Page 45 of Wintering with George

“S’mores,” she said, glaring at Kurt.

“Oh, come on, like you don’t like a midnight treat every now and then.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said, sounding guilty as hell.

I was starting to enjoy being around family. “I can’t wait to meet your mother next time I come,” I told Brad.

If looks could kill, I’d be a very dead man.

Everyone had gone up at midnight but me. I took that time to call Chris on the satellite phone.

“I know it’s nine in the morning here,” Chris groused, “but I’m on my way to mass, you heathen.”

“How can you go to church?”

“For absolution,” he explained.

“I think that’s a bit hypocritical.”

“When you’re my age, kid, we’ll talk about it.”

I had no idea what that meant.

“Why are we talking, Hunt?”

“I haven’t heard anything.”

“That’s because things got slightly complicated.”

“As in…?”

“Turns out, Vladek is related to Isaak.”

“Oh shit.”

“I know, right? Crazy.”

“So what does that mean?”

“It means Isaak had to get permission from one of his uncles or something—I wasn’t really listening—before he could put a bullet in the guy.”

“Did you ever think that maybe he doesn’t want to kill one of his cousins or whatever to help me and my family?”

“Sorry?”

“Did it occur to you that maybe he doesn’t want to kill someone in his family just to protect mine?”

“I don’t think I heard you.”

“Are you going deaf, old man? I said that my family might not be as—oh shit,” I groaned, realizing suddenly what he was doing.

“Your family? Is that what you said?”

“Why are you doing this to me?”

“Because, Hunt, you actually used the word. I thought I was gonna pass out.”

“Could you not be you for just a second?”