Chapter 105 A Secret Kept
North shook his leg smugly. He could feel his father’s delight going off the charts. “Are we going to visit Great-grandpa then?”
Eugene nodded. “Yes.” They exited the KFC restaurant and went into the car. Eugene kept looking at his son through the rear-view mirror, and the more he looked, the cuter North became. No wonder I like him so much. There were already clues that told him this though. When North went to Nolan Residence last time, he called Merlin ‘Great-grandpa,’ and the first time Eugene went to his house, North gave him an apple. Both of them eschewed spicy hot pot, and when Olivia said North’s father had passed, the boy spewed his water out. Eugene never expected the woman he wanted to find was right around the corner, and she had his kid. North’s right. I let too many clues pass by me too easily.
North grinned, and he thought Eugene would have a hard time sleeping tonight. Once they came to Nolan Residence, they went straight to Merlin’s bedroom.
Merlin was shocked, for he didn’t expect North to come again today, so he called out happily, “Come here, North.”
North went over, smiling. “Great-grandpa.”
Merlin’s beard was twitching with delight. “How come you’re together with Eugene?”
North looked at Eugene. “Uncle Eugene came to pick me up.”
Merlin looked at Eugene too, and he noticed Eugene looked unusually happy today. Eugene was usually inscrutable, but he was all smiles today. “Something good happened?”
Eugene wanted to tell him, but because he promised North to keep this a secret, he bit his tongue. “Nothing. North told me a good joke.”
Merlin looked at North. “Oh? And what might it be?”
A joke? Yeah right. Just great, Daddy. Luckily, he had a treasure trove of jokes, so he pulled one out. “There’s this one time someone asked the Internet which summer camp she should send her child to. Everyone gave her good ideas, but she refused them. Well, that’s confusing, but then she added that she’s an anti-vaxxer, so her son wasn’t vaccinated. Then get this: someone gave the perfect answer. You know what he said?” North paused for dramatic effect, and Eugene and Merlin shook their heads. “He said, ‘Yeah, there’s a perfect summer camp for your kid. It’s called the cemetery.’”
Both of them guffawed at the punchline. “Oh my god, he killed her!” Merlin’s beard was almost dancing with delight, and North grinned. “One more game, North. I’m going to win this time.”
“Sure.” North nodded.
They set the chess board, and Eugene stayed with them, though he didn’t feel bored. Instead, he felt content, like he was reliving his childhood. When he played chess with Merlin, Merlin would always hold back, though sometimes he would let loose so Eugene would want to get even. Now, Merlin was doing the same thing to North. The scene almost made him tear up. Grandpa, he’s my son and your great-grandson. Eugene and North stayed at the residence until one before they left.
Merlin stopped Eugene and whispered, “Did you read the file I sent you, Rocky?”
“I did.” Eugene was surprised.
“Read it closely.” Merlin frowned.
That caught Eugene by surprise, so he grunted, though he was perplexed. On the way home, he still thought about that cryptic message his grandfather left him.
“What’s your plan?” North quipped.
Eugene was surprised, and his mind lagged for a bit. “What?”
