Laura Hardy snuggled against her husband, a contented little smile on her face. Hearing Joe call her ‘mommy’ had lit up her spirit and she knew her husband felt the same.

“I wonder why now,” she heard Fenton murmur, his words tickling the top of her head. She could hear his heartbeat beneath her cheek and it made her feel very loved.

“’Why now’ what?” Laura questioned softly, running her fingers along the soft skin of his muscular chest.

“Joey. Why’d he chose tonight to call us—” Fenton hesitated, clearing his throat but the pretty blond smiled; he was choked up by that simple recognition.

“Why’d he choose tonight to call you ‘daddy’?” she finished for him.

“Yeah. Exactly,” She shivered as she felt Fenton’s fingers running absently through her hair.

“I don’t know,” Laura admitted and then sighed in utter contentment, “but I’m glad he did…I never realized just how much I wanted to hear him call me that until I actually heard it. Mommy…”

“Me neither,” the investigator admitted, “It’s kind of weird though…I sorta feel like I did the first time Frankie called me ‘dadda,’ and that I should be calling someone or something!”

Laura laughed and raised her head to look into the chocolate-brown eyes she loved so much.  “Well…you could wake your parents up—”

“Perish the thought!” Fenton immediately cut her off with a laugh. “My dad is a bear if he doesn’t get his full eight hours!” He then remembered there was something else he wanted to ask her. ”Laura?”

“Hmmm?” she answered as she laid her head back down against his warm chest and closed her eyes.

“Tonight. When Cecil was still here – I got the feeling I was missing something….You looked so sad…” His voice trailed off, leaving an opening for her to say something.

Laura bit her lip as she looked ahead in the darkness. Was it her place to tell Fenton about his sister? Did he already know? And then she sighed – in all the time she had known her husband they had never kept secrets – not that she knew of anyway.

“I suppose I was,” she admitted after a long moment, “I was just reflecting on something your mother told me…and it made me realize that we might never truly know the people we love…”

Fenton’s fingers paused in her hair as he thought about that. He pressed, “Meaning?”

“Meaning—”  Laura took a breath and then said softly, “the fact that your sister dates a bingo caller named Cecil…has funerals for cats…and…and can never have children…”

As his wife’s words sunk in, Fenton felt as if someone had kicked him in the stomach. “What?”

“Apparently when Gertrude was younger she was involved in a serious accident that left her unable to have children,” Laura explained gently. “That’s why she never married – I guess she was afraid of being hurt if it ever became an issue…”

Fenton started to stroke her soft hair again, his eyes glazed over in shock as he took a few moments to digest what he’d just been told. It made so much sense and he kicked himself for not realizing sooner – as impossible as that would have been.

And then something clicked…

“Oh God,” the sleuth said quietly, “I think I remember something about that.” He knew his wife was listening intently as he continued. “I wasn’t very old – around the boys’ ages I think – but I do remember Gert being sick for a long time….I wasn’t allowed to see her – she was in the hospital and when she did come home, I had to be very careful around her…” he paused and then added, “she always seemed so – I dunno know – sad… but then one day she was better and I never thought about it after that.” Fenton frowned as he chastised himself, “How insensitive is that? I don’t even know what happened! Just what kind of brother am I?”

Laura reached up and touched his face, making him look her.  “You were a child, Fenton – don’t be so hard on yourself….And you didn’t know because your family didn’t want you to know!”

“But Mom told you—”  Fenton’s eyes looked black in the dim lighting as he looked at Laura – there was no accusation in his voice, just honesty. But before his wife could answer, he continued, “And I’m glad she did. She would have never told you if she didn’t want me to know…” He sighed, “I wish we were closer though – me and Gertrude – then maybe I could have done something to help.”

“I don’t know what you could have done,” Laura told him and then a small smile graced her lips, “But I think you have helped…Gertrude can’t have children but you’ve given her the next best things – nephews! You know she’s always doted on Frankie, and she’s certainly taken to Joey….You can just see it in her eyes when she looks at them, Fenton – when she plays with them…she sees them as gifts….Gifts from you!” Leaning up, she gave him a soft peck on the cheek and whispered, “You are a damn fine brother, Fenton Hardy, and don’t you ever forget that!”

Blushing under his wife’s vehement convictions, Fenton wrapped his arms around Laura and held her. He knew she was right – about everything…and then he frowned; in the morning he and his father were going to drop by the local police station to see what they could find out about this Joe Rigato…

‘If you think you’re going to take any of this away from me,’ the detective vowed as he heard his wife’s breathing even out and knew she was sleeping, ‘you have another think coming, mister…’

* * *

Contrary to every other morning, this time it was Frank who woke up first. Glancing across at the blond-headed sleeper, he grinned.

Bright sunlight shone in through the room forecasting a beautiful day, and there was a snowman waiting outside, just begging to have a snow family! Better yet, they could build a snow castle…no, a fort!!

“Joey?” he whispered, giving the younger boy a gentle shake, “get up!”

“Wha’sa matta?” came a mumbled reply as heavy eyelids were forced back to reveal sleepy blue eyes.

“It’s morning,” Frank said, sitting up eagerly, “and it’s nice outside!  I just bet Mommy and Daddy will let us outside again – we can build a snow fort this time!”

Instantly, Joe was wide awake and just as excited.  “Wow! A snow fort! I’ve never had a snow fort! I’ve never made one either!” And then he frowned, “Um…actually I don’t even know how to make one—”

“Well I do!” Frank cried out, already out of bed and rummaging through the dresser for clean clothes, “So come on! I’ll show you – it’ll be fun!”

“Can we eat first?” Joe asked as he followed suit, albeit at a slower pace, as he rubbed the last of the sleep out of his eyes.

“Probably,” the older boy declared, “Snow fort builders need lots of energy and Mommy says good food gives us energy!”

“Oh,” Joe nodded agreeably and patted his empty stomach.  “In that case I think I’ll eat extra!”

“Good idea!” Frank declared and then led the way downstairs, only to be shooed back up to wash their faces and brush their hair before they could eat. And as he had predicted, the brothers were told they could play outside as long as they dressed warmly and stayed close to the house.

Promising angelically, the children were bundles of eagerness, barely tolerating the help Gertrude and Laura offered them with their snowsuits before they were out the door and down the front steps!

Fenton shook his head and laughed.  “I don’t think I was ever that bad!” he commented. His father snorted as he grabbed his truck keys and a warm hat:

“You’re right. You were worse!”

“Dad!” the young detective protested before following his father outside. He turned to his wife, “This shouldn’t take too long,” he promised.

“Okay,” Laura smiled, wrapping her arms around her slender body as she stood in the doorway. The day might be sunny but it seemed exceptionally cold.  “Drive carefully. We’ll keep an eye on the boys!”

Sam followed Francis towards the truck, torn between going with his master as he would usually do, or staying with the children. But one short whistle from the man ended the debate and the golden retriever hopped into the truck and took his rightful place…on the front passenger seat.

“I don’t think so,” Fenton chuckled, attempting to move the large dog, but Sam wouldn’t budge. “Hey fur-face, outta my spot!” Still the dog wouldn’t move. Finally in exasperation, the young man turned to his father and held open in his hands in appeal, “A little help here might be appreciated!”

“Why?” Francis laughed, “It is his seat!” And then he gave the dog a wink and Sam obligingly moved to the back.

“Thanks,” Fenton grumbled, making a show of brushing hair off the seat before sitting down. His father didn’t say anything but he didn’t have to – the look he was giving his son was more than enough.

“You ready?” the retiree finally said, his face breaking out in a wide grin, “or should I get the seat reupholstered first?”

“Just drive,” Fenton growled, and then waved to the two little boys who ran towards the driveway to see them off. “Be good!” he called out to them rolling down the window, “And listen to your mom!”

“We will!” and “Bye, Poppy and Daddy!” chorused after them as the men pulled away from the house and headed towards town….

 “Hey!” Frank exclaimed as they turned away from the driveway, their Poppy’s truck no longer in sight. “Our snowman is naked!”

“What?” Joe whirled around, his blue eyes widening in surprise as he looked at their white creation. His brother was right – all the clothes were missing.

“Man,” the older boy grumbled, stalking through the snow towards a mitten he saw on the ground, “it must have gotten windy last night!”

“Yeah,” Joe agreed, following. He glanced across at the snowman.  “It’s a wonder his nose stayed on!”

As Frank bent down to pick up the mitten he saw the other one a couple of feet away. “Joey – the other one’s over there!” he pointed with his finger and the younger boy immediately moved to retrieve it.

As the children moved to collect the fiendishly strewn items, cold, dark eyes watched them in anticipation…

“Just a little closer,” JR whispered, his heart pounding with excitement. “Come on boys…just a little further…”

And then Frank saw the bright red hat….

The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The Hardy Boys Fan Fiction authors of the Hardy Detective Agency have just borrowed them for an adventure or two. The authors promise to put the boys back when they are done with them. The authors do claim copyright to the original characters in this story. Please do not borrow original characters without express permission of the authors.