【42】Meryl and Glenn

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"Glenn, your brownies are delicious!" I declared after my first bite into the second slice

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"Glenn, your brownies are delicious!" I declared after my first bite into the second slice.

"Thank you, dear. It's a family recipe. I'll send it to you if you'd like."

"I'd love that, thank you!"

To my great relief, Glenn and Meryl Crawford were Canadian sweethearts. The elderly couple was enjoying their retirement here at Canim Lake, but they also had a townhouse in Vancouver. She used to be a high-ranking executive in a company that produced home appliances, and Glenn had been a chief engineer there as well, and had also been a stay-at-home dad for about a decade. So far, our discussion had mostly revolved around them, as both Lex and I did our best to keep it that way so we wouldn't have to answer their questions.

After changing into a more proper outfit as fast as possible, I'd come back downstairs, still worried we might not pull it off. Both Lex and I had been awkward and tense at first, unsure how we should handle the situation. It was, after all, our first time receiving guests as a couple, and we had to pass for happily married spouses who'd done it dozens of times before. So between that and the fact that we were constantly on guard, it was hard to act smooth and natural.

I still wasn't over the fact that Lex had pulled out a gun, which I hadn't even known was there. For someone who kept telling me we were safe here and no one would ever find us, he was quite prepared for the eventuality that someone indeed found us.

"So, how are you enjoying the lake?" Meryl asked us both.

"It's, um... it's beautiful. We haven't seen much yet, though. We've mostly been indoors," I answered.

"Ah, busy christening the house, were we?" The cheekiness of her comment disarmed me, and my eyes flew to Lex for a split second. Ugh, I wished we'd been busy doing that, yes.

"Yeah, uh... that, and the unpacking, you know."

"For how long have you two been married?"

"Three years," Lex answered. "But we met eight years ago in a bar in New York. I saw her and knew she had to be mine."

Oh, God... While his delivery was surprisingly good, his choice of words was slightly suspicious. Lex wasn't that used to lying, and it rather showed.

"How long have you two been together?" I asked them in return, hoping we could veer the conversation away from us.

"It'll be forty-three years this summer," Glenn replied with pride, turning to his wife to gaze at her tenderly.

"Wow, that's... That's amazing! What's your secret?" I humored.

"Well, no marriage is easy and flawless. It's like a fire. You need to keep it alive, or it'll die. We've been through ups and downs, but we always fought to make it work. The simple truth is that we're happier together than apart."

"Yes," Glenn confirmed, "it became clear when we took a break early in our marriage. It was the most miserable months of my life."

They exchanged a look full of understanding and affection, and then focused on us again. "So, you two are from New York?"

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