Page 112 of Alonzo

He has more friends now, he told me last weekend, than he had in all the years that came before.

Jesse definitely took one for the team that night we got the kids. And Emma didn’t quite understand why he was on that fishing boat when he got nailed for resisting arrest. But he really didn’t do anything wrong and all the charges ended up being dropped once the hashtag #SaveBaby started trending on Twitter.

The court of public opinion weighed in and for the first time in his life, they pronounced the Baby Boston innocent.

We all felt Jesse’s internal vindication. We got it. We got him when that happened.

And he’s got two more kids enrolled in his sailing school. The dude tripled his client list in just a few short weeks.

Can’t beat that, I guess.

Belinda never came back either. She stayed up in Virginia Beach with Tara and they are both teaching those kids how to adjust to a new life and a new identity.

That bothers Tony. I think he really felt that Belinda came back for him.

But she didn’t. She came back for herself. I tried explaining the whole siren song thing to him, but he was never obsessed with the family story the way I was, so he didn’t get it.

Vann went home right after Belinda left. I have no clue what he’s up to, but I do know he was disappointed that Belinda left as well. He has a thing for her. Everyone could see it. Even my mother. And I wanted to take the dude aside and tell him to chill. Just let things play out. If Belinda wants him, she will find him. And besides, she did tell him to save her place at their tattoo shop.

But I didn’t say that. Didn’t feel like it was my place.

Johnny went home to his girlfriend. They’ve got their bun cooking in the oven and he doesn’t like to be away from her if he can help it. But at the same time, he wants her as far away from the business as he can keep her.

He calls me now. A couple times a week, at least. They are always weird calls. He’s one of those conspiracy theory guys. Always looking for the hidden meaning behind things. But he’s entertaining, so I just let him talk. And sometimes he says something that forces me to look at the world in a different way.

I have decided that I kinda like the Boston brothers.

Zach and Luke are definitely a thing. I’m not really sure what that thing is, since they always have a girl over there with them, but Joey shows up for Saturday night dinners with his clan every month or so and seeing them all together kinda puts it in perspective.

I don’t know Joey. But he invited our whole family up to the city to see his little girl’s dance recital next month. And ya know what? I think I’m gonna go. The idea of being an uncle to the in-laws’ kids kind of intrigues me.

Makes me think of the future I might have with Tara when she comes back to me.

My doorbell rings. It’s probably Jesse, since it’s Saturday and he and Emma are due in for dinner tonight.

But when I open the door it’s not Jesse.

“Excuse me? Mr. Derringer?”

I cover my mouth and laugh. Because it’s Tara. All dressed up in a pencil skirt. “What the hell? Why didn’t you tell me you were—“

“You are Mr. Derringer, right?”

I nod, still smiling. “Yes. Yes, ma’am. I’m him. Nerdy accountant. Good with numbers… and… balancing things.” I wink at her.

She does not break character. “I’m Ms. Sunshine, from the Key West Children’s Library. And I’m in the neighborhood going door to door looking for story time volunteers.”

“Story time?”

“Mm-hm.”

“As in, would I like to read to kids?”

“That’s right.”

“Ahhh.” I rub my hand over my jaw. “I’m not sure I have any stories appropriate for kids.”

“May I…” She reaches for the screen door handle.