He let out a whoop at this, and so did Chaska.
Chaska made room for Doug, who knelt down in front of Naomi where she sat, opening his arms to her, giving her a choice. “Welcome to the family, daughter.”
She sank into him, his arms enfolding her. How strange and wonderful it was—this first embrace from her father. Herfather.
Would she ever get used to that?
He pulled away, wiped the tears from her cheeks—and his own. “I am so, so sorry. Forgive me. If I had known… You will never be out in the cold again.”
Grandpa Belcourt was still singing.
Then Doug got to his feet, cleared his throat. “If you all will excuse me, I need to call my wife. Star has been waiting, too.”
Winona decidedthey should go for ice cream to celebrate, and there was really no changing his sister’s mind once she got an idea in her head.
Chaska pinned her with his gaze. “You just want ice cream.”
“Naomi wants ice cream, too, don’t you, Naomi? Tell my brother you want ice cream, too.”
Naomi looked from Winona to Chaska, laughing. “I could go for ice cream.”
“Okay, fine.”
And so, they were off.
Chaska locked the door behind Doug, who was the last one out—and who didn’t look as happy as he had a while ago. “Is everything okay?”
“Oh, yes. Star was relieved to hear the news. We’re going to wait to tell the kids until I get home. This will be as good a time as any to give the older two some lessons about birds and bees and what might happen if you’re not careful.”
Chaska walked with Doug to his SUV, where the others were waiting. He sensed something was wrong, but he didn’t want to pry.
Doug switched to Lakota. “I keep thinking about how Naomi was found—a little baby alone, freezing to death. That is partlymyfault. I left that girl alone with the consequences of what we’d done. I believed I loved her, but I left her to face having a baby without me. I’m not making excuses for her. What she did was terrible and wrong. But if I had ignored her mother and stayed in her life somehow, maybe it would have been different. I hate to think of what Naomi has been through. I might have been able to prevent all of that. I missed twenty-seven years of her life.”
There was no disputing what Doug said. Every word was the truth.
“For what it’s worth, I don’t think Naomi holds any of that against you.”
“Since I’m her father, I guess it’s high time I asked what your intentions are toward her.”
Chaska stammered, taken by surprise. “Well, I—”
Doug chuckled. “Got you.”
Chaska glared at him. “Nice.”
They piled into the SUV, passing Bear in the roundabout and parking down the street from the ice cream shop. Chaska found a table for them and left Naomi there so she wouldn’t have to stand in line. He thought Old Man might rather sit, too, given his knees, but he insisted on going with Chaska.
“I got to see what flavors they have.”
Chaska got double chocolate chip for himself and butter pecan for Naomi.
Old Man ordered three scoops—all different flavors—and seemed as excited as a five-year-old. “I haven’t had mint chocolate chip since that last powwow in California.”
Doug insisted on paying for everyone. “You saved Naomi’s life. Without you…”
He didn’t finish. Everyone understood.
If Shota hadn’t led them to her, she most likely would have died, and Doug would never have known he’d had another daughter.