A Surprise in the Backyard

At the sight of Leslie's stunned gaze, Calix's chuckles slipped out of his mouth. His eyes curved, expressing the glee sparkling in them.

"Why? Can't you believe it? Still?"

Leslie blinked, her lips parted slightly in disbelief. She shifted her eyes from Calix who crouched opposite her to the lake in the backyard.

The glimmering surface rippled gently under the moonlight. Not far from where they were, an unfinished deck frame fell in Leslie's line of sight. 

"When I heard... Aunt Wendy... talking about it... I thought it's... just a joke..."

Leslie vaguely heard weird noises coming from the backyard after she emerged from the basement where the rehab room was. Different voices of men echoed above the other undistinguished sounds.

Listening to them reminded Leslie of people constructing something. Out of curiosity, she asked what was happening in the backyard.