Gabe Chaucer watched the group of kids making a scene, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. He said, half-jokingly, "I know I was hard on you all these last three years. From now on, you can have as many girlfriends as you want, and I won't interfere."
"You can invite me to your weddings, too, but I can't afford a big gift."
"As for Mortimer Quincy and the others... it's my fault I didn't catch them."
'Actually, it wasn't that I didn't catch him. Mortimer told me he was in a relationship from the start; I just never imagined he'd be so bold as to have it be right under my nose.'
'And they were even deskmates.'
'I actually thought they were just cousins who were particularly close.'
Everyone else laughed. One of the boys who had spoken earlier hugged Gabe Chaucer, crying with exaggerated heartbreak. "Old Shaw, even though you're the reason I don't have a girlfriend anymore, I'm still going to miss you!"
