“You used all the rest of the bacon drippings?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, I did, but if you don’t want to eat the hoecake, that’s fine by me. I’ll put some of that jelly in the refrigerator on what’s left over and call it dessert,” she told him.

“You’re awfully prickly.” Cody asked.

“After the way you’ve been acting all morning, the answer would be ‘hell yeah, cowboy, I’m prickly,’” she answered as she flipped the round of bread over so it could brown on the other side.

*  *  *

Cody deserved that from her. No doubt about it, but it still stung.

“We’ll be eating out of our coffee mugs,” she said. “Those plates won’t work.”

“Hot soup and bread to dip in it.” He managed a smile. “Doesn’t get any better than that.”

“Oh, yeah it does,” she argued, “but it’s the best we can do today, and I’m just grateful to figure out that we could make bread. It won’t be as light as Mama’s biscuits, but it will soak up the soup pretty good. You ready to tell me what put you in a funk this morning?”

He removed his coat and hung it on a nail beside the door. “That dream took me back to a place where I don’t want to go or be.”

“I got that much from what you were mumbling about when you were still asleep,” Stevie said. “Have you ever talked to anyone about Dineo? Who was he?”

“How did you know that name?” Cody asked.

“You called out his name and then said, ‘Hang on, son.’ He must’ve been someone young and also a close friend,” Stevie answered.

“I lost a little boy that day, and he was like a son to me. His father had become my best friend.” Cody’s eyes went all misty, but he blinked back the tears.

“I guess the sound of the tree limbs breaking sounded like gunfire and triggered the nightmare. What can I do to help with lunch?” he asked.

“Don’t change the subject,” Stevie said. “Tell me about this little boy. Evidently he meant a lot to you.”

“He did,” Cody said, and nodded, “but I…”

Stevie shook her head. “Soup and bread are done. All you have to do is dip up a mug full of soup and break off a chunk of bread. I’m a good listener, so tell me more about the child.”

Cody filled one mug and used his knife to cut a piece of bread, handed it to Stevie, and said, “You cooked. I can serve.”

“Thank you,” she said, and nodded as she took her dinner to the sofa and sat down.

Cody fixed his food and sat down beside her.

“So tell me about that little boy,” Stevie said gently.