Richard’s home was darker than Justin had remembered. Stepping inside of the tuffeau stoned manor felt like stepping backwards through time since its features where still from the original period that it was built in. Molly tightened her grip on Justin’s hand, feeling suddenly quite small. They both stop in front of the central staircase. Al calls out, “Hey, Bonjour, Asshole, can we at least get some sort of greeting?” Justin and Molly exchange looks. Biting his lip, he wonders if his uncle is okay. Suddenly, a man appears wearing a soft smile. His hair was a shade of light brown, and behind the imposing window, his blue eyes seemed to glow. But his face showed a hollow tiredness that was almost as imposing as the home itself. Justin swallows hard. This was his uncle. He recognized him immediately. Sadly though, it was because he looked so much like his now late-father, Craig. Forcing himself to speak, his voice barely carries, “Hi.” He continues his journey down the stairs, “Hello,” he answers, and the discomfort is apparent. Molly bites her thumbnail, “Are you our uncle?” His soft smile never seems to leave his face as he nods, “Yes. You must be Molly. Justin had told me about you in his letters.” Letters. Oh God, Justin thought he was going to disappear into the floor. So many personal thoughts and secrets were revealed in those letters. Biting his lower lip for the second time, Justin looks away and towards the stairs. Al jokes, “Shit, Rich, this ain’t a funeral. Cut us some slack!” Richard turns to his friend and his smile widens, “It’s good to see you again.” The two friends hug while Justin and Molly stand there in awkward silence. This wasn’t the reception they had expected. Of course, neither sibling knew exactly what to expect in the first place. Finally, Richard turns to his niece and nephew, “Follow me to your rooms,” and starts back up the steps. Still holding onto Molly’s hand, he leads her up the commanding staircase as he follows his estranged uncle and Al up the stairs. Al is talking a mile a minute about numerous things that Justin finds unimportant and therefore tunes him out. Richard gestures to one bedroom, “This one can be yours,” he begins, and then points to the other side of the hall, “And this one can be yours.” Justin is grateful that Molly will be across from him, but still feels apprehensive about what was to come next. “Where is your room?” Molly asks. He smiles politely, “Down this hall and to the left is the master bedroom,” turning back to Al, he says, “May I talk to you for a moment?” “Sure,” he answers with a grin, “You kids have fun,” he calls out to Justin and Molly as he follows Richard down the hall and to the left towards his friend’s room. Justin exhales slowly. “He’s weird,” Molly states. He nods, “I don’t remember him being like this.” Frowning, Molly responds, “I don’t want to be here.” Justin agrees, they didn’t feel very welcomed. Sighing, he looks back at his sister, “Let’s just give it a shot, okay?” Because let’s face it, our options are pretty slim right now. “Maybe we can ask to borrow some money and go buy some clothing…because, well, no offense, but we kind of stink.” She chuckles, nodding, “I know, maybe that’s why he won’t hug us?” Justin laughs softly, wishing that that was true, but something told him that there was more to his uncle that met the eye.