Mamie hesitated for a second, feeling a little awkward. “Garth, maybe just stick with Mamie, okay?”
Garth looked so disappointed. “Really? Alright. Grandpa, are you done talking to Mamie? I want her to come hang out with me!”
Ladd’s lips twitched. “Go on, go on.”
Garth’s face lit up. He grabbed Mamie’s hand and practically dragged her off to his room.
Watching his grandson’s happy grin, Ladd couldn’t help but feel uneasy. He turned to Scott. “Why does Garth like her so much? Should we be worried?”
Ladd had always been cautious, maybe even a little overprotective.
Scott’s eyes grew serious. “Dad, she’d never hurt Garth. You don’t have to worry about that. And please, don’t say things like that again. If she hears you, it’ll really hurt her.”
Ladd sighed and looked away. He didn’t dislike Mamie. He was just being careful, the way you get when you’ve been through a lot. But since Scott had put it like that, he decided not to push it. If Mamie could treat Garth like her own child, he’d be grateful. But if she ever tried to hurt him, even in the smallest way, Ladd would never let it slide.
Garth, meanwhile, had his own little plans. “Mamie, you know, my dad always looks so serious, but when he was young, he was really good-looking.”
Mamie laughed, a little embarrassed. “He’s still handsome now.”
“Really?” Garth pouted. “He’s so fierce these days. He used to be way cooler. Mamie, let me show you the photo album! But don’t tell my dad, okay? I snuck it out.”
Mamie’s curiosity was piqued. She wondered if she really did look like Garth’s mom. Maybe there’d be a picture of her in here.
The album made a soft crackle as Garth opened it.
As he flipped through the pages, Mamie’s eyes landed on a photo of a boy who looked about eighteen. The background was a sunny lawn behind a big house. Scott, in a white shirt puffed up by the wind, lay stretched out on the grass. His hair was thick and dark, and his sleeves were rolled up, showing strong, lean arms.
He had his head propped on one arm and his legs crossed, looking surprisingly laid-back. Sunlight poured over his face, giving him a gentle glow. That cold, distant vibe he had now was nowhere to be seen.
So Scott wasn’t always so serious after all.

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