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it on him."
    Travis frowned. "You think he's old enough for all this?"
    "No, but what kid ever is. He seems to handle things pretty maturely for his age. Just give him the basics and let him know what is going on."
    Travis slumped forward, resting his arms on his knees. "I can't help but to wonder what my sister is thinking as she watches all this."
    Evan smiled. "God is with her. She may already know the outcome."
    Travis glanced over. "You go to church, too?"
    "Calvary Chapel."
    "Really, that's where we go also. Pastor Reed?" Travis sat up and turned toward Evan, still keeping Jason in his view.
    "Yep. I haven't ever seen you there."
    "Like I said before, I haven't always been great at getting motivated on Sundays. That will change now with Jason. My sister and he would go at ten in the morning. I would join them from time to time."
    "I go at eight so that is why I probably haven't seen you. I attend the later one every now and then, when I'm too lazy to pull myself out of bed early."
    Travis was pleased that he and Evan had so much in common. It had to help his case. "Jason is very active with the youth group there. His grandparents go from time to time. I hope if they have him on the weekends, they will still let him go."
    "Seems like your sister kept him pretty active."
    Travis watched Jason play. "She was close to a perfect mother. I can't even hope to be half the parent to him that she was." He sighed. "Still hard to believe she is gone."
    "You were close?" Evan seemed generally interested.
    "Not growing up. We fought like crazy, but once she married, my parents died, and the two of us grew up a bit, we were very close. Her husband and I got along well, and they would come out all the time to let Jason ride and play here." He smiled. "She said once that she knew I probably wouldn't have any children of my own so it was her job to share hers with me. She was the first person I came out to. I was getting hounded by some of the guys at school because I never dated. I think she knew before I told her, but she let me tell her myself. Helped me realize I didn't need to hide. I can't imagine going through that time without her."
    Travis hung his head, wondering what had caused him to tell that story. He didn't talk to anyone about that and here he was opening up to a complete stranger about one of the most personal experiences of his life.
    "You're lucky you had her. I wasn't so lucky. I dropped out of school at fourteen. It was too hard for me to face who I was. Admit who I was. My parents didn't take it so well either. They didn't full out disown me, but nothing was the same once I told them."
    Travis felt for Evan. It made him grateful his family had been so loving. "You didn't have brothers or sisters?"
    "No. I am an only child." Evan ran his finger over the rim of his glass. "I finally got my shit together and went back to school. Got my degree."
    "Are you from Helena?"
    "No. I'm actually from a small town in California, but moved up here for the job about two years ago."
    "That's quite a change. Do you like it here?" Travis covered his head as Jason splashed.
    Evan was silent for several moments, and Travis wondered what he was thinking.
    "I guess I am. I can't say I'm happy, but I'm content. Just feel like there is something more out there for me. I feel a bit like I'm at a dead end here." He brushed his hands down his pants. "Can't say for sure what is missing, just sometimes I feel like I need something more."
    Travis knew exactly how he felt, well, maybe not exactly, but he felt that same yearning for something more. That something which would make him want to wake up and face each day. He glanced at Jason and wondered if maybe Jason was his something. The kid did give him reason. He couldn't fail him. "I'm hoping Jason fills that void a bit for me."
    Evan glanced over at the pool as Jason did a belly flop into the pool. "He seems like a good kid."
    "He is. Too good to have to face what he has at such a young age."