The three were sitting in front of a desktop computer. Lorraine's parents also had one like that, with a separate mouse and keyboard and a huge black box that stood underneath the table, before they bought a laptop a couple of years ago. Eyes opened widely, Dylan was staring at an image on the screen, which Lorraine unfortunately couldn't see well from behind Dylan's and Eugene's heads.

He clicked through a couple of images, asking in disbelief whether his cousins actually took every single one of them, to which they replied affirmatively. 

"Now, you can't keep them forever, of course," Eugene reminded. "We only want to have them until we're sure Mr. Brown keeps his promise - we gave him a couple of printouts, the ones that Bob, Bill and Blake didn't have time to rip. But if you ever need anything of a similar nature, you know whom to ask."

"Got it," Dylan nodded quickly after a couple of seconds. He then closed the images and ejected the camera memory card, which he then carefully put into a locked drawer of a desk. He then turned to his cousins. "Well, I was wrong about the two of you," he concluded, and then even went as far as shaking hands. "Eugene, you've shown yourself worthy of our cousinhood, man. I can see you've taken after me. Charlotte, I'm impressed. If I ever say again that you should stay in the kitchen..."

"Well, you won't have a chance to say that to her ever again anyway," Eugene sighed. "She's getting sent away with Aunt Joanne."

"Oh, come on," Dylan waved him off, "won't she just stay here with her grandma?"

"Hardly," Charlotte confessed. "Ever since Uncle Jack married and moved out, she has wanted to live with her friend in the mountains. That has always been her dream retirement plan. She couldn't do it because of me, as she thought it was her responsibility to raise me, a.k.a the mistake of my dad. But now that my mom can take me in..."

Dylan looked at the ceiling and bit his lip, thinking. In a minute, he jumped up and announced, "I'll take care of it. Let's go downstairs." 

Lorraine, who was still standing behind the door frame, didn't have time to hide, and the three walked right into her. She tried to come up with an excuse, but Charlotte patted her head and assured that nobody minded her eavesdropping. Lorraine flinched, remembering their not-too-distant argument.

"Did you think I didn't like you?" Charlotte laughed when she finally realized why Lorraine acted so unwelcomingly on their way down the stairs. "I was just widening your perspectives, girl. And so were you. Nothing to worry about." 

Lorraine wanted to say something back, but Dylan hushed her as they were now getting near the kitchen. They entered, and Dylan sat down at the table with adults, the others standing behind him. Uncle Alex and Lorraine's mom were now discussing all of the legal challenges of transferring Charlotte's guardianship to Lorraine's parents, as well as her move. Dylan waited patiently for a pause and spoke at his first opportunity. 

"Mom," he said thoughtfully, "didn't you often mention you wanted a daughter?" 

"What?" Even though Dylan didn't interrupt anyone, Aunt Alice looked at him as if he did.

"Come on, Mom, don't shy away," Dylan continued nevertheless. "You lament so often about not having a girl."

"Is that so, Alice?" Lorraine's mom asked with eager interest.

"Well," Aunt Alice said, deciding now to confess, "I do actually dream of having a girl, yes. You see, I know so many things I could teach to a girl - sewing, embroidery, cooking --"

"Mom!" Dylan interrupted. "Don't get so stereotypical! Not all girls like these things, you know. Charlotte does, though. Why don't you say honestly that you've always wanted a Charlotte?"

"That's right," Aunt Alice sighed. "I've always wanted a Charlotte. But I can't just take her in...."

"Oh, why not? We won't even have to transfer her guardianship 'cause her grandma will be living in the same state and forty minutes away --"

"...without any agreement from my family." 

"But Eugene and I both want Charlotte to stay --" Dylan started, but then noticed that his mom was looking specifically at his dad, lowering her eyes in a few seconds. 

Uncle Alex was indecisive for only a moment. He then looked around the room. The stares pointed at him were rather pleading.  Aunt Alice's head was still lowered obediently.

Not wanting to be the bad guy in the situation, he smiled and hugged his wife. 

"I understand how attached you are to Charlotte, Alice," he said, "and as we now know that she's a part of our family, I welcome her in just like I accepted Eugene."

The children cheered, and Lorraine was the loudest. What a relief it was to know she wouldn't have to live with her annoying, arguing sister!