Jace handed the phone to Grace in surrender. "Okay, clearly I'm not wanted here. Talk to your favorite person."
Charles brightened again as Grace came fully into view, cradling the phone in both hands as she lay on the bed, her face soft and warm. "So, how was school?"
"Boring as usual… since you left. Except I got full marks on my math test."
Grace gasped, her eyes wide with excitement. "Charles! That's amazing!"
He grinned proudly. "I studied extra because I wanted to show you when you got back. But you are still not back."
Her expression softened. "I'm really proud of you. And I'll make it up to you, I promise."
Charles frowned and tilted his head. "You know what I don't understand?"
"What?"
"Why you had to go anywhere without me? You always said you'll never leave me…But you left me all alone by myself and went with that man. Don't you love me anymore?"
"That's clearly too childish," Jace teased from the background. "Stop trying to whip sympathy from my woman.
