Anvil novel · Chapter 22 of 24

Chapter 22: Mr. Tucker

Lizzie's POV

Birdie got to the door before I did.

"You knocked," she said, through the screen. "You have a key."

"I know," Tucker said. "I wanted to be asked in."

"That's silly."

"A little."

"Come in, Mr. Tucker."

He came in with his arm in the sling and his cut over his good shoulder.

He stood in my front hall and did not seem to know where to put his hands.

I stood at the kitchen door with a dish towel in my hands.

We had not been alone since the foundry.

There had been a long night at the clinic with Birdie asleep across three plastic chairs.

Then there had been the Forge, and Dutch, and the bank.

Now there was supper.

It was macaroni and cheese, because it was the only thing that I had made all week that nobody had ruined.

Birdie ate three helpings and told Tucker about the foundry.

"I bit a zip tie," she said.

"And I kicked a man in the mouth. And I saw a van go into a pile of iron."

"I heard about that," Tucker said gravely.

"Mom hit him with a pan."

"I heard that, too."

"She's strong. She's the strongest one I know." She stabbed a noodle. "Mr. Tucker, are you going to stay?"

My fork stopped.

Tucker set his down very carefully.

"I want to," he said. "That depends on you and your mom."

"On me?"

"A lot."

Birdie chewed and thought it over.

"Can I tell you something first?" she said. "I figured something out."

"All right."

"I figured it out a long time ago. I just didn't say because Mom gets sad when I say things about it."

I said, "Birdie..."

"It's okay, Mom. I'm being polite."

She put down her spoon and looked at Tucker with her whole face.

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