Leah was holding a pillow between her teeth, wiggling it into a pillow case, while Embry snapped a freshly laundered fitted sheet onto their mattress. She tossed the pillow onto the bed and looked at her husband. "Em? Do you remember our first date - when you suggested that I should forgive Sam and Emily?"

Embry froze, letting the top sheet float down like a parachute. "Umm, yeah, but this is different, Lee. You know that, right?"

She nodded thoughtfully. "It is, honey. But as a wise man once pointed out to me, it's making you unhappy and doesn't seem to be bothering your father at all. Just pointing that out."

"Okay, Lee. Noted." He tucked the top sheet in along the foot of the bed. "I've been thinking about talking to Sam. Do you think I should?"

"Well, your mom went to a lot of trouble to keep his secret all these years. I'm not really sure why, but maybe you should talk to her first."

He nodded. "Good idea. I'll do that. It doesn't seem right that Sam and I are half brothers and he doesn't know that, ya know?"

Leah smoothed the bedspread over the pillows. "I agree. But let's see what your mom says about it. And thanks for the help. That's a hateful job for one person." She kissed his nose and kept walking, but he grabbed her hand and spun her back into his arms.

"What would I do without you, Leah Call? I love you, lady. More every day." He kissed her deeply, and her arms snaked around his neck.

"Love you too, Embry. And as much as I would love to continue this conversation, I hear a certain little guy babbling in the next room." She hugged him before dropping her arms and continuing into the baby's room.

"Good morning, my sweet baby boy!" Kohana kicked his feet and smiled at his mother.

"Sam? Got a minute?" Embry tapped on the open garage door.

Sam groaned. "This never seems to end well, Embry. But come on in. What's on your mind?"

Embry leaned against the tool bench. "Well, now that I'm here I'm not sure how to begin." He watched Sam loosen a wing nut with his fingers and took a deep breath. "I met your father yesterday."

Sam dropped the nut and stared at Embry. "My father? Are you sure, Embry?"

"Oh yeah. I'm sure. He said he wanted to meet his grandson."

"So you mean YOUR father. Oh. Fuck. Well, I guess I'm not really surprised. So how is the old bastard?"

"Contrite. Old. Alive, no thanks to Leah. Only because I wouldn't let her kill him."

"Wouldn't be worth going to jail, I guess. So. We're brothers." A slow smile spread across Sam's face. "Always wanted a brother. I wonder why they never told us. Our mothers, I mean."

Embry shrugged. "I asked my mom. She says she's a private person. What a crock of shit." He kicked an empty oil can. "Anyhow, how would you feel about being the baby's godfather? I'll understand if you have reservations…"

"No, I'd like that. Seems right, you know? Since I'm his uncle and all."

"We were going to ask Seth, but he gets to live with K. So it only seems fair. I don't think Seth will mind. And we'd...I'd really like you to have the honor. We asked Rachel to be the godmother."

Sam caught the correction, but he let it pass. He and Leah were never going to be friends, but that shouldn't come between him and his brother. "So what did the old buzzard have to say?"

Embry shook his head. "He wanted to apologize. Get to know his grandson. Bullshit. We figure maybe he's sick or something. You know, cancer or heart disease. Whatever. It won't matter to me if he drops dead tomorrow. He's been dead to me for - well, all my life."

"Yeah, I feel the same way. So you told him no?"

Embry smiled slightly. "I didn't have to. I heard Leah threaten to...well, the woman has a way with words. I don't think he'll be back anytime soon."

Sam shuddered. "He'd better stay far away. You don't fuck with a mama wolf."

"He left an envelope with a thousand dollars in cash. I gave it to Sue for the tribe. We don't need his tainted money. I offered it to my mom, told her it was back child support." He laughed. "She didn't want it either."

Rachel bought Kohana a tiny pair of beaded moccasins for his christening. Leah assured Rachel they were the cutest things she'd ever seen, but the baby managed to kick them off in thirty seconds flat.

The minister took the baby from Rachel and sprinkled him with holy water. Then he handed him to the elderly shaman for his Quileute blessing. Kohana looked up into the ancient, wrinkled face and laughed with delight. He was a friendly baby, and good natured.

The next time Joshua showed up at the house, Leah and Embry were sitting on the porch enjoying an unusually warm late winter afternoon. Kohana was sitting on Embry's lap, and Leah was thumbing through a magazine. He stopped before the porch steps, and Leah looked at Embry. She knew him well and recognized the tightening of his jaw as his hands clasped protectively around the baby.

Joshua spoke softly. "I may be useless, but you know I mean him no harm, Embry. I'm an old man," he continued, "and I've never laid a hand on my own son. I have many regrets, but I'm sure my apology is too late to do anyone any good."

"What do you want, Joshua?" Embry asked. "What can I say that will convince you to leave us in peace?"

The older man's smile failed to reach his eyes. "I'm leaving today. Going back to my home in Montana. I would like to hold my grandson once before I go. I know I don't deserve it, and you don't owe me anything, but that's what I'm asking. Please. Because you and Leah are good people - better than I could ever be."

Nobody moved, and the seconds dragged on. They turned into minutes. Joshua sighed deeply and turned away. Embry stood and walked slowly down the steps. Leah watched, slipping her cell phone from her pocket.

When Embry reached the sidewalk, Kohana stretched his little arms out toward his grandfather. Embry nodded, and Joshua Uley took his grandson into his arms, breathing deeply of his baby scent for the first time...and the last.

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." Mahatma Gandhi