“Dad!!!”
“I think Art has heard enough about it,” Justin told him, apparently believing Art was bothered by Karl’s long-winded discussion about something that, at least to Justin, surely seemedtrivial.
“I’m enjoying Karl’s discussion,” Art insisted. “To be so enthusiastic about something—anything—no matter what it may be, is a real treasure. That’s something worth clinging on to while you can, wouldn’t youagree?”
“Spoken as if I were in your class,” Justin said, a pleasant smile shifting across hisface.
“That’s really beautiful,” Erin piped in. “Geez, Justin, you can be such a buzzkill.” The playfulness in her tone was apparent and received laughs from Justin andWes.
“At least you know you got a good one, Pops,” Justinsaid.
“I have high standards,” Wes replied, “and clearly you do as well.” He winked atErin.
Art turned back to Karl, who raised his action figure from under the table and asked, “So is it okay if myGundammobile suit eats withus?”
“Only tonight,” Justin replied before turning a glare on Art. “I’m worried I’ll get a D in parenting if I don’t letyou.”
“Speaking of which,” Art said. “I have it on good authority you’ve been spreading mischievous rumors about the grades I gaveyou.”
Justin’s face turnedred.
“It’s alright, Justin. Don’t worry. I would never disparage you in front of your dearfamily.”
“I want to hear!” Heather exclaimed from beside him, as though she was in need of some dirt on herfather.
“Tell me, tell me,” Karl added as he set hisGundammobile suit beside his plate, grinning like he couldn’t have been any happier. Art turned his attention from Karl’s smile to Wes’s, appreciating the likeness that had passed down through the generations, and reflecting on the similarities he recalled from gradeschool.
“You know how much you look like your papaw when he was akid?”
“Do I?” Karlasked.
“I’m sure you all have a photoalbum.”
“Oh yes,” Erinresponded.
“I’ll show you something after lunch, Karl. I think it’ll surpriseyou.”
After they finished eating, they congregated in the living room, Art navigating a photo album Justin had found for him. The thick binder full of pictures of varying sizes was a true representation of the evolution ofphotography.
As Art perused the photos, he was surprised he’d managed to maintain Karl’s interest, considering he’d only been chatting aboutGundamfor a few minutes before he moved on to some series he was equally interestedin.
Justin sat on the arm of the couch, glancing over Art’s other shoulder as Art flipped until he found some photos of Wes when he was a baby, with both his parents. He went a little further to one where Wes was about Karl’s age, with the same dark hair and big cheeks with deep dimples. “Have you seen this picture before? That’s your papaw. So with any luck…” Art flipped a few more pages until he found a picture of Wes in high school. “…you’ll end up looking like himhere.”
Wes laughed, but as Art looked at the picture, he had to acknowledge that damn, Wes was a handsome man. A catch. The one he’d been lucky enough to catch…even sixty-something odd yearslater.
The picture was of Wes running on the track team. He wore a tank top that revealed those muscles, which didn’t seem as impressive as Art recalled—something he attributed to an exaggeration of his memory over time. His dark hair was disheveled, the looks of a man attractive enough not to have to worry about suchthings.
“That’s you?” Karl asked, looking between the picture andWes.
“I know, it’s hard tobelieve.”
“Not that hard,” Art remarked as they exchanged a look before Art continued to the next page, where he saw Wes, sure enough wearing a white shirt and jeans. “Oh, and you are not going to be happy aboutthis.”
“What?” Wes’s face scrunchedup.
“Karl, would you pass this to yourpapaw?”
Karl took the photo album, and with great care, as though Art had asked him to handle something far more precious, he handed it off to Wes on the opposite side of the sofa fromArt.
