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“A few more weeks.”

He processes it quietly.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Granddad’s teaching me chess openings.”

I smile.

“Is he?”

“He thinks he’s better than he is.”

My mother laughs offscreen.

“That sounds like him.”

Wells shrugs.

“We’re fine.”

“I know.”

“When are you coming back?”

“As soon as I can.”

He nods.

“Okay.”

“I miss you.”

“I miss you too.”

“Where’s Miles?”

“Outside.”

“Tell him I love him.”

“I will.”

“And I’ll call tomorrow,” I say.

“Okay.”

My mother takes the phone back.

“We’ve got this,” she says.

“I know.”

“Try to sleep.”

“That might be ambitious,” I say.