.

I shook my head.

"You cant grow up helping your mother with an infant all the time. Noble, and doing simple farm chores. Its not a young man's life. You really do have to get out among people your own age, think about expanding your horizons, going further in your education, perhaps. Get a goal. I'd like to help you in any way I can."

I nodded and looked down.

He was living in a house of lies, and every time he spoke to me warmly like this, those lies danced in front of my eyes. He had accepted so much on faith, and so firmly, with such trust. that I had to wonder if he really lived under or within Mama's spell. What would happen when and if he confronted the truth? Would his heart simply burst?

"I also know how hard it is to grow up a young man with no father in whom you can rely and from whom you can get some advice, not only about things to do, but about yourself. your own emotional needs. I know we don't know each other as long as I'd have liked, but I want you to feel confident I will always respect your trust, keep any confidence you might want to place in me.

"After all," he said. bouncing Celeste a little in his arms, "its just you and me against all these females here."

Oh, how my heart cried out for me to simply burst forth with the truth, No, I wanted to scream. You don't know me at all. You've never met me.

"Don't look so troubled, buddy," he said, running his hand through my hair. "I'm not pressuring you to do anything or say anything. All I want to do is let you know Fm here for you whenever you need me to be. okay?"

I nodded.

"Great. So," he said, looking about, "I see my daughter has gone somewhere again. She say where?"

I shook my head. "Something about the mall. I think."

"Hmm." He gazed back down the driveway. "She's there so much, she should get a job in one of the shops."

He tamed back to me. "Just remember. Noble, little kids, little problems, big kids... you can fill in the blanks just watching me and Betsy. Going in?"

"Soon."

"Okay. I'll take Celeste. inside. Cheer up, my man. Thins are going to be just fine. We have too much going for us right now."

I smiled and nodded at him and watched him go into the house. "What a fool," I heard, and spun around.

I couldn't see him in the darkness, but I was sure it was Elliot's spirit.