The Ones Who Love You
Sunday, 20 June 2021 14:48![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
walkyourownwayTitle: The Ones Who Love You
Fandom: DuckTales (2017)
Main Character(s): Donald Duck, Dewford "Dewey" Duck, Llewellyn "Louie" Duck, Hubert "Huey" Duck
Minor Character(s): Daisy Duck, May Duck, June Duck, Webbigail "Webby" Vanderquack, Scrooge McDuck, Della Duck
Genre: General
Rating: G
Disclaimers: DuckTales © Disney
Notes: So I'll admit, I had...mixed feelings about the finale. I won't get into all of them here, but one of the things that I felt was really lacking was any kind of...meaningful interaction with Donald and the boys? Of course there was a shift in their relationship when Della came back, but we don't see how they might have felt about Donald leaving? So I just needed a bit of closure. And naturally, it seemed like a perfect fic for Father's Day.
Special thanks to![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
toonish for helping me with some parts (especially Louie's) as well as beta reading for me!
Title and summary are lyrics from "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts. Because that song is totally Donald to the boys, but it also works really well with the boys to Donald in this situation.
Summary: And while you're out there getting where you're getting to, I hope you know somebody loves you
“Right...yeah, I got it...okay, see you later. Bye.” With a chuckle, Donald ends the call, staring at his screen until Daisy’s picture disappears. Then he tucks the phone away, thinking for a moment before making his way through the mansion.
After the family’s latest adventure, Donald and Daisy had agreed to postpone their trip for a little while. It was mostly to have some time to get some things for May and June so they could come along, and the delay would give the girls time to spend with the other kids. Which might seem odd – letting them all spend time together before whisking the girls away – but Donald would rather they get to know each other now instead of taking them away before they’re all comfortable with one another, only for things to get awkward when they all return from their trip.
Right now, though, May and June are with Daisy, who wanted to take them shopping for clothes to wear, since they don’t really have anything of their own. And he can’t help a small smile, remembering when Daisy first saw the two girls after they got back from the ancient library. He was glad that she agreed to let the girls come along, and it only made him love her even more.
Which, thinking of it now, from the call it sounded like the girls would be gone for a while. Maybe he had time to pick up something…
“So, you’re really taking them with you?”
A startled “Wak!” escapes his beak as he jumps slightly, though calms down somewhat when he sees Dewey in the hallway. He smiles, but only for a moment before the question really sinks in. “Wh-?”
“May and June,” Dewey clarifies. “They’re really going with you on your trip with Daisy?”
Donald can’t help but frown. He knows that they had all talked about it before, after he announced that he and Daisy were delaying their plans. “Yes.”
“Huh…” There’s something in Dewey’s expression that seems...angry, though Donald couldn’t even guess why. At least until his nephew says, “Well, I guess we know who your favorites are.”
Donald’s eyes widen, but only for a moment before they narrow again as he crosses his arms. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Dewey shrugs, trying to play it cool despite the expression still on his face. “I mean, you’re just taking them on a trip around the world. You never took us on a trip like that.”
He’s beginning to get an idea of where this is going, but he also has a feeling that Dewey needs to get all of this out of his system. So he answers, “We took trips together all the time.”
“Only when you were looking for work,” Dewey huffs, his hands clenching into fists. “And we never travelled far from Duckburg because you were always too afraid. But now you’re going on an epic journey, and you’ve completely replaced us!”
There it is. “I’m not replacing anyone,” Donald protests, trying to keep his own temper from rising. “I was just thinking that May and June haven’t really seen much of the world with how FOWL made ‘em, so they deserve a chance to see what’s out there.”
Dewey hesitates, looking like he wants to argue but isn’t sure what to say. Then he throws his hands up. “Man, why do you have to be so reasonable when I’m trying to be mad at you!”
For a moment, Donald considers being mad right back, but years of taking care of the boys helps him recognize when an attitude is all just for show. So as Dewey leans against the wall with his arms crossed and pouts, he kneels in front of his nephew to look at him better. “What’s really going on?” he asks.
At first Dewey avoids his gaze, and seems like he isn’t going to answer. But after a long moment he sighs, letting his hands drop to his sides. “...up at the library,” he says slowly, his expression shifting away from anger but not easing. “We...almost lost you.”
Donald frowns, concern welling up in him. “You saw that?”
“Yeah…” Dewey shuffles a bit in place. “When Webby convinced May and June to help us, we got to the top of the library with enough time for the science guys to shut off the circuit. But if we had gotten there a second later…”
Donald sighs to himself. He kind of figured that the kids might have caught something, but with everything else happening he didn’t realize how much they might have seen. “But you guys came just in time,” he reminds Dewey. “So I’m fine, and everything’s okay.”
“I mean, yeah, but…” Dewey pauses, looking like he was trying to think of the right words. “Like...I’m so used to thinking of you being afraid of almost everything, and I keep forgetting that you used to be a cool adventurer like Mom and Uncle Scrooge until you do something like...jump in front of Uncle Scrooge to save him from some blast of energy. It’s like there’s this whole other side of you that I don’t know. And getting to know Mom has been so great, because she’s exactly everything I thought she would be. But...I feel like I’m just getting to know you too, and now…” He sighs, his shoulders hunched as he draws into himself. “Now you’re leaving, and I won’t get to know the real you anymore.”
With a deeper frown, he places his hands on Dewey’s shoulders to get the boy to look at him. “Hey,” he says softly, “you already know the real me. The things that happen on adventures are just the stuff I do, but you boys have seen who I am more than anyone.”
Dewey finally looks up at him, tilting his head with a confused expression. “But we always thought you were afraid of all that stuff, even though you’re brave on adventures.”
“I’m brave when I have to be,” he says with a shrug. “But I do the things I do to keep you guys safe...you boys, Uncle Scrooge, your mom, our whole family. Even if how I try to keep you safe is different, that never changes.”
Dewey considers that for a moment. “I guess that makes sense,” he finally replies. “But...if you’re leaving, then how are you gonna keep us safe?”
Donald manages a small smile. “I’m not. You’ve got your mom and Uncle Scrooge to help...and you’ve got each other.”
It takes a moment, but Dewey’s eyes light up when he finally understands. “You...really trust us?”
He nods, gently ruffling Dewey’s hair. “I do.”
Dewey grins broadly and leaps at Donald and into his arms. He’s surprised, but is all too happy to return the embrace, knowing this may be one of the last ones he’ll receive for a long, long while.
After what feels like a long moment, Dewey sighs, not moving back from the hug. “It was still kinda cool seeing you go all adventure mode, though,” he admits hesitantly. “I wish we could’ve gotten to see you do it more often.”
Donald thinks for a moment. “Tell you what...when you go on an adventure with your mom and Uncle Scrooge, lemme know where you guys are going. If we’re there too, maybe we can all meet up and adventure together.”
Dewey finally pulls back, looking up at him with hopeful eyes. “Really? You mean it?”
“Sure,” he answers with a smile. “I bet the girls would like that too.” At least May and June probably would. Daisy might not be too thrilled, but she might not mind if it made the girls happy.
With a bigger smile, Dewey nods and embraces him again. “Okay, awesome! We can do that, and so we can still be a cool adventure family.”
Donald laughs, returning the hug. “We’ll always be a family,” he assures him. “But yeah, we can go on adventures together sometimes.”
Dewey nods again, his face buried in Donald’s chest, and while Donald still has something he wants to pick up before Daisy and the girls get back, he also just wants to enjoy this moment while he can.
“...So, uh,” Dewey finally breaks the long silence, “are May and June like our aunts, or cousins? Because they’re like...Webby’s sisters, and Webby’s Scrooge’s daughter, so…”
Donald chuckles softly. “I think saying they’re all your cousins are fine.”
“Okay.” A pause. “Our family’s really weird, huh?”
With a louder laugh, Donald finally leans back a bit. “Yup,” he says, ruffling Dewey’s hair again. “But we’re the best kind of weird.”
* * *
Donald grins to himself as he closes the car door behind him and heads up the steps to the mansion. He had gotten exactly what he needed, and Daisy is still out with the girls. Everything seems to have worked out for today.
As he enters the mansion to head out back, his steps slow slightly as he comes across Louie, who also pauses when he notices him.
“Oh hey, Uncle Donald,” Louie greets. “You go somewhere?”
Donald nods, his hand absently reaching up to his hat. “Yeah, I just got back.”
Louie grins a bit, tucking his hands into his hoodie pocket. “Picking up more stuff for your trip?”
He can’t help a little frown; even though his nephew’s tone is pretty easygoing, something about his words has him a little uncertain. “Yeah, I was just grabbing something really quick.”
Louie nods. “That’s cool, that’s cool.”
His suspicion deepens as his nephew lingers, looking reluctant to leave. Since his talk with Dewey earlier, he wondered if he needed to talk with the other two. And it’s starting to look as though he does.
“You okay?” Donald finally asks, deciding to just cut to the chase. “With me going on the trip and everything?”
Louie shrugs with one shoulder. “I guess so? I mean, you’re an adult, you’re allowed to travel with your girlfriend and whoever you wanna bring.”
“Yeah…” Donald agrees slowly. He waits, though, because something in his nephew’s tone makes him think he had more to say.
And after another moment, he’s rewarded when Louie adds, “I mean...I guess it’s a little weird. You didn’t seem to like adventure as much as Mom and Uncle Scrooge. And now you’re gonna travel all over the world.”
This time it’s Donald’s turn to shrug. “It’s not really the same kind of adventure. But since you all have your own adventures now, this is something that I can do with Daisy and the girls.”
Louie seems to consider that for a moment with a thoughtful expression. Then he nods a little. “Yeah...I guess that makes sense. It’ll just be kinda weird that you won’t be around anymore.”
Something about Louie’s posture, the way he fidgets and avoids meeting his eyes suddenly, tugs at Donald’s heart, and he kneels down to Louie’s level. “I’ll be back eventually,” he assures him.
“Well, yeah…” Louie shrugs, “but it won’t really be the same. I mean…” He shuffles his foot a bit. “With all the big changes that happened these past couple of years – moving in with Uncle Scrooge, meeting Mom, going on all these adventures and everything – you’ve been the...the one thing that’s just been constant. And it’s been...reassuring, knowing that you’re there, and that you were waiting for us to come home. Now there are even bigger changes, with Webby being Uncle Scrooge’s daughter, and May and June just...y’know, existing. And we’re still kinda getting used to Mom and everything, and…” He frowns a bit, glancing away. “I dunno, it’s just a lot to take in sometimes."
Donald places his hand on the back of Louie’s head. “I know things will feel really weird for a while. But we got through all the other changes just fine. This’ll be no different.”
Louie looks up at him, and he’s a little startled by the distressed expression on the boy's face. “Yes, it will...because the biggest change is that you won’t...be here. How are we supposed to get used to that?”
Unable to hold back any longer, Donald gathers Louie into his arms, and is only a little surprised when Louie returns the hug. “It...won’t be as bad as you think,” he tries to assure him, though he isn’t even sure how much of it he believes. “Besides, you’ll still have the others here with you.”
“Well, yeah…” Louie mumbles, even as he tightens his hold just a bit.
Donald frowns, trying to think. “I’ll still be around, even if I’m not here. I can always call,” he suggests after a moment. “How about I call every night to see how you guys are doing?”
He can just feel the face Louie makes. “Every night is a bit excessive.”
With a snicker, Donald squeezes the hug a bit tighter. “Nope, too late,” he teases. “Since I know you’re gonna miss my voice, I’m gonna call every night to check up on you.”
Louie finally starts squirming in his arms, though not with his usual strength to actually get away. “Uuuuuuugh no, I take it all back,” he groans, though there’s a little laugh in his tone. “Forget I said anything.”
With another laugh, Donald eases his hold just enough to look down at Louie. “Okay, how about...every two weeks? That should be enough time for us to get some good stories to share between calls.”
He sees Louie thinking, and eventually the boy nods. “Yeah...okay. Every two weeks sounds good.”
“Okay.” He gently ruffles Louie’s hair. “Every two weeks then.”
“Yeah.” Louie bats Donald’s hand away, though without any real force behind it. “You can...y’know...also send pictures too, if you want.”
Donald blinks in surprise. “I thought you hate that I take so many pictures.”
“Well yeah, usually,” Louie admits with another shrug. “But we won’t be there this time, so...y’know, it’d be fine if you send us some pictures. Just so we can make sure you’re okay and whatever.”
Donald smiles. “Well, okay. I’ll send some pictures too. But only if you boys send some back.”
Louie sighs, and while it sounds like he’s trying to be annoyed, his smile gives him away. “I guess that can be arranged,” he concedes.
“So we’ve got a deal?”
Pretending to think for a moment, Louie then holds out his hand, like they were discussing a business proposal. “Deal.”
Rolling his eyes, Donald simply pulls him into another hug.
“Ugh, you’re so gross, Uncle Donald,” Louie grumbles, but Donald can hear another smile as he returns the embrace anyway.
* * *
“Uncle Donald!”
Donald jumps with a sharp “Wak!” as the door to the houseboat bursts open, and he fumbles with the object in his hands, just managing to catch it before it falls to the ground. He quickly puts it away as Huey steps inside, carrying a large binder in his arms.
“Hey, Huey,” Donald greets when he catches his breath. “What’s up?” He’s prepared to have another serious discussion, just as he had with his brothers earlier, but he also can’t help eyeing the binder that his nephew is holding somewhat warily.
“Hey!” Huey responds with a bright smile. “I know you’re busy getting ready for your trip, but I have something that might help!”
Donald looks at the boy curiously. “Yeah? What is it?”
Huey hands him the binder, and Donald falters under the weight of it, nearly dropping it. “I came up with an itinerary for your trip, compiling a comprehensive list of popular places to visit in different countries and developing a detailed schedule to give you guys time to visit each of them.”
Donald blinks, slowly opening the binder’s cover. “Uh...thanks, but - ”
“At first I wasn’t sure whether to list the locations in alphabetical order or in the order of what route you might be taking,” Huey continues, leafing through the pages of the binder for him. “But it got a lot easier once I came up with the schedule, so each tab corresponds to the next country on your stop. If you stick to this schedule, you guys should be able to see everything and be back in a few months!” The boy grins with a proud wiggle of his eyebrows. “Very Around the World in 80 Days, if I do say so myself.”
Donald frowns a bit, shifting the binder in his arms to get a better grip on it. “Listen, this is all great...but the point of the trip is to let us take our time to explore the world in our own way, y’know?”
Huey’s smile fades just a little, but he recovers it quickly. “I mean, sure, that sounds great. But this will help make the trip more time-efficient!”
With a sigh, Donald closes the binder and places it aside. “We aren’t trying to be time-efficient. Part of this trip is not having a plan, and just enjoying where we end up.”
“Oh…” Huey rubs the back of his neck, trying and failing not to look disappointed. “Right, yeah...that makes sense.”
His heart breaking at his nephew’s expression, Donald places his hand on Huey’s shoulder and leads him a little further into the room. Then, taking a seat on the floor and leaning back against the wall, he pats the spot next to him, waiting for Huey to sit beside him before putting an arm around his shoulder.
Huey doesn’t resist and leans against him, and Donald lets the silence settle between them for a while to just take comfort in each other’s company. After a few more moments, he finally asks, “What’s going on, Huey?”
The boy makes a soft, frustrated sound in the back of his throat, fidgeting with his hands a bit. “I guess...it just really hit me that you’ll be leaving soon. You’re going on your trip, and you won’t...be around anymore.”
Donald frowns, hugging Huey closer to him. “I’ll be back,” he reassures him. “We won’t be gone forever.”
“I know. Logically, I know that.” Huey sighs, looking up at him. “And honestly, I do want you to have a good time! If anyone deserves to be happy, it’s you. But after ten years, it’ll just be...weird, without you around. And I guess I ended up making the itinerary because a part of me just...really wanted you to be back sooner.” He manages a small smile. “But the truth is...You’ve done so much for us, for all of us, and I just...wanted to help...to do something for you for a change.”
Donald is silent, thinking for a moment. Then, gently nudging Huey to sit up, he gets to his feet and walks back over to his hammock, rummaging through his stuff before retrieving the item he’d been holding before Huey arrived. Taking his spot beside Huey again, he says, “Here...lemme show you something.”
Curious, Huey sits up a little more, and he sucks in a breath when Donald holds out the small velvet box in his hands. Taking the box, the boy looks between it and Donald a few times before slowly cracking open the lid, revealing the diamond ring glittering inside.
“Oh my gosh!” Huey exclaims, jumping onto his feet and breaking out into an excited grin as he looks to Donald again. “Are you gonna ask Daisy to marry you?”
With a small smile, Donald nods. “Yeah...at least, I hope to, at some point during the trip. Not sure exactly when, though.”
“Right away!” Huey insists, bouncing on his feet with enough force to cause the boat to sway. “You have to ask her immediately!”
Donald laughs a little. “No, I can’t ask her so soon. It’d be too sudden. But it’ll be sometime during the trip, meaning we’ll have to start planning a wedding when we get back. And I’m gonna need help with that.”
Huey gasps, his eyes widening as he realizes why he’s being shown the ring. “I’ll do it! I’ll get started as soon as you leave! I can put together lists for the best venues and services, and the best prices, and - !”
With another laugh, Donald gets to his feet again. “I know. With your help, I’ve got nothing to worry about. But let’s wait until I actually ask her.”
“But how will I know when that is?” Huey wonders, a touch of a whine trailing in his voice.
“How about this,” Donald says thoughtfully, “when I ask her, and if she says yes, then we’ll call to let everyone know. That’s when you can start getting stuff together for when we come back.”
Considering that for a moment, Huey eventually nods. “Okay,” he finally agrees. “I guess that’ll work. But that means I have to keep it a secret until then, huh?”
“If you can,” Donald chuckles. He knows how tough it can be for Huey to keep things secret. “Or at least wait until after we leave to tell the others.”
Huey grins. “That I can do.”
Donald shakes his head a little. He’ll probably have to worry about them accidentally saying something whenever he calls, but somehow he finds that he doesn’t really mind.
At least, not right this moment.
“But wow,” Huey interrupts his thought, and he looks down to see his nephew’s wide grin, “I can’t believe you’ll be getting married!”
Donald shrugs. “Maybe. If she says yes.”
“She will,” Huey replies, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
Even so, Donald can’t help but blink as he looks at the younger duck in confusion. “How do you know?”
Huey smiles. “Because she loves you. I can tell. And she’ll be lucky to have you…” His smile softens as he suddenly hugs him. “Just like we were.”
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Donald returns the embrace. “Thanks,” he says when he finds his voice. “But I’ve really been the lucky one.”
* * *
Donald is a little surprised by how many people are at the marina to see them off the day that they’re leaving. Even though he didn’t know them very well, Gyro and Fenton had come to say goodbye, and even brought Manny with them. Boyd had come as well, probably to say goodbye to May and June, as did Lena and Violet. Jose and Panchito also showed up, as did Gladstone and Fethry, and even Goofy came to see them off.
After receiving a bear hug from Launchpad and an affectionate handshake from Beakley, Donald turns to see the kids all saying goodbye. He catches Webby’s eye, though, and he kneels down to her eye level as she turns to him.
“You’ll be back, right?” she asks in an unusually small voice.
He grins at her. “Of course we will, are you kidding? You think I’d just leave my favorite cousin?”
Her eyes light up as she smiles. “Really? I’m your favorite?”
“‘course.” Glancing up, Donald smirks at the unamused look Gladstone gives him, and Fethery doesn’t seem to even realize what was said. “No contest.”
Webby suddenly jumps up and hugs him. “You’re my favorite cousin that’s not Huey, Dewey, or Louie!” she proclaims.
Donald chuckles, returning the hug. “I’ll take it.” Glancing up, his voice lowers a bit as he says, “Take care of them and Uncle Scrooge for me, okay?”
With an enthusiastic nod, she pulls back to smile at him. “You can count on me!”
“I know.” Gently ruffling her hair, Donald leans back to get to his feet, then turns to where Scrooge is standing, appearing to be waiting for his turn.
Scrooge clears his throat some as he looks at him, and Donald notices that his uncle appears a bit nervous. Then the older duck says, “Try not to die, eh? Funerals cost a pretty penny these days.”
Donald rolls his eyes, and under normal circumstances he probably would have snapped something back, and they would have gotten into another argument. But today is different, and he doesn’t want to leave things that way when he isn’t sure when they’ll next see each other.
So instead he pulls his uncle into a tight hug. “I’ll miss you too, Unk,” he says.
He feels Scrooge stiffen, but it only lasts a moment before he returns the embrace. “...stay safe, lad,” his uncle says in his ear, so soft that only he would hear the words. “Come back when y’can, all right?”
“We will,” Donald reassures him. With a pat on the back, Donald tightens the hug for a moment before stepping back a little, smiling as Scrooge lightly grips his shoulder.
Then Donald turns to Della, and just manages to catch his balance as she launches herself into his arms for her own hug. They’ve already said what they needed to say, but he gives her one more squeeze in the hug anyway.
As they pull back, Della grins at him. “Have fun, Bro,” she says, then elbows him, “but maybe not too much fun, huh?”
He feels his face grow hot at the suggestive tone, and he lightly shoves her as he feels Daisy step up behind him. “Shut up!” he hisses, though there’s no real heat in his voice.
Della seems to realize it too, which is why she only laughs as she shoves him back. Looking at Daisy, her smile softens a bit. “Watch out for him, yeah? He has a way of getting into trouble.”
Daisy smiles, lacing her fingers with Donald’s. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep a close eye on him,” she promises Della, earning a giggle from May and June.
“Ugh, gross,” Louie pipes in as he, Dewey, and Huey come up with the girls.
Donald glances at the boys, stepping away from Daisy to kneel down in front of them. Hesitating for a moment, he manages a small smile. “Bye, boys,” he says.
“Bye, Uncle Donald,” Huey speaks up first. “Have a safe trip!”
“Bring us back some souvenirs,” Louie adds, and it’s hard to tell if he’s joking or not.
Donald still chuckles, despite the lump starting to form in his throat. “Sure.”
“Hey, what’s with the sad face?” Dewey chimes in. “You won’t be gone forever! We’ll be seeing you again. Besides, there’s no way you can keep away from this family for too long.”
This time, his laugh is brighter as he nods. With how Dewey had been a few days ago, he's glad to see the change in his attitude now. “I know,” he finally says. “I’m just...gonna miss you boys.”
Their expressions soften, the reminder that this would be the first time in over ten years that they would be separated like this. And suddenly Donald finds his arms full with all three of them as they hug him tight.
“We’ll miss you too,” Huey says softly, and Dewey and Louie nod their agreements.
Wrapping his arms tighter around them, he holds them close for what would be the last time for a long while. “...I love you,” he whispers to them.
He feels their hands tighten their hold just a bit. “Love you too,” they all reply.
His throat closing up, Donald clears it as he pulls back a little, his eyes stinging a bit as he looks down at the boys and sees their eyes shining as well. Gently rubbing the top of each of their heads, he then finally gets back to his feet.
“Oh!” Huey says, wiping his eyes quickly before removing his hat. “I almost forgot! We got you something.” Reaching into his hat, he retrieves a square package wrapped in blue paper and topped with a white ribbon, and holds it up to Donald.
Surprised, Donald carefully takes the gift, looking it over. “What is it?”
“Duh, you gotta open it!” Dewey points out.
“Just, uh...maybe wait until after you leave to open it,” Louie suggests, shifting a little on his feet.
Even more curious now, Donald still nods. “Okay.”
“Time to go,” Daisy says softly from behind him.
Glancing back at her over his shoulder, he nods. “Right.” Then he turns back to everyone else, meeting their eyes with a smile. Without a word they all moved forward, surrounding the departing members for one final, massive group hug.
“See ya, guys,” Donald finally says as everyone draws back, and leads the girls to the ramp of the boat, handing the wrapped gift to May for now. He unties the rope keeping it tethered to the dock and hurries to get on before the boat floats too far from the dock. Then, as he and Daisy pull up the ramp, he glances up as everyone comes out to the edge of the dock, as far as they can get as the boat drifts away.
As the clamor of voices call out final goodbyes and well-wishes, May and June lean against the boat railing to wave back to them. The distance grows, and he feels Daisy’s hand on his shoulder, returning her smile with a small one of his own.
And, with one last wave to everyone on the dock, Donald turns to start the boat’s engine and take them even farther away.
As he heads into the engine room, though, May and June follow behind him. “Are you gonna open it now?” May wonders.
It takes him a moment to realize what she’s talking about. He takes the boys’ gift back from her and, looking over it one more time, he carefully tears the wrapping paper to reveal what’s hidden inside.
And as he does, he feels his eyes start to water again.
He isn’t sure how they managed to do it, but the framed picture he’s holding is of the family...the whole family, all standing in front of the camera with triumphant, joyful expressions. He doesn’t even remember taking this picture. It looks like it was taken after their victory at the old library, May and June included with everyone. But Daisy is in it as well, and she hadn’t been up there…
“What is it?” June asks, breaking him out of his thoughts.
Wiping his eyes, he meets Daisy’s curious look for a moment before giving them all a smile, turning the frame to show them the picture.
“A family portrait,” he replies. “Just something to hang on to ‘til we get to take another one.”
Fandom: DuckTales (2017)
Main Character(s): Donald Duck, Dewford "Dewey" Duck, Llewellyn "Louie" Duck, Hubert "Huey" Duck
Minor Character(s): Daisy Duck, May Duck, June Duck, Webbigail "Webby" Vanderquack, Scrooge McDuck, Della Duck
Genre: General
Rating: G
Disclaimers: DuckTales © Disney
Notes: So I'll admit, I had...mixed feelings about the finale. I won't get into all of them here, but one of the things that I felt was really lacking was any kind of...meaningful interaction with Donald and the boys? Of course there was a shift in their relationship when Della came back, but we don't see how they might have felt about Donald leaving? So I just needed a bit of closure. And naturally, it seemed like a perfect fic for Father's Day.
Special thanks to
Title and summary are lyrics from "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts. Because that song is totally Donald to the boys, but it also works really well with the boys to Donald in this situation.
Summary: And while you're out there getting where you're getting to, I hope you know somebody loves you
“Right...yeah, I got it...okay, see you later. Bye.” With a chuckle, Donald ends the call, staring at his screen until Daisy’s picture disappears. Then he tucks the phone away, thinking for a moment before making his way through the mansion.
After the family’s latest adventure, Donald and Daisy had agreed to postpone their trip for a little while. It was mostly to have some time to get some things for May and June so they could come along, and the delay would give the girls time to spend with the other kids. Which might seem odd – letting them all spend time together before whisking the girls away – but Donald would rather they get to know each other now instead of taking them away before they’re all comfortable with one another, only for things to get awkward when they all return from their trip.
Right now, though, May and June are with Daisy, who wanted to take them shopping for clothes to wear, since they don’t really have anything of their own. And he can’t help a small smile, remembering when Daisy first saw the two girls after they got back from the ancient library. He was glad that she agreed to let the girls come along, and it only made him love her even more.
Which, thinking of it now, from the call it sounded like the girls would be gone for a while. Maybe he had time to pick up something…
“So, you’re really taking them with you?”
A startled “Wak!” escapes his beak as he jumps slightly, though calms down somewhat when he sees Dewey in the hallway. He smiles, but only for a moment before the question really sinks in. “Wh-?”
“May and June,” Dewey clarifies. “They’re really going with you on your trip with Daisy?”
Donald can’t help but frown. He knows that they had all talked about it before, after he announced that he and Daisy were delaying their plans. “Yes.”
“Huh…” There’s something in Dewey’s expression that seems...angry, though Donald couldn’t even guess why. At least until his nephew says, “Well, I guess we know who your favorites are.”
Donald’s eyes widen, but only for a moment before they narrow again as he crosses his arms. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Dewey shrugs, trying to play it cool despite the expression still on his face. “I mean, you’re just taking them on a trip around the world. You never took us on a trip like that.”
He’s beginning to get an idea of where this is going, but he also has a feeling that Dewey needs to get all of this out of his system. So he answers, “We took trips together all the time.”
“Only when you were looking for work,” Dewey huffs, his hands clenching into fists. “And we never travelled far from Duckburg because you were always too afraid. But now you’re going on an epic journey, and you’ve completely replaced us!”
There it is. “I’m not replacing anyone,” Donald protests, trying to keep his own temper from rising. “I was just thinking that May and June haven’t really seen much of the world with how FOWL made ‘em, so they deserve a chance to see what’s out there.”
Dewey hesitates, looking like he wants to argue but isn’t sure what to say. Then he throws his hands up. “Man, why do you have to be so reasonable when I’m trying to be mad at you!”
For a moment, Donald considers being mad right back, but years of taking care of the boys helps him recognize when an attitude is all just for show. So as Dewey leans against the wall with his arms crossed and pouts, he kneels in front of his nephew to look at him better. “What’s really going on?” he asks.
At first Dewey avoids his gaze, and seems like he isn’t going to answer. But after a long moment he sighs, letting his hands drop to his sides. “...up at the library,” he says slowly, his expression shifting away from anger but not easing. “We...almost lost you.”
Donald frowns, concern welling up in him. “You saw that?”
“Yeah…” Dewey shuffles a bit in place. “When Webby convinced May and June to help us, we got to the top of the library with enough time for the science guys to shut off the circuit. But if we had gotten there a second later…”
Donald sighs to himself. He kind of figured that the kids might have caught something, but with everything else happening he didn’t realize how much they might have seen. “But you guys came just in time,” he reminds Dewey. “So I’m fine, and everything’s okay.”
“I mean, yeah, but…” Dewey pauses, looking like he was trying to think of the right words. “Like...I’m so used to thinking of you being afraid of almost everything, and I keep forgetting that you used to be a cool adventurer like Mom and Uncle Scrooge until you do something like...jump in front of Uncle Scrooge to save him from some blast of energy. It’s like there’s this whole other side of you that I don’t know. And getting to know Mom has been so great, because she’s exactly everything I thought she would be. But...I feel like I’m just getting to know you too, and now…” He sighs, his shoulders hunched as he draws into himself. “Now you’re leaving, and I won’t get to know the real you anymore.”
With a deeper frown, he places his hands on Dewey’s shoulders to get the boy to look at him. “Hey,” he says softly, “you already know the real me. The things that happen on adventures are just the stuff I do, but you boys have seen who I am more than anyone.”
Dewey finally looks up at him, tilting his head with a confused expression. “But we always thought you were afraid of all that stuff, even though you’re brave on adventures.”
“I’m brave when I have to be,” he says with a shrug. “But I do the things I do to keep you guys safe...you boys, Uncle Scrooge, your mom, our whole family. Even if how I try to keep you safe is different, that never changes.”
Dewey considers that for a moment. “I guess that makes sense,” he finally replies. “But...if you’re leaving, then how are you gonna keep us safe?”
Donald manages a small smile. “I’m not. You’ve got your mom and Uncle Scrooge to help...and you’ve got each other.”
It takes a moment, but Dewey’s eyes light up when he finally understands. “You...really trust us?”
He nods, gently ruffling Dewey’s hair. “I do.”
Dewey grins broadly and leaps at Donald and into his arms. He’s surprised, but is all too happy to return the embrace, knowing this may be one of the last ones he’ll receive for a long, long while.
After what feels like a long moment, Dewey sighs, not moving back from the hug. “It was still kinda cool seeing you go all adventure mode, though,” he admits hesitantly. “I wish we could’ve gotten to see you do it more often.”
Donald thinks for a moment. “Tell you what...when you go on an adventure with your mom and Uncle Scrooge, lemme know where you guys are going. If we’re there too, maybe we can all meet up and adventure together.”
Dewey finally pulls back, looking up at him with hopeful eyes. “Really? You mean it?”
“Sure,” he answers with a smile. “I bet the girls would like that too.” At least May and June probably would. Daisy might not be too thrilled, but she might not mind if it made the girls happy.
With a bigger smile, Dewey nods and embraces him again. “Okay, awesome! We can do that, and so we can still be a cool adventure family.”
Donald laughs, returning the hug. “We’ll always be a family,” he assures him. “But yeah, we can go on adventures together sometimes.”
Dewey nods again, his face buried in Donald’s chest, and while Donald still has something he wants to pick up before Daisy and the girls get back, he also just wants to enjoy this moment while he can.
“...So, uh,” Dewey finally breaks the long silence, “are May and June like our aunts, or cousins? Because they’re like...Webby’s sisters, and Webby’s Scrooge’s daughter, so…”
Donald chuckles softly. “I think saying they’re all your cousins are fine.”
“Okay.” A pause. “Our family’s really weird, huh?”
With a louder laugh, Donald finally leans back a bit. “Yup,” he says, ruffling Dewey’s hair again. “But we’re the best kind of weird.”
* * *
Donald grins to himself as he closes the car door behind him and heads up the steps to the mansion. He had gotten exactly what he needed, and Daisy is still out with the girls. Everything seems to have worked out for today.
As he enters the mansion to head out back, his steps slow slightly as he comes across Louie, who also pauses when he notices him.
“Oh hey, Uncle Donald,” Louie greets. “You go somewhere?”
Donald nods, his hand absently reaching up to his hat. “Yeah, I just got back.”
Louie grins a bit, tucking his hands into his hoodie pocket. “Picking up more stuff for your trip?”
He can’t help a little frown; even though his nephew’s tone is pretty easygoing, something about his words has him a little uncertain. “Yeah, I was just grabbing something really quick.”
Louie nods. “That’s cool, that’s cool.”
His suspicion deepens as his nephew lingers, looking reluctant to leave. Since his talk with Dewey earlier, he wondered if he needed to talk with the other two. And it’s starting to look as though he does.
“You okay?” Donald finally asks, deciding to just cut to the chase. “With me going on the trip and everything?”
Louie shrugs with one shoulder. “I guess so? I mean, you’re an adult, you’re allowed to travel with your girlfriend and whoever you wanna bring.”
“Yeah…” Donald agrees slowly. He waits, though, because something in his nephew’s tone makes him think he had more to say.
And after another moment, he’s rewarded when Louie adds, “I mean...I guess it’s a little weird. You didn’t seem to like adventure as much as Mom and Uncle Scrooge. And now you’re gonna travel all over the world.”
This time it’s Donald’s turn to shrug. “It’s not really the same kind of adventure. But since you all have your own adventures now, this is something that I can do with Daisy and the girls.”
Louie seems to consider that for a moment with a thoughtful expression. Then he nods a little. “Yeah...I guess that makes sense. It’ll just be kinda weird that you won’t be around anymore.”
Something about Louie’s posture, the way he fidgets and avoids meeting his eyes suddenly, tugs at Donald’s heart, and he kneels down to Louie’s level. “I’ll be back eventually,” he assures him.
“Well, yeah…” Louie shrugs, “but it won’t really be the same. I mean…” He shuffles his foot a bit. “With all the big changes that happened these past couple of years – moving in with Uncle Scrooge, meeting Mom, going on all these adventures and everything – you’ve been the...the one thing that’s just been constant. And it’s been...reassuring, knowing that you’re there, and that you were waiting for us to come home. Now there are even bigger changes, with Webby being Uncle Scrooge’s daughter, and May and June just...y’know, existing. And we’re still kinda getting used to Mom and everything, and…” He frowns a bit, glancing away. “I dunno, it’s just a lot to take in sometimes."
Donald places his hand on the back of Louie’s head. “I know things will feel really weird for a while. But we got through all the other changes just fine. This’ll be no different.”
Louie looks up at him, and he’s a little startled by the distressed expression on the boy's face. “Yes, it will...because the biggest change is that you won’t...be here. How are we supposed to get used to that?”
Unable to hold back any longer, Donald gathers Louie into his arms, and is only a little surprised when Louie returns the hug. “It...won’t be as bad as you think,” he tries to assure him, though he isn’t even sure how much of it he believes. “Besides, you’ll still have the others here with you.”
“Well, yeah…” Louie mumbles, even as he tightens his hold just a bit.
Donald frowns, trying to think. “I’ll still be around, even if I’m not here. I can always call,” he suggests after a moment. “How about I call every night to see how you guys are doing?”
He can just feel the face Louie makes. “Every night is a bit excessive.”
With a snicker, Donald squeezes the hug a bit tighter. “Nope, too late,” he teases. “Since I know you’re gonna miss my voice, I’m gonna call every night to check up on you.”
Louie finally starts squirming in his arms, though not with his usual strength to actually get away. “Uuuuuuugh no, I take it all back,” he groans, though there’s a little laugh in his tone. “Forget I said anything.”
With another laugh, Donald eases his hold just enough to look down at Louie. “Okay, how about...every two weeks? That should be enough time for us to get some good stories to share between calls.”
He sees Louie thinking, and eventually the boy nods. “Yeah...okay. Every two weeks sounds good.”
“Okay.” He gently ruffles Louie’s hair. “Every two weeks then.”
“Yeah.” Louie bats Donald’s hand away, though without any real force behind it. “You can...y’know...also send pictures too, if you want.”
Donald blinks in surprise. “I thought you hate that I take so many pictures.”
“Well yeah, usually,” Louie admits with another shrug. “But we won’t be there this time, so...y’know, it’d be fine if you send us some pictures. Just so we can make sure you’re okay and whatever.”
Donald smiles. “Well, okay. I’ll send some pictures too. But only if you boys send some back.”
Louie sighs, and while it sounds like he’s trying to be annoyed, his smile gives him away. “I guess that can be arranged,” he concedes.
“So we’ve got a deal?”
Pretending to think for a moment, Louie then holds out his hand, like they were discussing a business proposal. “Deal.”
Rolling his eyes, Donald simply pulls him into another hug.
“Ugh, you’re so gross, Uncle Donald,” Louie grumbles, but Donald can hear another smile as he returns the embrace anyway.
* * *
“Uncle Donald!”
Donald jumps with a sharp “Wak!” as the door to the houseboat bursts open, and he fumbles with the object in his hands, just managing to catch it before it falls to the ground. He quickly puts it away as Huey steps inside, carrying a large binder in his arms.
“Hey, Huey,” Donald greets when he catches his breath. “What’s up?” He’s prepared to have another serious discussion, just as he had with his brothers earlier, but he also can’t help eyeing the binder that his nephew is holding somewhat warily.
“Hey!” Huey responds with a bright smile. “I know you’re busy getting ready for your trip, but I have something that might help!”
Donald looks at the boy curiously. “Yeah? What is it?”
Huey hands him the binder, and Donald falters under the weight of it, nearly dropping it. “I came up with an itinerary for your trip, compiling a comprehensive list of popular places to visit in different countries and developing a detailed schedule to give you guys time to visit each of them.”
Donald blinks, slowly opening the binder’s cover. “Uh...thanks, but - ”
“At first I wasn’t sure whether to list the locations in alphabetical order or in the order of what route you might be taking,” Huey continues, leafing through the pages of the binder for him. “But it got a lot easier once I came up with the schedule, so each tab corresponds to the next country on your stop. If you stick to this schedule, you guys should be able to see everything and be back in a few months!” The boy grins with a proud wiggle of his eyebrows. “Very Around the World in 80 Days, if I do say so myself.”
Donald frowns a bit, shifting the binder in his arms to get a better grip on it. “Listen, this is all great...but the point of the trip is to let us take our time to explore the world in our own way, y’know?”
Huey’s smile fades just a little, but he recovers it quickly. “I mean, sure, that sounds great. But this will help make the trip more time-efficient!”
With a sigh, Donald closes the binder and places it aside. “We aren’t trying to be time-efficient. Part of this trip is not having a plan, and just enjoying where we end up.”
“Oh…” Huey rubs the back of his neck, trying and failing not to look disappointed. “Right, yeah...that makes sense.”
His heart breaking at his nephew’s expression, Donald places his hand on Huey’s shoulder and leads him a little further into the room. Then, taking a seat on the floor and leaning back against the wall, he pats the spot next to him, waiting for Huey to sit beside him before putting an arm around his shoulder.
Huey doesn’t resist and leans against him, and Donald lets the silence settle between them for a while to just take comfort in each other’s company. After a few more moments, he finally asks, “What’s going on, Huey?”
The boy makes a soft, frustrated sound in the back of his throat, fidgeting with his hands a bit. “I guess...it just really hit me that you’ll be leaving soon. You’re going on your trip, and you won’t...be around anymore.”
Donald frowns, hugging Huey closer to him. “I’ll be back,” he reassures him. “We won’t be gone forever.”
“I know. Logically, I know that.” Huey sighs, looking up at him. “And honestly, I do want you to have a good time! If anyone deserves to be happy, it’s you. But after ten years, it’ll just be...weird, without you around. And I guess I ended up making the itinerary because a part of me just...really wanted you to be back sooner.” He manages a small smile. “But the truth is...You’ve done so much for us, for all of us, and I just...wanted to help...to do something for you for a change.”
Donald is silent, thinking for a moment. Then, gently nudging Huey to sit up, he gets to his feet and walks back over to his hammock, rummaging through his stuff before retrieving the item he’d been holding before Huey arrived. Taking his spot beside Huey again, he says, “Here...lemme show you something.”
Curious, Huey sits up a little more, and he sucks in a breath when Donald holds out the small velvet box in his hands. Taking the box, the boy looks between it and Donald a few times before slowly cracking open the lid, revealing the diamond ring glittering inside.
“Oh my gosh!” Huey exclaims, jumping onto his feet and breaking out into an excited grin as he looks to Donald again. “Are you gonna ask Daisy to marry you?”
With a small smile, Donald nods. “Yeah...at least, I hope to, at some point during the trip. Not sure exactly when, though.”
“Right away!” Huey insists, bouncing on his feet with enough force to cause the boat to sway. “You have to ask her immediately!”
Donald laughs a little. “No, I can’t ask her so soon. It’d be too sudden. But it’ll be sometime during the trip, meaning we’ll have to start planning a wedding when we get back. And I’m gonna need help with that.”
Huey gasps, his eyes widening as he realizes why he’s being shown the ring. “I’ll do it! I’ll get started as soon as you leave! I can put together lists for the best venues and services, and the best prices, and - !”
With another laugh, Donald gets to his feet again. “I know. With your help, I’ve got nothing to worry about. But let’s wait until I actually ask her.”
“But how will I know when that is?” Huey wonders, a touch of a whine trailing in his voice.
“How about this,” Donald says thoughtfully, “when I ask her, and if she says yes, then we’ll call to let everyone know. That’s when you can start getting stuff together for when we come back.”
Considering that for a moment, Huey eventually nods. “Okay,” he finally agrees. “I guess that’ll work. But that means I have to keep it a secret until then, huh?”
“If you can,” Donald chuckles. He knows how tough it can be for Huey to keep things secret. “Or at least wait until after we leave to tell the others.”
Huey grins. “That I can do.”
Donald shakes his head a little. He’ll probably have to worry about them accidentally saying something whenever he calls, but somehow he finds that he doesn’t really mind.
At least, not right this moment.
“But wow,” Huey interrupts his thought, and he looks down to see his nephew’s wide grin, “I can’t believe you’ll be getting married!”
Donald shrugs. “Maybe. If she says yes.”
“She will,” Huey replies, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
Even so, Donald can’t help but blink as he looks at the younger duck in confusion. “How do you know?”
Huey smiles. “Because she loves you. I can tell. And she’ll be lucky to have you…” His smile softens as he suddenly hugs him. “Just like we were.”
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Donald returns the embrace. “Thanks,” he says when he finds his voice. “But I’ve really been the lucky one.”
* * *
Donald is a little surprised by how many people are at the marina to see them off the day that they’re leaving. Even though he didn’t know them very well, Gyro and Fenton had come to say goodbye, and even brought Manny with them. Boyd had come as well, probably to say goodbye to May and June, as did Lena and Violet. Jose and Panchito also showed up, as did Gladstone and Fethry, and even Goofy came to see them off.
After receiving a bear hug from Launchpad and an affectionate handshake from Beakley, Donald turns to see the kids all saying goodbye. He catches Webby’s eye, though, and he kneels down to her eye level as she turns to him.
“You’ll be back, right?” she asks in an unusually small voice.
He grins at her. “Of course we will, are you kidding? You think I’d just leave my favorite cousin?”
Her eyes light up as she smiles. “Really? I’m your favorite?”
“‘course.” Glancing up, Donald smirks at the unamused look Gladstone gives him, and Fethery doesn’t seem to even realize what was said. “No contest.”
Webby suddenly jumps up and hugs him. “You’re my favorite cousin that’s not Huey, Dewey, or Louie!” she proclaims.
Donald chuckles, returning the hug. “I’ll take it.” Glancing up, his voice lowers a bit as he says, “Take care of them and Uncle Scrooge for me, okay?”
With an enthusiastic nod, she pulls back to smile at him. “You can count on me!”
“I know.” Gently ruffling her hair, Donald leans back to get to his feet, then turns to where Scrooge is standing, appearing to be waiting for his turn.
Scrooge clears his throat some as he looks at him, and Donald notices that his uncle appears a bit nervous. Then the older duck says, “Try not to die, eh? Funerals cost a pretty penny these days.”
Donald rolls his eyes, and under normal circumstances he probably would have snapped something back, and they would have gotten into another argument. But today is different, and he doesn’t want to leave things that way when he isn’t sure when they’ll next see each other.
So instead he pulls his uncle into a tight hug. “I’ll miss you too, Unk,” he says.
He feels Scrooge stiffen, but it only lasts a moment before he returns the embrace. “...stay safe, lad,” his uncle says in his ear, so soft that only he would hear the words. “Come back when y’can, all right?”
“We will,” Donald reassures him. With a pat on the back, Donald tightens the hug for a moment before stepping back a little, smiling as Scrooge lightly grips his shoulder.
Then Donald turns to Della, and just manages to catch his balance as she launches herself into his arms for her own hug. They’ve already said what they needed to say, but he gives her one more squeeze in the hug anyway.
As they pull back, Della grins at him. “Have fun, Bro,” she says, then elbows him, “but maybe not too much fun, huh?”
He feels his face grow hot at the suggestive tone, and he lightly shoves her as he feels Daisy step up behind him. “Shut up!” he hisses, though there’s no real heat in his voice.
Della seems to realize it too, which is why she only laughs as she shoves him back. Looking at Daisy, her smile softens a bit. “Watch out for him, yeah? He has a way of getting into trouble.”
Daisy smiles, lacing her fingers with Donald’s. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep a close eye on him,” she promises Della, earning a giggle from May and June.
“Ugh, gross,” Louie pipes in as he, Dewey, and Huey come up with the girls.
Donald glances at the boys, stepping away from Daisy to kneel down in front of them. Hesitating for a moment, he manages a small smile. “Bye, boys,” he says.
“Bye, Uncle Donald,” Huey speaks up first. “Have a safe trip!”
“Bring us back some souvenirs,” Louie adds, and it’s hard to tell if he’s joking or not.
Donald still chuckles, despite the lump starting to form in his throat. “Sure.”
“Hey, what’s with the sad face?” Dewey chimes in. “You won’t be gone forever! We’ll be seeing you again. Besides, there’s no way you can keep away from this family for too long.”
This time, his laugh is brighter as he nods. With how Dewey had been a few days ago, he's glad to see the change in his attitude now. “I know,” he finally says. “I’m just...gonna miss you boys.”
Their expressions soften, the reminder that this would be the first time in over ten years that they would be separated like this. And suddenly Donald finds his arms full with all three of them as they hug him tight.
“We’ll miss you too,” Huey says softly, and Dewey and Louie nod their agreements.
Wrapping his arms tighter around them, he holds them close for what would be the last time for a long while. “...I love you,” he whispers to them.
He feels their hands tighten their hold just a bit. “Love you too,” they all reply.
His throat closing up, Donald clears it as he pulls back a little, his eyes stinging a bit as he looks down at the boys and sees their eyes shining as well. Gently rubbing the top of each of their heads, he then finally gets back to his feet.
“Oh!” Huey says, wiping his eyes quickly before removing his hat. “I almost forgot! We got you something.” Reaching into his hat, he retrieves a square package wrapped in blue paper and topped with a white ribbon, and holds it up to Donald.
Surprised, Donald carefully takes the gift, looking it over. “What is it?”
“Duh, you gotta open it!” Dewey points out.
“Just, uh...maybe wait until after you leave to open it,” Louie suggests, shifting a little on his feet.
Even more curious now, Donald still nods. “Okay.”
“Time to go,” Daisy says softly from behind him.
Glancing back at her over his shoulder, he nods. “Right.” Then he turns back to everyone else, meeting their eyes with a smile. Without a word they all moved forward, surrounding the departing members for one final, massive group hug.
“See ya, guys,” Donald finally says as everyone draws back, and leads the girls to the ramp of the boat, handing the wrapped gift to May for now. He unties the rope keeping it tethered to the dock and hurries to get on before the boat floats too far from the dock. Then, as he and Daisy pull up the ramp, he glances up as everyone comes out to the edge of the dock, as far as they can get as the boat drifts away.
As the clamor of voices call out final goodbyes and well-wishes, May and June lean against the boat railing to wave back to them. The distance grows, and he feels Daisy’s hand on his shoulder, returning her smile with a small one of his own.
And, with one last wave to everyone on the dock, Donald turns to start the boat’s engine and take them even farther away.
As he heads into the engine room, though, May and June follow behind him. “Are you gonna open it now?” May wonders.
It takes him a moment to realize what she’s talking about. He takes the boys’ gift back from her and, looking over it one more time, he carefully tears the wrapping paper to reveal what’s hidden inside.
And as he does, he feels his eyes start to water again.
He isn’t sure how they managed to do it, but the framed picture he’s holding is of the family...the whole family, all standing in front of the camera with triumphant, joyful expressions. He doesn’t even remember taking this picture. It looks like it was taken after their victory at the old library, May and June included with everyone. But Daisy is in it as well, and she hadn’t been up there…
“What is it?” June asks, breaking him out of his thoughts.
Wiping his eyes, he meets Daisy’s curious look for a moment before giving them all a smile, turning the frame to show them the picture.
“A family portrait,” he replies. “Just something to hang on to ‘til we get to take another one.”
