Jane was good at disappearing. It was the first magic trick she ever learned. She had spent years trying to get Jake to master it as well and when he finally did he it was the best trick Jane had ever seen.

But the hardest part of disappearing was coming back. That part he wasn't so good at.

Until today, when he walked right into the little bakery shop where she was working, all grins and clothes dirty from the road. She wondered why he had come.

"I'm here to pick up a cake," he announced. "There's a boy whose birthday needs a bit of color."

Jane stayed in the back, watching through the curtain that divided the kitchen from the main shop. Jake praised the cake outrageously, flirting with the Doris the cashier. Jane's heart didn't stop thudding until he was far out the door.

"Do you know that guy?" Doris asked Jane.

"No," Jane said.

She was so shaken by the events that the other women insisted she cut out early.

"It's your kid's birthday anyway!" Violet said. "You should be there."

"He has his friends," Jane said.

"Not the same," Doris said.

Jane clutched the cake box to her chest as she walked home. It was a two day old confection, the person who ordered it had never picked it up. Jane didn't like accepting charity, no matter how many times everyone insisted she take a fresh one despite her being unable to pay. It was hard being a single mother.

When she approached the front door it swung open without her even needing to knock.

"Thank you, James-" she began. And then froze.

"Hello Janey," Jake said. "Let me take that for you."

Jane handed the cake over numbly.

"You never told me I had an uncle!" James said as he took her coat, putting it neatly on its hook by the door.

"He's not," Jane began. "We're not related."

"But," James said. "We're not related either. You and I."

"That's different," Jae said. "Don't ask questions, it's just different."

In the kitchen James's friends were gathered, their mothers dutifully protecting the cake Jake had purchased from being devoured.

"We were waiting for you!" Jake said.

'Such a gentleman," said Mrs. Johnson from next door, giggling excitedly and blushing.

Candles were blown out, presents distributed, Jake flirted with every woman present, Jane's stomach didn't stop doing flip flops until it was dark and all the children and mothers had gone home. She sat on the porch with James while Jake smoked a pipe. James was eyeing it with great interest.

"Why are you here?" Jane asked.

"Take a drive with me," was Jake's answer. "You and James. It's not far, I promise."

Jane hesitated. She looked over at James, who was sitting as still and straight in his chair as ever, but with a look of hope on his face.

"Okay," Jane answered at last. Jake broke into a brilliant grin.

Jake had parked around the corner, probably with some idea of surprising her despite her having no clue what his car looked like. He opened the door for her and waited for her to tuck her skirt it before shutting it. James didn't bounce in the backseat in excitement, he wasn't that sort of boy, but she could tell he wanted to.

"All buckled up?" Jake asked.

"Yes," Jane said. "Let's hurry this along, James needs his rest."

"I told you, it's not far."

Jake took them out of town and onto the highway. The atmosphere in the car was tense. Jake kept trying to start conversation but Jane couldn't think of a thing to say. Eventually they fell silent and Jake turned on the radio. It was filled with static and all the songs were sad.

"We're almost there," Jake said. "I promise."

They were out far away from any town, driving up and up. She wondered what was at the top. Some elaborate vacation home, bought with his inherited fortune?

It tuned out to be nothing. He parked the car and got out, running around to open Jane's door. He was filled with nervous excitement.

"Hurry, hurry," he said. "Or we'll miss it."

Jane and James stood watching as he got a blanket from the trunk and laid it out on the grass.

"Come sit," Jake said. "And watch."

James sat between them as a buffer. Jake kept checking the time in between pointing out the constellations.

"Important stuff for a boy to know," he said. "How to find north when you're lost at sea. Oh, there it is."

Jane looked up as the stars began to move. Only they weren't stars, were they?

"A meteor shower?" Jane asked.

"Yes," Jake said. "Isn't it beautiful? You can't see it as well in town, you have to get out in the country and up high to really take in it all."

The shower last longer than Jane would have thought. By the time it started to fade away James was slumped against her side, deep asleep.

"I'll carry him to the car," Jake said.

"Thank you," Jane answered.

She folded up the blanket and followed them back. Jake tucked James into the backseat and then faces Jane.

"I missed you," Jake said, taking her hand.

"Then why did you stay away so long?"

"Jane Egbert?" he said. "You're good at disappearing. Oh don't cry."

"I'm not," Jane said. "Trick of the light."

She let him kiss her once, chastely, on the lips, before insisting he drive her home.

"Are you going to be in town long?" she asked as he stood in the doorway to leave.

"Long enough," he answered. "Perhaps I can take you to dinner sometime?"

"Perhaps," she said.

"Or dancing."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

But he was grinning when he left.