𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒, 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴

𝐱𝐥𝐯. everybody needs a little time away

She was really doing this, wasn't she. Red tried to distract herself from all the bad thoughts as she approached a man with an umbrella, as it had been raining.

"Excuse me!" She called, sliding under the umbrella with the old man. The man gave her a sweet smile, ready to help. Red pulled out her phone which had the address of where her grandfather resided on the screen, she showed it to him. "Do you know where I can find 4641 Ashley View Lane?"

"What's a teen like you doing looking for Ashley View Lane for?" The man asked, furrowing his brows.

"My Grandpa lives there. Martian Welles." Red spoke. A friendly smile appeared on the man's face as his eyebrows rose again.

The man pointed a few blocks away. "No need to call a cab, it's just a few blocks that way. I reckon you can see it from here." Red nodded her had with a smile. "Well, enjoy your trip." The man handed Red an umbrella, to which she thanked the man and made her way towards where he'd told her she could find her grandfather.

Red walked a few blocks in that direction, and eventually came to a halt in front of the door. Red's hands shook nervously as she knocked on the door. Footsteps approaching reminded the girl what she was getting herself into.

"Hello?" A man, dressed in a suit and fancy attire opened the door, furrowing his eyebrows at Red, who was still decently wet in her casual wear. Red stood there awkwardly, words refusing to come out of her mouth before another voice entered their exchange.

"Reding?" Martian Welles, Red's grandfather, questioned as if he was confused if it was her or not. Red looked up at the man, halfway down the staircase in a gray cardigan.

"Papa!" Red smiled, Martian jogged the rest of the way down the stairs and greeted his granddaughter with a warm hug.

"Oh, you've grown so big!" Martian exclaimed, pulling away from the hug to get a closer look at her. Martian turned to his assistant. "Red, this is Ralph, my butler. Ralph, go fetch her a towel, please."

"Yes, sir."

"Come in, please." Martian nudged Red inside the rather luxurious house, leading her into the den and sitting down in the chair next to her. Ralph cameback, giving Red a towel and preparing hot tea for the both of them. Martian leaned forward in his chair. "Red, what brings you to Charleston in the pouring rain?"

"Um... I'm actually... uh-" Red thought for a moment, trying to tell him without being too forward. "Dad told me." Martian tilted his head in confusion. "A-about Eleanor."

Martian leaned back in understanding, wondering how to respond in the most comforting way, but instead all that came out of his mouth was, "Oh..."

"Yeah..." Red muttered. "Just a few nights ago." she added. Martian held his chin between his thumb and pointer finger, which clutched his face. Red reached into her pocket, pulling out the crumpled picture of her mother and handed it to her papa. "I was hoping you could help me... meet her."

"You want to meet her?" Papa asked, slightly surprised that Red wanted to know about that side of her life. Red nodded nervously. A comforting smile appeared on Martian's face as he rubbed the top of her cold hand. "I'm sure she'd love to see you, dear."

Red's expression rose into a smile of hope. "You think so?"

"Yes, of course I think so!" Martian exclaimed happily, a wide smile plastered onto his tanned face. His bright eyes slightly obscured but his thin glasses were almost identical to Red's. "Not a day goes by that she doesn't think of you! Oh- you wait here." Martian exited the room for a second, coming back with what looked to be some sort of photo album. Martian set it in front of Red. Martian flipped to the first page, an amused smile on his face. Martian pointed to a blonde little boy on the page before looking up at Red. "This is Tristan, he's your little brother. He's such a sweet kid, you're gonna love him."