Page 99 of Wylder Ranch
“Didn’t expect anyone so early, to be honest,” Alex says, throwing his arm around Hendricks as he sits down.
Everly’s in the harness, which he unbuckles so she can turn and stare at Hendricks, who’s waving his hand in her face.
There’s a small silver and leather flask on the bench between them, which Alex picks up and sips. When he pulls a face, I’m guessing whatever’s in there isstrong.
“Ugh, is this hot Ribena? What are you?Five?”
“I can’t start drinking at eight a.m., and yes, I have a five-year-old.” Hendricks snorts.
Alex’s lips roll and curve upward. “That’s probably something I need to remember. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve been drunk since Everly came along.”
He looks at me like he needs confirmation, so I shake my head. The same goes for me. Beyond the glass of wine we have with dinner, I’ve barely had anything to drink all year.
“Where’s Max, anyway?”
“Still asleep when I left. Birgitta will get him up,” hereplies, peering back down at Everly and holding out his finger for her to grab. “Is this Everly’s first time meeting Grandad?”
We both nod. I did wonder if Alex had ever brought her here by himself, but I guess not. As it is, he twists her toward the door and points at it.
“Everly, that’s where your grandad is.”
It’s as he points at the door that I realize we’re all still outside. Because that door looks like it opens, and it’s cold out here. The fog is adding an extra level of chilliness. “Why are we sitting on a bench?”
“That’s the Burlington Family Crypt, where generations of our family have been buried.”
“I’m amazed there’s still room,” Hendricks quips.
“Hmm.” Alex tilts his head my way. “But in answer to your actual question, we don’t have the key.”
“The key?”
“To the door. We lost it.”
“You lost the key?”
“Miles did, somewhere.” Hendricks picks up. “Mum wasn’t happy. She had a new one made, but no one’s allowed it.”
Next to me, Alex’s shoulders begin shaking in silent laughter. We’re in a graveyard, so I’m guessing he’s trying to be respectful, which is why it seems all the funnier. It’s one of those times when you know you shouldn’t be loud, but repressing it only makes it worse. Whatever memory he’s laughing at has his body shaking enough to set off Hendricks.
I’m soon sitting at the wrong end of a bench that feels like it’s going to topple any minute. And while I’m not sure exactly what’s so funny, I can’t help but join in becausethere’s such a purity to seeing them laugh that I’m getting a kick watching them together, being brothers, sharing a lifelong bond.
Weird as it is, sitting in a graveyard, I feel incredibly happy because Alex is happy.
Then, as their laughter starts to die down, Hendricks drops his head on Alex’s shoulder. It’s so sweet and tender, I almost tear up.
“Coming to the pub this afternoon?”
Alex nods. “Is that what you all do when I go and get drunk by myself?”
“Yes, we get drunktogether.”
“Then count me in.” He laughs.
At the sound of footsteps, the three of us turn to see Miles walking around the corner, coming through the fog in a baseball cap, thick black scarf wrapped around his neck, blowing into his hands for some warmth.
“It’s cold as balls this morning.”
Alex picks up Hendricks’s flask and holds it out. “Hot Ribena?”
