Saturday, Mid-August
10 miles from the city limit of Boston
Lake Massapoag

The lake was active today. I noticed speedboats sailing through the mild waters, some people even water skying with the occasional flop into the water. My brother and I are close to the beach at the north part of the lake where people were swimming or sunbathing or just lounging on their beach towels. I notice kids building in the sand or skipping rocks along the lake. We, however, were fishing. Something I told myself I would never do recreationally, but my brother convinced me of otherwise. His dinky boat only seated four and his wife and 15-year-old daughter politely declined my brothers offer and instead chose to lounge at the beach. So, it was just me and him. He did that intentionally to get us alone as he and I know his wife and daughter love fishing about as much as I do. 

Even though it was still summer in beautiful Massachusetts, the weather was rather chilly for me, so I decided to wear my red fleece jacket, jeans, and black wool cap despite the judging glances of my dear brother who opted for a simple t-shirt with the Boston Red Sox logo on it, shorts, and sandals. If we were to stand next to each other one wouldn't see that we are related let alone brothers. I kept my dirty blond hair military short with the sides buzzed and the top short and my facial hair of the same color to a neatly trimmed goat-t. A trim that my male workmates mocked at as they have let their beards grow out. My brother on the other hand kept his face clean shaven and his black hair at shoulder length which he tied back to a ponytail. He thinks it looks good on him but neither I nor his wife like it and I've heard her complain multiple times to get that 'darn' hair cut already. 

"Tell me John," My brother asks as he casts out his fishing line for the 16th time today, "when was the last time you and I hung out together? Just the two of us, no wife and kid, no girlfriend or those work buddies of yours."

"Hmm," I mutter, trying to think when exactly that was. 

"Don't know?" My brother nudges at me, his bright blue eyes fixated at mine with his eyebrows extended to his forehead and his lips forming a sly smirk across his face. I swear, every time he makes that face at me, I want to knock that smirk off his face.

"Hold on Mike. I'm thinking," I said, my hazel green eyes glaring back at him while leaning back against the railing of his dinky boat, before I rested my thumb and pointer on my chin as if that would help me find the answer.

When was the last time we hung out just the two of us? Christmas three years ago? No, he spent most of the day in the kitchen and shoving Karen's relatives in my direction, so he didn't have to interact with them. Mom made a huge fit with Karen's mom over the Christmas decorations, dad was a no show and Karen's dad fell asleep on Mike's sofa. Rebecca invited her boyfriend at the time over, of course not mentioning that to her parents so that escalated briefly before he was thrown out by Karen and Rebecca locked herself in her room. Mike must have been up there for nearly an hour trying everything to either convince her to come back down or make it up to her. I don't really remember anything else as that was over two years ago. Shortly after I was deployed to the Philippines and got back almost a year ago, but work has been keeping me busy.

"I don't recall. I would say three years ago at your house during Christmas but, you never had a moment of free time that day. Tell me then. When was the last time just the two of us hung out?"

He grinned at me as he rested his pole against the railing of his boat.

"Aye but it was Christmas three years ago. After that big fight with Rebecca and I failed trying to get join us Karen went up while her mom finished dinner and Paul was snoring down a forest on my couch. You decided to step outside for a smoke, and I joined you," he said looking at the calm lake.

"Oh yeah. Now I remember. He, you even tried to nab one of my cigarettes, something I thought you would never do in a million years," I said, a grin forming on my face as I lightly tap his shoulder with my fist.

"You did smack my hand away rather hard big brother. Then again if Karen had caught us, we'd be dead. But that was the last time it was just us two, even though we were outside for only ten minutes."

Just then the theme song for the sit com 'Friends' began playing from Mike's pocket. Retrieving his cellphone from his and seeing the caller ID says, "Speaking of," before turning his back to me and answering.

"Yes dear?" he answers, his tone sweeter than before where it was a tiny bit more sincere towards me.

Despite not being able to hear what Karen was saying over the phone, I knew her well enough to picture what exactly she was saying to him.

"Are you two done yet?" I picture her saying.

"Not exactly. Why?"

"Because it's been two hours and we are getting bored out here. Have either of you caught anything?" I picture her saying.

"Well not exactly. I almost did a few times, but they kept getting way," Mike says, his free hand rubbing the back of his neck.

"Uh huh. Well, call it a day Mike. We want to do other things besides watching you fail at fishing again," I picture her responding back.

"I'm not that bad fishing," He stammers before letting out a heavy sigh. "Alright. I'll be by the shore in five minutes," He finishes before hanging up and putting away the phone.

This time I was looking at him with a sly grin on my face.

"What?" He asks looking back for a second and noticing my grin before turning his back again to me.

"Oh nothing. Did she comment on your fishing skills again?" I ask, reeling in my fishing line and placing the fishing rod on the boat at the same time Mike did with his. 

"Pff no, I mean kinda? Just start the motor already!" He shouts as he puts his fishing rod on his boat.

"Aye aye Captain!" I shout grabbing the starting line of the boat motor. 

While looking up at the cloud free sky I noticed many tiny dots all across the sky kinda like stars but on the day sky rather than on the night sky. 

"Hey Mike, you seeing this?" I ask, pointing at those dots of light in the sky. 

He looks up and nods his head. "What do you think they are?" He asks.

Suddenly one of those dots of light became a flaming ball that hit the water with a loud splash, barely missing the boat and nearly hitting us. The splash was big, hitting us both with a spray of water and rocking the boat wildly. I held on tightly, but Mike wasn't so lucky and fell into the lake. 

When the shaking stopped seconds later, I rushed to where Mike was and looked over to where he fell. Bubbles were rising and seconds later he emerged, coughing a lot and reaching out to me. I helped him back in the boat where he sat down on the floor rather than the boat benches and began breathing deeply. 

"Are you okay?" I ask, reaching for the duffle bag Karen packed us. Inside were two plastic bags filled with chips and nuts, bottled water and most importantly: towels. I handed him one and he immediately wrapped himself in one and I noticed he shivered a little.

"I'm fine, just a little shaken up is all," he says while he was wrapping himself in that towel. 

"What was that?"

"I believe that was one of the dots in the sky. Must have been a meteoroid or something. Either way, let's get you back on solid ground and hope nothing else falls from the sky and hits us," I said as I started the boat and began steering it to the docks. 

Beside the beach stood the docks where boats ranging from dinky ones like Mike's to luxurious yachts were docked. I docked the boat by an empty space with a sign before it that read 'Reserved for Mike Lloyd'.  By that sign stood Karen and Rebecca. Both were wearing one-piece swimsuits with Karen's being pink and Rebecca's blue. Karen had her shoulder long amber colored hair tied back and dry as a bone, her travel bag slung over her shoulder and a white towel around her waist. Rebecca had her long, dirty blond hair free of any hair band and left wet against her back. She had her phone out and was in the middle of texting but stopped when she saw her father wrapped in a towel. She couldn't help but cover her mouth while letting out a little snicker.

"What happened to you Papi?" She asks, still concealing her smile, while Karen helped Mike off the boat. I got off next, the duffle bag slung around my shoulders. Mike's soaking wet sandals made a squishing sound as his weight leaned on them while stepping on the wooden dock.

"A damn meteorite nearly hit us," he says as we all make our way to our respected cars parked behind the docks. 

"For reals dad? You didn't just loose balance while reeling in a fish again?" Rebecca asks, her hazel-green eyes darting all over her father's wet state and briefly to me.

I snickered but immediately stopped when I noticed Mike glaring at me.

"No pumpkin and that happened to daddy only once," he says patting her on the head. He wasn't really paying attention to her while doing that, but I was. She hated it when he talked to her like a five-year-old. She was scowling at him but didn't say anything. "No, a damn meteorite came smacking down and nearly hit us. It shook the boat violently and I fell off. Ended up swallowing some water too. It did not taste good," he says.

"How come Uncle John isn't wet?"  

"That's because I was smart enough to hold on and Mike wasn't," I said while slyly smiling at Mike. I could hear Karen snicker a bit.

"I'm glad none of you got hurt," Karen says as Mike glared at me again.

Finally, we reach the parking lot and find our respected vehicles. Karen began loading the bags into the trunk of her maroon-colored Hyundai Elantra while Mike, wrapped in that towel sat down in the back. Karen is very particulate when it comes to the tidiness of her car. I approached my black Jeep Wrangler when I felt a tug on my sleeve. I turn and find Rebecca standing before me, twirling her fingers. I notice she's put her clothes back on. Clothes consisting of camo patterned pants with holes in them, bare white sneakers, and a green hoodie with a panda bear wearing military camo on it, her favorite animal and a birthday gift from me that she's been wearing since I got it for her all those years ago. When I got it for her, I accidentally received one 2 sizes too big for her but now she's fully grown into it. 

"What's up Rebecca?" I asked, leaning against the driver side door of my Jeep.

"C-can I ride with you Uncle John?" She asks, still twirling her fingers.

Admittedly I was caught a little off guard. Me and Rebecca have been spending more time together this year as her parents have been home less and less due to work complications and she has taken interest in my hobbies lately. I fear that she knows but I couldn't find the courage to even ask her. I asked Karen about her sudden interest in spending time with me and even she doesn't know. I look over at Karen, who already was sitting behind the wheel. When our eyes met, she simply nodded before starting the car.

"Uh sure Rebecca," I answer unlocking the driver's side and from within my Jeep the passenger side. 

She grinned and ran to the other side. I swear I heard her squee a little. Karen must have told her, or she found out, or maybe Mike has been too absent with her. As we drive down the highway towards Boston I look over at Rebecca. Her eyes were darting the passing landscape.  She must know. I'm absolutely positive. I look back at the conversation me and Karen had last week. Mike invited me over that day for a barbeque he was throwing for me and some of his friends. Mike that day was acting kinda strange. Although cheerful in his appearance, his tone told me otherwise. I was grabbing a beer in the kitchen when Karen stepped in.

"John, you got a minute?" She asks, a torn look on her face. She had her arms crossed and was blocking the kitchen door.  

"If you're going to bring it up again then no Karen I don't," I respond, a slight bit of annoyance in my tone. I closed the fridge, no beer at hand.

"But we have to tell them. I can't stand keeping this secret from them anymore," she says trying to suppress the urge to cry. 

It clearly has been eating at her. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes watery. That smile that greeted me earlier today was nowhere to be seen.

"You think I don't? That it hasn't eaten at me, night after night?" I ask standing by her and the exit that she is blocking. 

"Are you saying we shouldn't tell him?" She asks, sniffling. I remember she wasn't wearing makeup that day. 

"NO! Of course not!" I shouted. She stepped back a bit now leaning against the wall. Hanging there was a collage she made filled with family pictures of herself, Mike and Rebecca over the years. From when she was a mere toddler to her now, all smiling at the camera or doing various family activities.

I sighed, stepping back and giving Karen some room. I look behind her at the newest photo added to the collage: A picture including myself with the trio at the local zoo. 

"I'm sorry. I want to tell Mike and especially Rebecca but right now I don't think it's a good time. I can tell something happened to Mike. He didn't get the promotion he worked so hard for, didn't he?" I ask, turning my back to Karen. I couldn't look at her like that. At that moment, I felt awful.

"Yeah, he didn't get it. Worked overtime, sucking up to his superintendent and instead that Bowers got the promotion," She responded, her voice so coarse. She was holding in the tears, but her tone was giving away her true emotions. 

"So that's why he's throwing a barbeque. This is exactly why we shouldn't tell him. Not yet, at least," I said, turning to her. "It would devastate him. I can't do that to him. Not now."

"What about Rebecca? She's a smart girl John, she's going to put two and two together. You two have the same hair color and the same eyes. Her taste in music mirrors yours and her love of action movies and her particular taste in anime is just like yours and I know it's not just because you two have been spending a lot of time together.  We have to tell her," Karen points out. Her sniffling has disappeared at that point and her eyes weren't so watery anymore. 

I felt a tap on my shoulder, snapping me back to the here and now. I look over at Rebecca who was looking at me with a worried expression.

"Are you okay Uncle John? Didn't you hear what I asked?" she asks, her gaze fixated on me now.

"Yeah yeah, I'm okay. Sorry I was daydreaming there. What's up?" 

"Well, I uh... I've been thinking a lot about this, and I was wondering if," she began, twirling her fingers again before pausing.

My heart was racing but I kept a normal face. Does she know then? Is that what her question will be?

"If uh-if what Rebecca?" I ask trying my hardest to not look or sound nervous.

"If you could give me driving lessons?" she asks while still twirling her fingers. 

Driving lessons. Phew.

"Driving lessons? Why can't your father teach you?" I ask. Not that I am not willing to teach her how to drive.

"Well, Papi has been so busy lately. He leaves for work so early and comes home super late and always so exhausted. I feel so bad for him. Especially since he didn't get the promotion. I figured that I wouldn't burden him and instead have you teach me," she continues, still twirling her fingers. 

Something is nagging at her. Her mother does something similar by twirling her hair.

"Listen. Not that I wouldn't, but driving lessons should be between you and your uh- your father," I replied, slightly choking up on the word father.

"I know," She replied, looking away and back to the flashing scenery.

"I have plans today anyways. I wasn't really expecting you to tag along today."

She didn't respond. I look over to her. She's still looking at the passing scenery now changing from trees and foliage to buildings and streets. 

Silence filled my Jeep. I wanted to tell her, but I couldn't muster the words. Dammit John. You've been shot at. How come this is far more terrifying? Suddenly my phone began to ring, snapping the tension and silence. It was Mike.

"What's up Mike?" I quickly respond. Looking over at Rebecca again she was still eyeing the passing streets and buildings.

"Listen, I'm not feeling so well, and Karen has a bunch of paperwork to deal with anyways. Why don't you do something today with Rebecca and drop her off this evening?" He sounded terribly sick. His voice came off a bit raspy. 

"This evening? But Mike I had plans. I was planning on taking her for a bite to eat then drop her off." Looking over I see Rebecca now eyeing me, a look of curiosity on her face. 

"Please? You'd be doing me and Karen a huge favor," he says before letting out a heavy cough.

Before I could respond with another no Rebecca snatches my phone away. I look at her with surprise and then a puzzled look at my face.

"Could I stay the night with Uncle John?" She asks, her cheeks turning a slight hue of pink. My expression went back to surprised while eyeing her and the traffic. Why did asking that make her blush?

"He can drop me off. Uh-huh. Yay! Thanks Papi. Love you too. Get better soon," she says, squeeing a little before handing me back my phone. I wanted to shout at her, but she was smiling. Not a sweet smile or a warm but a big, happy smile. I couldn't help but a smile a little myself. 

"You are unbelievable sly, you know that?" I retort, my small smile still on my face. 

Grinning, she replies "I know."

Maybe having her around for the day won't be that bad. I decided to turn on the radio as we finish the remainder of the drive to my current living arrangement: Hanscom Air Force Base.

After a short, but snail pace, line to the gate I was greeted by a soldier in ACUs, ACU helmet, and an M4 slung behind her shoulders. On her left shoulder was a black sleeve with the letters M and P on them. Despite the uniform, she has a slender figure and underneath her helmet I could make out her amber colored hair trying to get out. Her emerald green eyes seem to light up when she noticed it was me behind the wheel. I've seen her many times manning this gate, so it wasn't a surprise when she greeted me by name. 

"Hey John, what's up?" She asks while I hand her my ID card. After quickly scanning it, she hands it back to me.

"Who's this?" she asks, leaning down to get a better look at Rebecca.

"This is Rebecca, my niece. Rebecca, this is Senior Airman Scarlett Banks. She often works at this gate, but we often go to the same gun range," I introduced. 

Rebecca responded with a simple, but sweet, "Hello."

"Nice to meet you, Rebecca. You know, John speaks often of you. For a moment though, I thought she was your daughter. You two look so alike," she says, awkwardly scratching the back of her neck.

"We get that a lot. Hey, did you notice the meteor shower today?" I ask, quickly changing the subject. I glance over at Rebecca when Scarlett said daughter, but thankfully she had no reaction to that statement.

"I did. Thought it was the end of the world there for a moment, but the radio says they mostly hit bodies of water. Lakes, rivers, that sort of thing. Thank God," Scarlett says, looking up at the cloudless sky.

"Anyways, it was nice seeing you," I said, unawaringly looking at her green eyes.

"You too. Maybe I'll see you later?" 

"Maybe," I respond, driving away from the gate.

While driving I notice Rebecca grinning at me. Grinning at me in a sly manner.

"What?" I ask.

"You like her, don't you?" She retorts, still grinning at me.

"Pfft. Where did you get that idea? You've been reading too many romance mangas. Scarlett is just someone I bump into often and we engage in small talk."

"Uh-huh. Whatever you say," she responds, looking away but still having that grin on her face.

Yep, she is definitely like me. I will tell her today. I just hope, she doesn't hate me when I tell her the truth. That I'm not really her uncle, but her actual father.