A Happy Family Without Me novel · Chapter 24 of 24

Chapter 24: Sunday at the Table

I looked at the key in his palm, and at the snow landing on his hair.

"Ask me again on Sunday," I said. "In my kitchen, with everyone there."

His eyebrows went up.

"That's a long wait."

"It's one night."

"I've waited two years."

"Then you can manage one," I said, and took his arm, and we walked back across the lawn to the children.

On Sunday morning the kitchen smelled of butter and cinnamon.

I had my grandmother's old griddle out on the stove and a stack of pancakes going cold on a plate.

Poppy sat at the table with her elbows on it, and I let her.

On one side of her sat the boy, with syrup on his chin.

On the other sat the girl, with her purple cup in front of her.

She had brought it from home in her backpack, and she held it in both hands.

"Mom," Poppy said. "He's eating the whole stack."

"I'm growing," the boy said, with his mouth full.

"You're seven."

"I'm almost seven and a half."

"You're being weird about the pancakes," Poppy said, and pushed the syrup toward him anyway.

The girl studied them both and then slid a pancake onto her sister's plate without being asked.

"Here," she said. "You can have my edge."

Poppy looked at it, and at me.

"Thank you," she said gravely, and ate it.

The doorbell rang at ten.

It was Garner's mother, on her cane, with a pie in a dish towel.

Keep reading free with an account. Start A Happy Family Without Me from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.