“And is there anything else I should know?”Sarah asked.
Simon smiled as he listened to Sally explain how they baited the trap, threw it in, waited for the crabs to gather around the bait, and then pulled the whole thing up.“We have to measure them and throw back the little ones.We can’t keep them or the population won’t grow,” she said seriously.
“That’s a good rule,” said Sarah.“We wouldn’t want that.Crab meat is too good.”
Simon walked over to the back of the car without interrupting their conversation—not when Sally was opening up to someone other than him.He appreciated the way Sarah spoke to his daughter.With respect.Just as he spoke to her.
Riley gravitated toward him as soon as he opened the hatchback.“Can I help?”
“Well, you can carry the bait bucket if you like,” he said, pulling out a small covered bucket and handing it to her.She grinned, vibrating with excitement.“Have you never been crabbing?”
“No.My dad always said he would take me, but…” Her face fell.
“Dads are often busier than they think they will be,” he said, though why he was trying to cut her father slack was beyond him.He wondered what Graham was like, but thought best not to ask.
“My dad’s always busy,” Riley said.“Especially now.They’re going to have a baby.”
“That will be exciting, to have a baby sister or brother.”He pulled the traps and crab bucket from the car and shut the door.“Ready?”he said, loud enough to get Sally and Sarah’s attention.
They nodded and came to pick up the crab bucket and a trap, then walked ahead, still engrossed in conversation, this time about a book Sally was reading—one Sarah remembered reading as well.
“I don’t know,” said Riley, falling into step beside him.
“About what?”Simon asked, pulling his attention away from Sarah and Sally and trying to remember what he and Riley had been talking about.
“About Dad’s new baby.It already takes up time, and it isn’t even born yet.My dad is forgetting about me.”
“I doubt anyone could forget you.Especially your father.”
“Well, Tanis is in the hospital sleeping, and he didn’t have time to see me this weekend.”
He slowed his step and turned toward Riley.Her eyes were downcast, and her earlier excitement seemed to have vanished.
“I think your mom said she’s on bed rest.”
“Yes.Sleeping.”
“Well, bed rest is a little more complicated, from what I understand.”
“What do you mean?”
“I believe it means that she must stay in bed and not get too excited so the baby stays safe.Tanis is probably a little scared, so needs to have your dad there.You would want your mom to be with you if you were in hospital, wouldn’t you?”
“You think Tanis is scared?”Riley peered up at him from under her ball cap.
“I imagine your dad might be a little scared too.Hospitals can be scary places if you don’t know what to expect.”And didn’t he know it.Though maternity wings were less frightening than emergency rooms and mental health facilities, in his experience.
“My dad doesn’t get scared,” Riley said.
“He probably doesn’t get scared often, but every dad I know gets scared when they’re worried about their children.And their wives.”
“Do you think so?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe,” Riley said, but her voice still sounded small.“It still feels like… I don’t know.Like there’s never room for me anymore with Dad.”
“If something happened to Sally, I would be scared, but that wouldn’t mean I didn’t care about other people in my life.”
