She was smiling brightly in the photo. I couldn't remember how long it had been since I'd seen her smile so happily. My eyes vacant for a moment, then I calmly clicked "like."
I saw Lucy again three days later. She asked me to pick her up at the high-speed rail station. I was puzzled; she'd clearly driven there, so why did she need me to pick her up?
Only when I arrived did I realize she hadn't come back alone.
Lucy explained to me, "Honey, Charlie, his godmother and some of Charlie's elders are coming to town for a visit, so I came back with them."
She was standing next to Charlie and his mother and behind her were seven or eight elderly men and women looking around. I just glanced at them, not saying anything.
Charlie extended his hand to me, smiling, "Please come and pick him up."
I frowned, but didn't extend my hand.
Lucy complained, "Honey, Charlie is thanking you."
Before I could say anything, Charlie's mother took Lucy's hand and said, "Lucy, he only has one car and there's not enough room for all of us."
"I can call a taxi." Lucy pulled out her phone.
Charlie's mother tried to stop her, "Let him call. We'll just take the car and Charlie will drive."