Page 41 of Ebbing Tides

“Let me see what she’s doing,” he finally said, moving away from the door. “Wanna come in?”

I followed him into the house, and it felt like crossing through the veil between the lands of the dead and living. The TV was on, playing a children’s show for Melanie’s two youngest sons, Danny and CJ. Her oldest was sitting in a wingback chair, flipping through what looked like a journal or sketchbook of some sort. All three boys diverted their attention to me, and I lifted my hand in a wave.

“Hey, guys,” I said, offering a friendly albeit hesitant smile.

Danny muttered a quick, “Hi,” before returning his attention to the TV while Luke couldn’t seem to be bothered to say anything at all.

I didn’t take it personally.

CJ, however, seemed to find more interest in me than whatever show he and his brother were watching as he jumped up from the couch to hurry over. Once again in nothing but a diaper.

“Where’s your dog?” he asked, standing at my feet and looking up with huge, hopeful eyes.

I jabbed my thumb over my shoulder. “He’s waiting in the truck.”

“I wanna see!” he exclaimed, bouncing on his toes.

I glanced in the direction Charlie had walked in. From where I stood, I saw through an open doorway and into what appeared to be a kitchen. For years, I had been working in this cemetery, and this was only the second time I’d found myself in the caretaker’s—my friend’s—house. I wasn’t sure what that said about how close our relationship was—and I wasn’t sure what it said about me to never have noticed.

“Um …” I dragged my gaze from the doorway and back down to the little boy standing before me. “Maybe I’ll get him in a couple of minutes. He’s taking a little nap.”

It was only partly a lie. Lido hadn’t been sleeping when I left the truck, but knowing him, he had probably fallen asleep by now.

CJ pouted. “Ahh,” he whined, throwing his head back and stomping his foot. “I wanna see himnow.”

“Hey, you know what?” I asked, going down to his level on one bended knee and digging into my jacket pocket. “I had this in my truck and thought you might like it.”

“What is it?” he asked, already forgetting the avoided tantrum to lean closer.

I pulled out the truck I’d bought from Jack and held it out to CJ. “Do you like cars?”

His big brown eyes rounded with excitement as he nodded. “Yes,” he replied, already taking it from my hands.

I nudged my chin toward the toy. “Your mom told me your dad drove that same truck,” I explained. “So, now, you have one too.”

CJ met my eye. “My dad’s in Heaven.”

The way he said the words so plainly, so matter-of-fact, hit me like a punch to the gut. I nodded.

“Yeah, I know,” I replied softly.

“Have you been to Heaven?” He tipped his head curiously.

“No, stupid,” Luke jabbed from across the room. “Only dead people go to Heaven.”

CJ looked at me, nearly disappointed with finding this out. A flicker of hurt passed over his gaze, and I smiled reassuringly.

“I’ve never been there,” I told him. “But I know a lot of nice people who are there right now.”

“You know dead people?”

I looked up, darting my eyes toward the doorway and wondering what was happening in that kitchen, before I looked back at CJ. “I do.”

“A lot?”

“Quite a few.”

“Why?”