“He might be after us,” said Murphy. “We left him back in Mississippi, all knocked out. We need to contact the police as soon as possible.”

“Well, there’s no phone in my house,” said Grandma, “and I doubt you’ll have any service out here in the country. The nearest phone is at the filling station about twenty miles back. Y’all passed by there, didn’t you?”

“Yep,” said Murphy.

“I’ll tell you what,” said Grandma. “We’ll head into town first thing in the morning and phone the police. How does that sound?”

“I’d feel a lot better if we did it right now,” I said. “You don’t know Horace. You don’t know how dangerous he is.”

“My goodness,” said Grandma. “Well, if he’s that vicious, we’ll just have to dead bolt the front door, won’t we?”

“I don’t think you quite understand,” I said.

“Perhaps not,” said Grandma. “But my mind is made up, and your food is getting cold. Why don’t you go on and eat now? I know you’re hungry. I can see it all over your faces.”

She was right. I was hungry. Very hungry. And if Grandma wasn’t worried about Horace, then what could we do to change her mind? She seemed stubborn like that, in the same way Mom had been stubborn, in the same way Murphy was stubborn. When they were set in their ways, arguing was useless. Besides, did Horace even know where Grandma lived? How could he be sure we would head here, a place we’d never been before, to stay with a relative we’d never met? For all he knew we were still in Mississippi, hiding anywhere we could. Surely we’d be safe for just a night, wouldn’t we?

Regardless, dinner was ready, and it smelled good. Murphy slopped a serving spoon full of mac and cheese on her plate and picked up her fork, ready to dig in.

“Hmmph,” said Grandma, a scowl on her face, and Murphy froze.

“It’s only proper that we say a blessing,” said Grandma. “After all, my children have come home.”

“Your children?” I said.

“Grandchildren, I mean. And I am so, so very grateful that you two are here.”

She reached her hands out to us. Grandma’s fingers were tough and calloused and wrinkly and warm, and her grip was strong.

“Dear wondrous Spirit of these lands,” Grandma prayed, her voice high and bright and full of sugar. “We thank thee for thy infinite mercy and perfect judgment. We thank thee for the shining path leading thy servants along the way of righteousness and truth. We beseech thee for wisdom in the face of adversity, kindness in the face of hate, and acceptance in the face of doubt. And we thank thee for bringing an answer long sought after, a confirmation of your divine will, the way all things have been and must be and shall always be. Amen.”

I looked at Murphy, and she looked back at me, a little smirk on her face.