Karl The cool evening breeze hits my face as I lean over the stone balcony looking out at the gardens below. I’m still in utter shock. To think that all of this might be mine someday is… a lot to process. Suddenly, as I’m leaning here, I hear the sound of footsteps approaching. I look up to see Reginald—my father—walking toward me with two cigars in his hand. “Sorry,” he says, stopping in his tracks. “If you wanted to be alone, I—” “It’s alright.” I move to the side a little to give him room. “It’s nice out.” “Sure is.” Reginald sidles up next to me and leans on the railing. He holds one of the cigars out for me, and I take it. As he lights it for me, puffs of smoke billow out around me. We smoke in silence for a couple of minutes, just listening to the distant

