Page 30 of Cryptic Curse

But I can’t be.

Growing up, I always felt that my needs were the last ones met.It didn’t bother me, not really.I didn’t mind fending for myself.It made me strong, helped me learn that self-reliance is the best quality a man can have.

Still, therewassomeone I depended on all those years ago.

Someone I rarely let myself think about.

* * *

“Dad!”I yell, barreling into my father’s home office.

To my surprise, my father’s not sitting behind his giant desk.Instead, I find a young man with sandy-brown hair and blue eyes a lot like my own.He’s wearing jeans, and on his right ring finger is a ring with a turquoise stone and in his left ear a single silver earring in the shape of a star.

“I can’t find my mom,” I say.“Where’s my dad?”

The man rises from Dad’s chair.“He’s out on the north quadrant today, I think.Checking on some livestock.My name’s Ted.I’m your father’s new assistant.”

He comes around and holds out his hand to me and then drops his gaze to my knee, which is throbbing.

“Hey, little fellow, what have you done there?”

I’m nearly twelve years old.I don’t really appreciate being calledlittle fellow.But whatever.

“I just need some Bactine and a bandage,” I say.“I couldn’t find any in the linen closet.”

“Let me help you out with that.”He reaches into my father’s bottom drawer and pulls out a first-aid kit.“How’d that happen anyway?”

I frown.“I was trying to hang out with Falcon and his friends.They rode off on their bikes, and I tried to catch up.But I ran over a rock and flipped headfirst over my handlebars.”

Ted chuckles.“Then you’re lucky you only skinned a knee, partner.”

Partner.

I like the sound of that.Dad calls Falcon partner all the time, but he never calls me partner.I’m always Hawk or Blue, for my eyes.

“Were they too fast for you?”Ted asks.

“No, I can ride as fast as they can.But they left without me, and I was trying to catch up.”

“I see.”He cracks a grin.“The big brother blues.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Ted nods to the family portrait on the wall.

Mom and Dad are sitting front and center, and Falcon, the oldest, stands behind them right in the center—the place of honor.

Robin and Raven on either side of him, and Eagle stands next to Mom, while I stand next to Dad.

“Middle brother.I get it.”

“You’re a middle brother too?”

“Yep, right between Hank and George.Hank was always going off doing stuff without me, and George was the baby, always wanting me to play something stupid with him.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”He leads me out the door and down the hall to the powder room.“Let’s fix that knee.”