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With an old, olive-green car next to the house.
The place felt thirty years in the past - and even then it would have been outdated.
I heard the rush of the waves behind the house.
Atlas grabbed for my hand. “We don’t have to do this right now. You know where it is. You’ve seen it.”
“We’re doing this, Atlas. I have to do this.”
I opened the door and climbed out.
I waited for Atlas to join me.
A part of me wanted to see Charles without knocking.
I wanted him to open the door first.
Or just appear from somewhere.
This man had a relationship with Gram.
A secret relationship at that.
When I told Hannah about what I had found, she insisted on seeing the pictures of Gram.
Her reaction was much like Atlas’s.
She cheered Gram on over the pictures. Then she looked as close as possible to the pictures and praised Gram for fighting against gravity and actually winning a little bit.
Atlas grabbed my hand.
We walked together up the gravel driveway, then up the old wooden steps to the front door.
The air smelled like the ocean.
The sun shined so perfectly.
I told myself if the weather was bad, then maybe it was Gram sending a warning to stay away.
But today was perfect.
I reached out and knocked on the door.
No turning back now.
After a few seconds of silence, Atlas took his turn.
He hammered on the door so hard I thought it was going to break into pieces.
“Sweet Jesus, I’m on my way!” a voice boomed from inside the house.
“Great,” I whispered. “Now he’s pissed off.”
“Relax, love,” Atlas whispered.
“Don’t tell a pregnant woman to relax. Ever.”
“I just did.”
