Past Forward- A Serial Novel: Episode 16 (9 page)

Chad opened the back door an hour later to find the chickens pecking at the seed in the yard, Ditto in a freshly cleaned stall, and Willow dragging tree branches behind the barn.
As he watched her, his hands found their way into his pockets and the crease between his eyebrows deepened.
She looked tired
—
exhausted really.
Every move, every step looked labored.

He hurried inside, filled a glass with water, and brought it out to her.
“
I
’
ll finish that one
;
you go sit on the steps and drink up
.”

“
But
—”

“
Lass…
”
His tone was one he
’
d only used once before
—
when he
’
d ordered her from his parents
’
house that winter.

“
I
’
m going, I
’
m going
.”

She sat long enough to empty her glass and then pulled her gloves back onto her hands and started
pulling debris from the flower
beds.
They worked for another hour.
Chad detached the railing from the house and dumped it in the back of his truck.
“
I
’
ll go get another one later
.”

“
I
’
m hungry
.”
Willow sank into the porch swing exhausted, weak, and thirsty.

“
You,
”
Chad called
as he
went inside for the couch quilt,
“
you
need your rest.
I
’
ll go get a new rail top and be back in no time.
I
’
ll grab something for us to eat on my way back
.”

Willow pointed at the empty glass and promptly fell asleep.
Chad refilled it, s
e
t it on the ground next to her, and watched her sleep for a moment before he jogged to his truck and drove toward Brunswick.
His watch told him he had just enough time to get there, get the materials, and get it fixed before he had to change for work.

His phone rang.
“
I just left you sleeping!
”

“
I heard the truck start.
Listen, I was thinking.
Can you get me some red exterior paint?
”

“
Red?
”

Her impatient voice snapped back,
“
Yes red.
You know, the color of tulips and candy canes?
”

“
Whatever for?
”

“
I really loved Aggie
’
s door
,
but I thought I couldn
’
t have one because the screen would hide it.
Why go red if you can
’
t see it, you know?
”

Chad nodded absently.
“
Ok
…
”

“
Well, if I paint the screen, I get that bright and cheerful door after all.
A gallon will probably be too much but it
’
ll be good for touch ups.
’

“
Red.
Got it.
Anything else?
”

She smiled to herself.
“
Do you remember last summer when I had a bad day and you brought me some chocolate thing?
”

A grin spread slowly over Chad
’
s face.
“
I do indeed
.”

“
Can I have another one?
”
She hesitated.
“
I promise I won
’
t eat the paper this time
.”

“
You can have a case of
‘
em
.”

Willow smiled to herself.
“
That
’
s ok.
Just one will do.
Thanks
,
Chad.
I
’
m going back to sleep now
.”

“
Sleep on the couch
;
it
’
s more comfy
.”

“
That
’
s your opinion,
”
she argued.
“
Nothing beats nostalgia on a June morning
.”

She was still sleeping as Chad pulled slowly into the yard.
He pushed his door shut gently, grabbed the grocery bags from the back of the truck
,
and crept past her to the back door and into the house.
He set the table with bowls, spoons, and a gallon of milk.
He filled
glasses
of orange juice
, fried bacon in a pan on the stove in the summer kitchen, and
then
crept out the front door to wake her.

“
Willow, breakfast
’
s ready
.”

“
Wha
—”

“
I brought home breakfast.
Come on, the bacon is getting cold!
”
He shook her shoulder glancing at the empty glass of water.
At least she
’
d taken hydration seriously.

She dragged herself off the swing and followed him clumsily into the kitchen.
“
I am so tired
.”

Chad looked at her sharply.
Dark circles beneath her eyes made her look as though she hadn
’
t slept in days.
“
You look it
.”

“
Ever the flatterer
—
what is this?
”

“
Cereal smorgasbord!
I bought all of my favorite kinds and the one
M
om likes
.”

“
Frosted Mini-Wheats, Cocoa Puffs, Lucky Charms, Fruit Loops, Cap
’
n Crunch Berries, and Wheaties?
Let me guess, your mom likes Wheaties.
They just sound closer to real food
.”

He shook his head.
“
Nope, she likes Cap
’
n Crunch.
I think it
’
s gross
,
myself.
I got the berries because I think it makes them more edible
.”

“
What
’
s with the milk?
We have plenty
—”

“
Well, your milk is good, for goat
’
s milk that is, but cold cereal was
designed
for cow
’
s milk.
It
’
s like eating pizza without the sauce
.”

As he spoke, Chad filled his bowl with Cocoa Puffs and smothered it in milk.
She reached for the first box, poured a tiny bit in the bowl, poured milk over it and took a bite.
As she chewed, she read the box ingredients, glanced over the packaging, and then closed it.
“
Lucky Charms are gross
.
Tri-sodium phosphate?
I use that to clean.
”

“Then your insides will be clean.”

She picked up the Fruit Loops box and repeated the scenario.
At the end of her buffet of cereals, she pronounced Wheaties the winner with Frosted Mini-Wheats a close second.
“
The orange juice was really good too
.”

She rinsed her glass and poured half a glass of milk as she reached for a cold slice of bacon.
“
I love bacon.
Mother would bring it home sometimes
,
and the butcher usually brought us a pound of it with the cow if Mother remembered to ask
.”

She took a drink of milk and nearly choked.
Chad
’
s expression was priceless.
“
What
’
s wrong?
”

“
It
’
s awful!
It tastes like
—
like, some kind of chemical.
I don
’
t know how to explain it but it
’
s almost dusty tasting or something.
Ew
.”

Chad quickly poured him a glass and took a large swallow.
“
Tastes great to me
.”

“
Oh
,
that is just
—
ew
.”
She watched fascinated as he guzzled the rest of his drink and then poured the rest of hers into his glass.
“
Here, finish mine then
.”