Like many revelations about his marriage, it was quiet on the outside.
In this case, Charlie stared into the fridge, looking at the damage Kade's dopplegangers had done to the groceries. It wasn't catastrophic; Charlie was frugal and kept a decent backup fund. Still, it brought to mind old hurts and worries, old concerns. He could almost hear her behind him, grousing about how expensive it was to feed three teenagers and two adults...
He closed the fridge and made for the door. It didn't do to think about such things. It didn't do to dwell on the past. Lately, lately he'd almost gotten away from wondering what she might say, what she might do, how the team might get along with some different skills added to the mix. Lately, he'd been able to think about other people, maybe, a little.
Then there were all those Kades, brought to life from his son's own benign narcissism.
Charlie wandered out onto the basketball court, staring at the hoop, at the thing that started the whole mess—the mess that had saved his other childrens' lives. Kade had decided it would be so much easier if there were more of him. If it were a movie or a TV show he might have found himself regretting his wish, but instead, it all worked out for the better, even if it wasn't tenable in the long term. Charlie sighed and tapped the ball with his toe, sending it rolling. He wished the lesson had been clearer, harsher. That would make it so much easier. Charlie, after all, was supposed to be the adult.
He pulled out his phone, thumb hovering over Doc's speed dial. He knew the same pain. He'd understand. He might even help, even participate. It'd be a mad scientist's dream, a rare indulgence in Woodrow-esque antics, subversive and wrong and right and perfect and terrible. What would the children think? What would anyone think? Would it matter?
"Who are you calling, dad?"
He jumped, turning around to look down at his youngest son.
"I was thinking about calling Doc," he said, managing not to explain.
"Oh, sorry, I'll be quick. I just wanted to ask you if I could go to the park with Jimmy and Carin." Cody smiled, dark eyes sparkling in the sunlight, knowing.
Charlie put his phone in his pocket. "Mind if I tag along? I can call Doc later."
"Not at all. Oh, but maybe call Doc along the way. Warn him not to let anyone play with his tech for a while. A couple of the others were talking about trying to bring mom back. I get where they're coming from, but that'd be kinda wrong, wouldn't it? And it wouldn't work out the way they think."
He put a hand on Cody's shoulder and pulled the phone back out. "Why don't you make the call, son? You know what to look for better than I do."