“I’m a lucky man,” he admitted. “Marrying her was the best thing I ever did.”
Wyler agreed.
The Raven was a blessing to their tribe, and to their family.
“Shall we walk?” Wyler asked. “You have your meeting,” he admitted.
Ethan linked his arm with his father’s, and they began the short walk to the council house. As they entered the woods, Raphael was right behind him.
“Are you excited?” Wyler asked.
Ethan was honest.
“Scared, mostly. I’ve got the demons in my head telling me I can’t possibly live up to the great Timothy Blackhawk. He is big shoes to fill.”
Wyler was honest.
“You’re a better man than he was, or I was. I think you should just be you. Look at the world you created. You married a good woman, and had more kids than most Natives.”
Ethan laughed.
“I had two. We adopted the rest. CJ and Charlie are me.”
He stopped him.
“No, Ethan, they are all you. You’ve put yourself into each one of them. Willa is just as much yours as she was her biological parents. Then, look at all the children that you touch every day with your kindness and love. Takoda loves you so much that you can’t tell if Callen or you are his real father. Plus look at Bethe. I saw you pushing her on the swing, and playing with her. The strength of a good man is not found in his words of wisdom, but his acts of love to the next generation.”
Ethan smiled.
“I do love kids. Mom said I have another coming,” he admitted. “When I spoke to her in the smoke. She said it’s a little boy, and I’m going to name him Kennedy.”
Wyler was honest.
“I hope I get to meet and hold him. As one of my last things, I hope I meet your child.”
Ethan held his hand. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d done that, especially as a child, but the bottom line was, he was his father’s son.
Good and bad.
“You’ll make it. I have faith. I can feel it in the air, and in the smoke. You’ve got a while yet, old man.”
He squeezed his hand, as they exited the trees, and made their way to the council house. Inside, they saw the portrait of Timothy, and Wyler kissed it, like he did every time he came in here.
“Miss you, Dad,” he said.
Ethan did the same thing.
“I miss you, you old, meddling coot.”
That made Wyler laugh.
“I mean, it’s accurate. I hope you’re going to be ready to meddle like your forefathers,” he teased. “It’s the main duty.”
Oh, he was aware.
When the door opened, Lance Running Wolf stood there in his regalia.
“Ethan, my boy, you’re right on time. Are you ready?” he asked.
