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“And I want to watch the garipes “And I can’t do that when the two of you are hovering over me Now, I’m tired and want to nap a bit more”

“Fine,” Brenda exclai up her hands in defeat “Rest I’ll wake you up for lunch in a bit, okay?”

“Okay,” he etic srump”

“I’ve lived with your grumpy butt for almost thirty years,” she replies affectionately “I’m used to it”

Brenda and I leave the room, and she shuts the door behind us “Want a cup of tea?”

“Sure,” I reply, not really having anything else to do today except cleanout at my place and read a book or watch some TV I’

I sit at the table while Brenda puts the kettle on She’s the one who got h school It always made me feel so adult and part of her family to sit at the table and sip as we talked Of course, back then, we talked a lot about Rafe because he was the center of both our worlds

“Is this it?” Brenda asks as she comes to join me at the table while the water heats

The questionShe wants to knoe’re at the beginning of the end

Before I can answer, the front door opens, and Rafe calls out in an exaggerated Cuban accent a la Ricky Ricardo, “L-u-u-u-c-y I’m home”

I can’t help but saze meets Brenda’s Rafe always used to do that when he came home from school in the afternoons

“In the kitchen, honey,” Brenda calls back to him

We can hear Rafe bounding up the stairs, and as he comes into view, his eyes immediately lock on mine Of course he kneas here, my Pathfinder is in the driveway