Gathering Water by Regan Claire Page A

bastard when it came to Gabby.” His voice hitched again. Why would my mother leave a home where she had someone who loved her as much as her brother obviously did?
    “Della, I’d like you to hang around a little longer. I know this has go t to be strange for you, but I’ve got to go inside and make some phone calls.” He left swiftly, like a man barely holding his composure, hesitating as he passed me to squeeze my shoulder in the closest thing I’d ever had to parental touch.
    A few minutes later Cash came outside.
    “Come on cousin, I’ve got a great eavesdropping spot. Haven’t had to use it since I was a kid, but it’ll still work. Lets go hear what my parents are saying.” He again pulled me along like I was a baby-doll.
    “You could have said something! You jerk!” I was happy to have someone to be mad at because the conversation with Connor - my uncle - had left me feeling overwhelmed. “Ugh, I think I hate you!” I moaned quietly, being uncharacteristically dramatic. Something about the way Cash acted put me at ease, even then.
    “No you don’t; we’re cousins. That’s like built-in best friends. Now you can yell at me later, but be quiet or we won’t get to hear what they’re saying.” He pulled me around to the side of the house, the porch conveniently wrapping around much the way it did at my house, to a spot right next to an open window.
    “I made sure it was open before they went in there.” He whispered to me conspiratorially, pulling me down to sit underneath the window next to him. My new cousin had obviously done this a million times before, because you could hear his parents inside perfectly. Connor was telling Ellis what had happened, and I started nervously twisting the armlet around when I heard her gasp and softly cry.
    “I wondered, since it’s been so long. But poor Gabby, she must have been so scared out there by herself and pregnant. And that poor little girl.” I assumed I was the little girl that Ellis was referring to.
    “I can’t believe dad already knew. What was he thinking ? Twelve years he’s known and he didn’t say a single thing. All those times we’ve talked about it. I just don’t know what to do.” Connor’s voice was equal parts anger and sadness. I heard them shuffling around a bit before the voices started again.
    “What about Della, is she really Gabby’s little girl? Why didn’t she tell us she was pregnant?”
    “I think she is. Now that I know, I can see my sister all over her face, and she’s got my grandma’s eyes. I think that’s the worst part about Dad’s knowing. There was a little girl and he couldn’t open his go-“ but his wife interrupted.
    “I don’t know what Toby’s reason s were, and I doubt that whatever they were was sufficient reason for hiding this, but that isn’t the matter at hand. What do you want to do about Della?” Ellis sounded pretty composed now, though her voice was still pretty thick with tears.
    “I may not have been able to take care of my baby sister, but I can certainly take care of her girl. She doesn’t think she has a family, and we need to change that. I can’t stand the thought of Gabby’s baby not knowing her family.”
    Before I could hear any more Cash pulled me up and away from the window.
    “Bet you a dollar you’re gonna move in now.”
    “Did you get dropped on your head as a child?”
    “Ha, seriously though. You’re moving in.” And he really did sound serious.
    “Thanks, but no thanks.”
    “Look, you may not know us, but family is a really, really big deal to us. My dad was just killed a little bit hearing about your mom. He’s always felt guilty for her running off, and I know for a fact that he’s hired at least one private detective to track her down. Now, he just found out that his baby sister, who also happened to be my mother’s very best friend, is dead. You are the niece he didn’t know existed.” He poked me in the shoulder, causing me to step back with my