Six and Counting

Chapter 6

               That evening, noise on the beach below drew Shane out onto his balcony. It was one of those Southern California coastal evenings songs were written about, with the sun still glowing, waves rhythmically breaking on shore, seagulls and lovers scattered along the water’s edge, enjoying the early summer sunset—

                “Mithter Mukneo! Mithter Mukneo! Look down here!”

                Barely recognizing his name, Shane nevertheless looked down at his private beach area below and observed David, Emily’s boy twin, cavorting below him in the sand, waving his hands like an air traffic controller to get Shane’s attention. Taking in the immediate area with a quick glance, Shane spotted the rest of the kids playing in the sand, along with Emily, who was building a sandcastle with Danielle and Denise.

                “Mithter Mukneo! Come down here wif us!”

                Weakly smiling and waving, Shane realized he had no clue how to act with young children, yet he instinctively realized he wouldn’t be left alone unless he did as he was commanded. Leaning over the rail he called, “Be right down!”

                 Seeing Emily’s head twist around at his shouted reply, Shane allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction. She was already tuned in to his voice. Definitely an encouraging sign. Grabbing his sweatshirt on the way down, Shane decided to have the kids call him by his first name. It would be easier for them, and he might actually recognize it from their childish lips. And it would be a reason for Emily to start calling him Shane as well...

                The wind kicked up as he appeared on the sand, hair blowing in his eyes as he approached the little group near the water’s edge. Frankly, he thought it was colder than hell out here, but the Wakeland family wasn’t going to show him up! He was a native Californian, for crying out loud!—

                “You comed! Mama, Mithter Mukneo comed down!”

                Shane knelt down at David’s eye level and said, “Hey, bud. Why don’t you call me Shane? We’re friends, aren’t we?”

                The little boy’s eyes grew as wide as silver dollars, and his grin rivaled the Cheshire cat’s.

                “Okay, Sha-a-a-ne,” David drew out the name tentatively, still smiling, as his mother suddenly appeared next to him, left hand gently touching her son’s hair lovingly. At her approach Shane gazed up from his kneeling position in the sand, brushing wisps of hair off his face as Emily smiled down at him.

                Slowly he stood, saying, “You can call me Shane, too.”

                Emily glanced around, suddenly bashful as her boss looked down into her face with that slightly mischievous demeanor of his. Opening her mouth to speak, her son interrupted as he yanked on Shane’s hand hard enough to dislocate it from his wrist.

                “Mithter Shane! Come see our castle!”

                So much for easier pronunciation.

                “I’m coming, bud. Let loose the hand and we can get there faster,” and Shane followed the little boy to where the rest of the family dug like puppies in the sand. Emily moved alongside him, eyes sparkling with humor while the children all chattered at once as they tried to fashion walls out of wet sand, giving each other orders that no one followed. While David dropped to his pudgy knees to join the fray, Shane seized the opportunity to speak with Emily.