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Charles rushed right to the kitchen area.
“A drink,” he said. “Water? Iced tea? Kombucha? A beer?”
“She’d love a beer,” I said, nodding to Hazel.
“She better not,” Charles said.
“He’s an idiot,” Hazel said. “He’ll take a beer. I’ll take water, please.”
Charles had some expensive import beer I never heard of before.
He tossed a bottle my way.
He grabbed a beer for himself.
He then walked toward Hazel and handed her a bottle of water.
I saw him look at her stomach. “How far along?”
“Not far enough,” Hazel said. “I’m getting exhausted being pregnant.”
“Did… did your grandmother know?” Charles asked.
Hazel frowned and shook her head.
“Damn,” Charles whispered. He touched her left hand. “She’d be thrilled for you.”
Hazel pulled her hand away.
“Right,” Charles said. “Who am I to just start talking like we’ve known each other for years, right? That’s my fault. I just feel like I know you. You’ll have to forgive me for that. I’ll take a step back and let you navigate this. Okay?”
“Thank you for that,” Hazel said. She looked at me.
She needs me right now.
“Charles,” I said. “This is going to sound weird.”
“You found pictures and letters,” he said.
“Yeah,” I said. “That’s exactly what we found. A… a box of stuff.”
“Erotic pictures of your grandmother?” Charles asked.
I started to laugh.
I turned my head.
That didn’t stop Hazel from punching me.
“Did I say something wrong?” Charles asked.
“Nothing,” I said. “Sorry. It’s just… it was a shock. To both of us.”
“Well, more to me,” Hazel said. “Since she’s my grandmother. Atlas is just… he’s not even… uh… he’s…”
“I’m the guy who knocked her up,” I said.
That made Charles laugh.
