“What’s burning?”

“Your Dad’s cooking.” Then she threw her arms up in the air and screamed. “Edie!” She grabbed me into a wild hug and Janie and Sophie held us both around the legs. We hopped around in a giant hug, crying, screaming, and laughing. The moment we stopped to catch our breath, Janie and Sophie grabbed my hand and pulled me inside.

My mom looked at Jude. “Hi.” She took hold of his hand and dragged him inside in similar fashion to Janie and Sophie. “I don’t know who you are, but I hope you like burgers.”

“I usually like to wait until at least ten in the morning before I slam down my first burger, but I think I can handle it,” Jude said.

Dad was standing over the stove with his long hair pulled back in a ponytail and an apron I’d never seen before. It was stained in grease and ketchup and looked completely contrary to the silver hoops in his ears.

“Is that Edie? You’re just in time for a taste test.” He was holding a spatula heavy with a dripping meat patty as he turned around. His eyes grew wide when he looked at Jude. The patty, grease, onions, cheese and all, dropped to the floor. Janie and Sophie broke out in shrilly giggles, and Mom covered her mouth to force back a laugh.

Jude stared down at the splat of meat on the floor. “I think I’ll take a rain check on that burger.”

“I’m sure we can get you one without the linoleum print,” Mom said.

Dad stepped over the fallen burger and wiped his hands on his food crusted apron. “Holy shit, I can’t believe it. Holy shit”

Janie clapped her hands and giggled. “Oly shit.”

Mom shot Dad a rare, admonishing glare.

“Sorry. Holy Moly, Holy fucking moly. You’re Jude King.”

Jude smiled and stuck out his hand, which was brave considering the condition of the apron Dad had just wiped his hands on. “Pleased to meet you, Sir.”

“I feel like I know you,” Dad gushed. “I still remember when you rode your first two wheel bicycle in that documentary they made about your dad.”

Jude looked over at me and smiled.

“Creepy ain’t it?” I asked.

“Not at all.”

Dad’s face pulled tight suddenly. “How’s your dad doing? I’ve heard everything from a heart attack to a drug overdose.”

“He’s fine. It was just exhaustion. He’s at home resting right now.”

Dad turned to me and it looked like he’d swallowed his tongue.

“Yes, Dad, I met him, and we talked about you.”

“Whoa!” Dad yelled. “You met Nicky King.” He looked at me with more pride than I’d ever seen him muster.

“By the way, Dad, I saw my last grades on-line. I graduated third in my class. Well, I’m not sure if it counts since I wasn’t actually at the graduation but—”

“That’s great, Sweetie,” he said, brushing off my school accomplishments to get back to what mattered most. “So did you make a good impression? Did you practice all the good manners your mom and I taught you?”

Mom and I burst out laughing.

“My dad was thoroughly impressed.” Jude smiled over at me, and my heart did that little jolt thing it did whenever he looked at me. “We are all thoroughly impressed.”

“Is that right?” My mom was searching my face for clues of just how thoroughly things had been between us. Fortunately, I’d learned how to put on a poker face when it came to boys.

Sophie grabbed my hand. “Edie, did you bring gifts?”

“Gifts,” Janie repeated.

“As a matter of fact, I did.” I slid the back pack off my shoulder, removed the toys, and held the boxes face down. “Pick one, and you both have to promise to be happy with the one you choose.”

“I promise,” Sophie said. She grabbed the sporty Barbie.

I handed Janie the party dress Barbie, and Sophie immediately craned her neck to see if Janie got the better doll. “Oh, I like that dress,” she whined.

“Sophie, you promised.”

“That’s O.K, my doll is prettier,” Sophie said.

“No mine is,” Janie cried.

“They are the same dolls but with different outfits.” I looked at Mom for help, but it was obvious that she was glad to have a break from them. I’d spent a lot of time taking care of my sisters and after I left, Mom had probably felt it more than anyone. “I knew I should have bought them each the same doll.”

“Then they would have complained that they wanted different ones.” Mom put her arm around me and led me to the couch. Dad had already corralled Jude in the kitchen. He sat him down at the table and prepared him a burger. I heard them talk about Jude’s career in music and his artwork. Apparently Dad knew a lot about the entire King family. Jude sat politely in the small, smoky kitchen listening to my dad tell an entire narrative of Jude’s childhood, probably knowing more about Jude’s than mine.

I sat on the couch, the familiar, mildew-smelling, lumpy couch and leaned my head on Mom’s shoulder. She glanced over at the kitchen. Dad had Jude’s complete attention. “First of all,” she spoke quietly to be drowned out by the sizzling stove, “he’s breathtaking.”

“Yeah,” I said on a sigh.

“What exactly is going on? I thought you were there to be a companion for Nicky’s daughter.”

“I am. Finley is a lot of fun. We’re having a blast together. I’ve never had a friend that I’ve bonded with so quickly as Finley. And she has a pet pig.” That comment pulled Sophie’s attention away from the Barbie. Both dolls were naked now, and the clothes were scattered on the floor.

She hopped up on the couch. “She has a pig?”

“Yep, and he wears t-shirts and an earring just like a pirate.”

“Can you bring him here so we can pet him?”

“No, Some Pig doesn’t like to travel.”

Mom laughed. “Some Pig?”

I waved her question away. “It’s a long story.” Sophie crawled into my lap. “So, tell me more about this job Dad’s taking.”

“There are bears,” Sophie said.

“It’s a beautiful place, Edie,” Mom said. “I wish you were coming with us. We’re so excited about it, but it’s going to be really hard leaving you down here alone.”

“I’m not alone.” I looked toward the kitchen again.

“You haven’t really explained why you showed up with the brother.”

I could feel my cheeks warm. “We’ve sort of bonded too.”

Janie jumped into her lap holding both dolls. Sophie grabbed hers back, although she might have grabbed Janie’s. Now that they were both naked, it was hard to tell.

“The son of a famous rock star, be careful, Edie. Don’t get your heart broken.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mom.”

“Eden, as far as I’m concerned no one is good enough for you, but—”

“Mom, I’m not a ninny. I’ll be fine.”

She put her arms around me and kissed my cheek. “I know you’re not a ninny. I missed you so much.” She kissed me again and then Sophie and Janie followed. The three of them kissed me all over my face until we were laughing so hard we all fell on the floor in a heap.

“Yeehaw!” Dad’s yell snapped us out of the frenzied kiss session. “Well, I’ve done it. Jude King, a true burger eater, has given me his seal of approval on my onion, cheddar, and bacon burger. I’m taking this recipe up north. I think I’ll call it the King.”

“I’m honored,” Jude said wiping his mouth with a napkin.

Mom stood and lowered her hand for me to take. “I’m just glad we don’t have to eat any more burgers. My heart valves were closing up just smelling the grease.”

I walked to the kitchen. “So, Dad, do I get a burger or does my opinion not count? I mean I know I’m not a King, but I’ve had my share of burgers.”

“Coming right up.”

“Oh, but Dad, I don’t want any onions or bacon or mayonnaise.”

Dad rolled his eyes at me. “Yeah, Edie, you’re a regular burger connoisseur.”

Chapter 18

We spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon talking mostly about Jude’s dad and listening to Black Thunder music just in case Jude hadn’t heard it enough in his lifetime. At one point, Sophie and Janie climbed up on each side of Jude and fell asleep against him. It was a picture I would keep in my mind forever. Good byes took a long time, and Mom, Janie, Sophie, and I cried. They promised to call the moment they got up north to give me their new number.