BooksBarbecue
Back THE MAILMAN
Chapters (57)
  1. DEDICATION
  2. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55

“It’s your garden.” He walked around to the front of the house and went up the porch, hearing the sound of slow tired footsteps on the floor as he stepped through the door. He stood unmoving, mouth open in mock incredulity, as Billy headed away from the couch toward the kitchen. “I don’t believe it,” he said. “Miracle of miracles!”

“Shut up,” Billy said.

“You actually got up on your own.”

“I have to go to the bathroom,” Billy mumbled, making his way down the hall.

“Wait a minute,” Doug said seriously.

Billy turned around.

“Are you all right?”

The boy stared dumbly at him for a moment, then recognition registered on his face. He nodded tiredly and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door and locking it.

Doug deposited the envelope on the coffee table in front of the couch and opened the refrigerator, taking out the butter and jam. From the cupboard he withdrew honey and peanut butter, setting them all on the counter next to the plates. The dirty dishes from last night were still in the sink, but he figured he’d do the dishes all at once after they finished breakfast. He opened the now hot waffle iron and ladled in some batter, closing it and listening to the quiet sizzle, smelling the familiar rich buttermilk odor.

The toilet flushed and Billy came out, walking straight through the kitchen to the living room, where he automatically turned on the television.

“TV on Saturday morning?” Doug said. “That’s sickening.”

Billy ignored him and turned on a cartoon, settling back into the couch to watch.

Tritia came in, looking hot and angry, as he pulled the first four waffle squares from the iron. “You want these?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Give them to Billy.”

“Why don’t we go on a picnic today?” Doug suggested, dropping the waffles on a plate. “We haven’t done that for a while. It’s going to be hot and horrible anyway. We’ll go to Clear Creek.”

“Sounds good,” Billy said from the living room.

Tritia looked at her son, pushed the hair back from her forehead, then nodded her assent. “All right,” she said. “Let’s do it.”