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She reels faster A large on the end of her line

Norah beaot one!

“Yes, you did, baby girl And he’s a fatty” I catch the line in the air and bring the fish into the boat “Grab the line I’ll get the cooler”

I hand the line off to Norah and fetch the ice-filled cooler, dragging it to the center of the boat When I turn back around, Norah’s staring off toward the bank, holding up her fish like she’s showing it off

“What’cha doing, sweetheart?”

“Showingme on”

I scan the bank “Where is he? I don’t see him”

She shoots ht over there—” She turns back to the shore and frowns “I guess he ran off”

The hairs on the back ofline with ive the fish a few hard s the gills and bleeding it out in the water, I sube the bass in ice inside the cooler “Noe just have to make a quick stop at the store and then have ourselves a nice fish dinner”

I start the motor and take us back to shore wheresupplies and the cooler, hitch the boat to the trailer, and then head into town At the ies for grilling Norah insists on getting a peach pie for dessert, and I insist we grab a cherry pie, too, because why the hell not? We get gas at the station next door, then start the drive back to the cabin

Norah rests her hand on h and says, “I had a really nice time today, Daddy”

I squeeze and rub her hand “I had a nice day, too, baby girl”

It occurs to me that every day could be like this, if anted it badly enough The cabin is practically a house at this point What’s to stop us fro it into our ho fir different Norah could get an online degree in whatever field sparks her interest We could build a nice little life together, Norah and me, up here on the mountain

A figure slinks out of the trees beside the road A s moose I brace my foot on the brake, ready to stop the truck But as we drive past, I swear it looksA boy with dark, messy hair

“Is that the kid you saw?” I ask Norah