Cole stood.
“Don't pull hard.”
“It's moving!”
“Good.”
“What do I do?”
“Reel slowly.”
“I AM!”
“You’re yelling.”
“I CAUGHT A FISH!”
“You might have.”
“I DEFINITELY DID!”
The riders gathered behind them.
Rosa took out her phone.
Emma reeled.
A small sunfish broke the surface.
To Emma, it might as well have been a whale.
She screamed.
The bikers cheered louder than necessary.
A family twenty yards away turned to watch.
Cole lifted the fish carefully.
Emma stared.
“It’s tiny.”
“First fish.”
“Daddy said his first fish was huge.”
Cole looked toward Rosa.
Rosa shook her head.
“Six inches.”
Emma gasped.
“Daddy lied?”
“Your father practices emotional measurements.”
Emma frowned.
Cole said:
“He remembers feelings bigger than objects.”
That explanation satisfied her.
They released the fish.
Emma watched it disappear.
Then her expression became sad.
“Daddy missed it.”
Cole sat beside her.
“He knows you're here.”
“He didn't see it.”
“No.”
“He always misses things.”
The riders behind them became quieter.
Cole did not immediately correct her.
Adults often rushed to defend absent parents.
He didn't.
Emma looked down.
“He missed my birthday.”
“I know.”
“He missed Christmas.”
“I know.”
“He missed when I got my new chair.”
“I know.”
“He says sorry.”
Cole nodded.
“I bet.”
“I don't want sorry.”
“What do you want?”
“My daddy.”
The answer was so simple Cole had no defense against it.
Rosa stepped closer.
“Emma—”
Cole raised one hand gently.
“It's okay.”
He looked at Emma.
“You're allowed to be mad at him.”
She looked surprised.
“Grandma says Daddy is doing important work.”
“He is.”
“So I shouldn't be mad.”
“Two things can be true.”
Emma frowned.
Cole continued.
“Your dad can be doing something important.”
“And you can still hate that he isn't here.”
Emma looked toward the water.
“Are you mad when people leave?”
Cole inhaled slowly.
“Yes.”
“Your daughter?”
Rosa watched carefully.
Cole looked at the purple butterfly patch hidden beneath his vest.
“I wasn't mad at her.”
“I was mad at everything else.”
Emma considered.
“Did it help?”
“No.”
“Then why be mad?”
Cole almost laughed.
“You don't always choose feelings.”
“Daddy says you choose what you do after.”
Cole stared at her.
“He says that?”
“Uh-huh.”
“He stole that from me.”