Cougar: Part 6

By HELEN V. GRIFFITH

The woman stopped working, sat heavily at the table. "I just wanted him here. His father, since Josiah left, all these years, it's been" Her eyes teared up, overflowed. "Everything's been let go, place is a mess, and then the barn it's been three weeks since the barn went, and he hasn't done a thing, just sits in front of that TV."

Something on the stove sizzled as it boiled over, and the woman jumped up, moved the pan, looked in it. "It's all right." Went to the door, called, "Come on out for a bite."

Between them, she and Starla set the table, dished out the odds and ends of food. Joe and his father came out, looking all right, not like they'd been arguing or anything. Joe had said they couldn't get along, that he was only making this visit because his mother had begged him so hard. Nickel was glad they weren't fighting. He wanted to stay and eat.There wasn't much talking at the table. Nickel thought may be so much had happened since Joe had been gone that nobody knew where to start.

Publisher: HarperCollins
Price: 14.95
Age group: 8-12 years

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