quintessence. by Buhl Sarah

Author:Buhl, Sarah [Buhl, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-05-11T07:00:00+00:00

24

Karl

Fall

I wanted people to see me with her, and it was the first time I’d had that feeling in years. I didn’t care if others saw me, I just wanted to smile and remind them they were present. With Margaret, I forgot about all the things that came before. They were part of me, but they weren’t wounds anymore. They were scars, but they were healing. They were making a new gathering of skin that was still tender to the touch, but was no longer open to the air.

“Maggie—Karl!” Hannah said as she ran up to us with Smee in her arms.

She pulled Margaret into her with her free arm and kissed her temple. “How are you doing?” Hannah asked.

“I’m good. First time out in a while, other than at Gabe’s, so I kind of feel out of my element. It’s funny how something that was my usual now feels odd,” Margaret said, looking around the bar.

I put my arm around her shoulder. “It will be okay. Remember, most of them will be drunk within the hour or at least halfway intoxicated. Then, every joke you say will be hilarious and the ones that aren’t won’t be remembered.”

She laughed and held my hand as it rested on her shoulder. Hannah looked between the two of us and smiled.

“Maggie, will you come to the bathroom with me—like old times? Karl, take Smee and when you see Wynn, you can hand him over. No big deal, you just hold him close to you. I’ll be a few minutes.”

Hannah put Smee in my arms. “It’s okay, I can handle him. Can’t I?” I asked the little boy.

He was a couple months old now. I looked at his little face and his eyes were wide open, watching me. He had dark hair like Wynn and light eyes like Hannah’s. In the past, like many men, I never found myself interested in babies. But, I found myself seeing them as a sign of hope after everything I’d seen.

I was in awe of him. Smith was the name given to him at birth. Both of his parents were readers—the kid’s name was Smith Bradbury Hawthorne. I assume he had a big future ahead of him with a name like that.

“Wow, Karl. Look at you, man,” Mason said as he came to stand next to me and play with Smee’s hand. “This is one awesome kid.”

“I agree. How’ve you been Mason? I’ve not seen you since your pep talk at my car,” I said.

“I’ve been well. I’ve taken the time off from work to finish some songs and paintings. I started spray painting murals for pay now. Apparently, there are some places that thought having meaningful things on the side of their buildings was good for business. There’s a coffee shop across town I will work on next.”

“That’s great. I can’t wait to see it. What are you putting up?” I asked.

“I haven’t decided yet. I have to meet with the guy who owns it next week,” Mason said as Margaret and Hannah walked back toward us.

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