Page 100 of Beautiful Crazy

“What is it?”

Graham shoves me toward the bathroom. “Shower first. Those are the rules.”

“You guys are really annoying, you know that?”

Graham and Beckham shrug and laugh together while shooing me away.

___

“Alright, I’m clean and wearing fresh clothes,” I announce as I come down the hallway. “Whoa…you cleaned.”

“Smells way better in here now, doesn’t it?” Graham asks, rolling his eyes. “Funny what a quick scrub down can do.”

“Have a seat.” Beckham gestures to a space on the couch, the other end occupied by Graham as he sits in the chair-and-a-half on my other side.

“So, Graham and I brought something for you.”

“Where’s Ash?”

“He wasn’t allowed to come,” Graham answers.

“Why not?”

“Because he’s not in the know yet.”

My forehead pinches. “What do you mean?”

Beckham nods to Graham who proceeds to pull a white envelope from the pocket of his coat. He hands it to me. My name is written on the front.

“This is Dad’s handwriting.”

Graham and Beckham nod.

“When I had to leave Hadley last fall, a letter just like this showed up in the mail,” Beckham explains.

Graham adds, “And when Lacey and I were going through our shit before Christmas, Beckham and Mom handed me a letter just like the one Beckham got. Only…it was a little different. I’m sure this one is different as well.”

“Riiiiight. I remember Dad’s first letter, the one that said he had something else for us.”

Beckham pushes up his shirtsleeves. “Yeah. Based on what was written in my letter, and what Graham said was in his, we thought this would be the right time for you to have yours.”

“The right time? I don’t—”

“You’ll understand once you’ve read it,” Graham says. “At least we assume you will.”

“Umm, okay. Thanks, I guess.”

Beckham stands. “Where’s your favorite place to eat around here?”

“Player Pete’s. It’s the best sports bar in town. Why?”

“Because you should be alone while you read that. Graham and I will head there. Meet us there whenever you’re ready.”

“Is it that bad?” I ask them, holding up the envelope with my name on it. “That bad that I should be alone to read it?”

Graham and Beckham look at each other and smile bigger than I’ve seen either of them smile in a long time. “No Emm. Not that bad,” Beckham says.

Graham finishes for Beckham. “It’s that good.”

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