Danny Ferris stood stiff as a post. He did not put his arms around her. He held them up and out, carefully, away from her, the way you'd hold your hands up away from something precious that you were afraid you would break, and he looked over her head at Wade with an expression that Wade would think about for a long time afterward, an expression of absolute, hopeless apology.
"Hey, Junebug," he said hoarsely. "You're supposed to be inside."
"I saw your truck from the window! Daddy's home. Did you meet Daddy? Daddy, this is Danny. He's Mommy's helper." She leaned back and looked up at him with her arms still around him. "I told about you. I'm sorry. I wrecked the surprise."
Wade put the phone back in his pocket.
"June," he said. "Go inside with your mother. Now."
Something in his voice reached her. She let go of Danny and looked at her father, and her face began to crumple, and Claire came and took her by the shoulders and turned her toward the house. June went, looking back. Claire looked back too, once, at Wade, and then she took their daughter inside.
Wade and the boy stood alone by the barn in the dark.