A Paper Plate at My Own Table novel · Chapter 23 of 24
Chapter 23: A Table of Our Own
The table took Timothy three months, and I never once rushed him.
It came out of his father's workshop in pieces on the first Saturday of March, board by board, carried in by Timothy and Kristen and two of Joyce's drivers.
The oak was the same oak that had sat in the rafters for thirty years.
Frank had been saving it for something and never said what.
"It's twelve feet," Kristen said, panting. "Why is it twelve feet?"
"Because it seats ten," Timothy said.
"Who are we going to find to sit ten people?"
"I don't know," Timothy said. "I made it long in case."
We set it up in the dining room where the old table had stood, the one with the gold place cards and the missing leaf.
That one was in the garage, and the plan was to burn it in the yard.
Timothy ran his palm down the grain.
He'd planed it so smooth the light slid off.
On the underside, where nobody would see unless they crawled, he had burned a small mark with a soldering iron.
*F.E. + C.E. + M.S.*
"Why my initials?" I asked.
"Because you paid for the chairs."
"I did not."
"You bought the tablecloth, the glassware and ten chairs. I've kept the receipts."
"You kept the receipts."
"Joyce showed me how."
I laughed and leaned against him.
Joyce had come in behind us with a delivery slip.
"Chairs are here," she said. "Ten. Walnut. And a high chair, in case."
"In case what?"
"In case," said Joyce, with a perfectly straight face, "anyone should need it someday."
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