Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

D ash had a point about shared burdens, even if Ro didn’t want to admit it. Instead she wanted to soak up the day with him and Lee, and pretend that there were no problems, no tension, waiting for her. But May was back at the house, and they couldn’t exactly kidnap her kid.

Seeing Dash with a kid, though? Damn . She’d known that she was falling for him, that he was basically the perfect guy, antlers and all, but seeing the way he played with Lee was even better than when she’d seen him with Kiki. He had a natural way with children that told her he’d be a great father some day.

She’d never thought of herself as the maternal type, but with Dash? Yeah, she could maybe see that. Though she was getting ahead of herself. Far, far ahead of herself. Sure, he’d said he was in it for the long haul, but could she really trust that? They hadn’t even known each other a week! They had so much to figure out! But a guy didn’t transport a girl halfway across the solar system and show her that he was secretly a magical being if he didn’t feel something for her.

They made it back to the house and Dash squeezed her hand. “I’m going to get a bit more sleep. Join me when you’re done?”

She nodded and kissed him. He was right there , why would she resist?

It took her awhile to find May. She wasn’t anywhere in the house, and none of the handful of nieces and nephews running around could remember seeing her. Eventually Ro braved the cold once more and found her sister at a work station in the barn behind the house, tool in her mouth as she prodded at a busted robot. Ro knocked on the table to get her attention and May looked up.

“I’m a bit busy. More snow tonight and we’ll be out of luck if this thing doesn’t function.” May had always had a head for mechanics and Ro had used to take special pleasure in finding bits and bobs for her sister to work on. She’d forgotten about that until just now. There’d been a time they were close, but it felt so far away.

“I wanted to let you know we returned Lee all in one piece. He’s playing with Ark and Raylee now.” Ro wasn’t close to Richard’s kids, but it was nice to have the house full of tiny bodies who bounced around with good cheer.

“Good.” May pressed a long piece of metal to the robot and prodded until sparks appeared.

Ro could walk away. May didn’t seem to be in the talking mood and there was no reason to bring this up now. But her reindeer had a point, and she and May had been sour towards each other ever since their father left. Maybe the truth would help. How much worse could matters get between them?

“There’s something I wanted to tell you.” Ro leaned against a nearby bench, not quite sitting or standing, ready to spring away if she had to flee.

“Get called away to work?” Her sister sounded like she’d been expecting it.

Ro hadn’t even been there a full day. “I made it clear to my boss that I’m taking the full vacation, but thanks for that.” She shook her head. “You know what?—”

“What is it?”

“Dad isn’t dead.” It burst out of her, far less tactfully than she meant to say it, but it was out there now. “He’s living on Mars. I’ve seen him. Spoken to him once, even. He’s got a new family now and he doesn’t?—”

“He wants us to stay out of his life. I know.” There was no shock coming off May. She kept prodding at the robot and barely glanced up at Ro.

And now it was Ro’s turn for surprise. “You know? ” Knowledge of her father had been eating her up inside for years and May knew? What the hell? “When did you find out? Why didn’t you tell me?”

That got her sister to put her tools aside and look over. “I could ask you the same question,” she shot back. “But he sent a letter when Lee was born. Thanked me for giving me his first grandchild and said he regretted what he did but thought that it turned out for the best.” There was bitterness in the statement, but it was old. After all, she’d had ten years to get used to it.

Ro had a choice to make. She could get mad that May had kept this from her, or she could move on. After all, she’d been keeping the same basic secret for almost as long. And she tried not to be a hypocrite. Most of the time. “He seemed happy when I saw him. I don’t know if that’s good or bad. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I wanted… I didn’t want you to have to deal with it. And I know that I have a tendency to be like him, putting work above family, making you think I don’t care, but I’m going to be better. I’ll keep in touch more, try and visit when I can. I want to be there for Lee, and for the other kids. Maybe I can even look into transferring?—”

“You’re not Dad, Rowan. I’m sorry that I’ve made you think that. I should have trusted you when you said you were coming.”

They both grew silent and looked at each other. Other sisters might have hugged, but they’d fallen out of the habit a long time ago, and Ro didn’t know if she was ready to fall back into it yet. “So… um…” Should she go? Leave May to her work?

“Hand me that wrench.” May pointed to the tool she wanted, as if Ro couldn’t identify it by herself.

“I know what a wrench looks like,” she said as she scooped it up off the table and handed it over.

May rolled her eyes. “So what’s the story with you and the guy? I thought you were single.”

“You and me both.” But talking about Dash was easier than talking about their dad, and Ro told her most of it, leaving out the whole reindeer thing and the details about the sex. When she was done she couldn’t stop smiling, and May was looking at her as if she’d grown a second head.

“If you let that man get away when he can put that kind of smile on your face, you’re crazy. If I wasn’t happy with my husband I’d be asking if he had a brother.”

“He’s got a cousin,” Ro offered, “but I’m not sure she’s your type.”

“Brat,” May rolled her eyes. “Hand me the screwdriver.” This time she didn’t point. And for the first time in years Ro spent a nice afternoon with her sister and was able to think that things might end up alright between them.