Startled, I flipped out my phone and saw it was Fred. Only then was I relieved.
"Hello?"
"Did you guys get the letter?"
"Yes." I gradually calmed down.
"I didn't want to disturb you, but Tina heard that a dinosaur theme park was opening in Whaldorf City, so she insisted on going to look for Munchkin. The two of them made a date to go to the amusement park together."
Fred was a little apologetic on the phone, but I was grateful for this call. It was mainly because of the letter.
"We just received the letter. When are you and Tina coming over?"
"We should be in Whaldorf tomorrow afternoon. We just started packing today."
"Okay, I'll pick you up, then."
"Is that Aunt Wanda?" Tina's childish voice came through the receiver.
Fred handed the phone to the child, and Tina sounded very excited. "Aunt, how are you and Munchkin doing? I heard Munchkin say that you guys went to France. Was France fun?"
She still had the same lively and cheerful nature. As soon as she picked up the phone, she could not stop talking.
"Why don't you ask Munchkin that question?" I said while gesturing with my eyes for Munchkin to answer the phone.
The little one seemed to have overheard my conversation just now, and Munchkin probably knew that the one who called me was Fred, so he was standing nearby.
When he heard me say that I wanted him to pick up the phone, the smile on his face bloomed with reckless abandon.
"Hello, Pumpkin? ...Really? You're coming to Whaldorf to visit us? Great!"
The little one jumped up and down with the phone in his hand.
Tina was coming to Whaldorf City. This was, of course, good news. However, when I opened that letter again, I was still a little afraid.
I could not imagine what I would be worried about if it were anyone else.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Scrambling to Be the Father of His Ex-Wife's Kid