The next morning was Trisha's burial. Danny was hesitant but ended up taking Coltan. There were some family members that would be leaving town right after and they wanted to see him before leaving.
Danny stood far away from the casket and held Coltan the entire time.
"Dada, dat mommy in there?" He points.
"Yeah bud." Danny nods and lightly bounces him.
"Oh.." Coltan sucks on his fingers and hangs his head.
"What they doing?! No put mommy in da ground!" He shouts.
"Shh, let's go over here, Cole. Let's take a walk.. You wanna look at the fishes."
"Okay."
Danny took a walk over to the baby section of the cemetery. There was a small lake in the middle with a few fishes.
"Look at that one, bud! What's his name?"
"His name mommy!"
"Oh that's the mommy fish?"
"Yeah and dats da Cole Cole fish! My mama call me Cole Cole!
.. And dats da dada fishy!"
"That's pretty cool!"
"Yeah!"
"Hey, your birthday's coming up, isn't it?"
"Yeah! I gonna be this many!" Coltan holds three fingers up.
"Oh my gosh, that's so old!"
"No it not!" Coltan laughs.
"Heh! What do you wanna do for your birthday?"
"I wanna see mommy!"
Danny's heart hurt for him.
"Are there any toys you want? I'll buy you anything you want!"
"Anything?!" Coltan's eyes widen.
"Anything!"
"WOW!"
Danny laughs.
"I like having a daddy!"
"Well good, I'm glad! I really like having you too, buddy."
"Thanks!" Coltan smiles and hugs his father.
***
The weekend came and Danny packed up to head back to New Orleans.
He planned to let Coltan visit his aunt in Texas and was in the middle of working on a schedule so that he would still be able to see his grandparents and the rest of Trisha's family.
"Alright Cole, we're home!"
"Finally!"
Danny laughs and takes him out of his car seat.
"This is my home now?"
"Yeah bud, you like it?"
"Yeah! It's SO big!"
Danny chuckles and watches the amazement in Coltan's eyes.
"We just live here me and you?"
"Well actually I need to talk to you about that.. Come here."
Danny sits him on his lap and starts, "Cole, you have brothers and sisters, do you know that?"
