Page 27 of Family Bonds: Coy & Angel

“Why do you have to draw a line?” his father asked. “Everyone knows who she is. There is no secret there, right?”

“I told a few people in the office, but they didn’t say anything,” he said. “I don’t want them to think she is getting special treatment.”

“Is she?” his mother asked.

“No,” he said. “I don’t think so. I’m paying her the same as I would have anyone else. What I have offered others. Even the fact that you found an apartment for her over other people waiting.”

“Exactly,” his father said. “So if you know the truth that nothing is different, then don’t let it get to you that others might think it.”

He frowned. He wasn’t sure why it was bothering him.

Maybe because he didn’t want Angel to think those things either.

He couldn’t control other people’s thoughts or opinions though and had to just move past it.

“I’m not going to,” he said. “What are you making for dinner? Anything I can do to help?”

“We’ve got it,” his mother said. “Your father is smoking ribs. He’s been up since early this morning playing with his new toy.”

He knew his father liked doing those things. “What new toy did you get?”

“Come look at my new smoker,” his father said.

He went out to the deck and saw the green porcelain egg-shaped dome in the corner. “You got a bigger one?” he asked, laughing. His father had one for years.

“I did,” his father said. “You know how much I love my smaller one, but why not go bigger? I’m breaking it in today.”

He saw the smaller one next to it that had many years of use and great meals.

“I’m sure the ribs will be awesome,” he said.

“I’ve got a roast beef going too,” his father said. “I like that I can do all sorts of meats at once. More room than the other one.”

“Sounds like a great feast,” he said. He’d asked Angel what she liked to eat so his mother knew.

Angel had said she wasn’t fussy in the least. One of the many conversations they’d had while they were working after the office closed was that she enjoyed ribs and barbeque and was going to miss that not being in North Carolina.

“I made potato salad and coleslaw along with mac and cheese,” his mother said. “Plenty of things for you to bring home. You said Angel liked those things.”

He smiled that his mother took it to heart, all the foods he’d mentioned when he was asked.

He didn’t expect her to make everything. Well, that wasn’t everything, but darn close to it.

“I’m going to get fat,” he said. “Then no woman would want me with a pot belly.”

His mother closed one eye at him. “You’ll work it off like you always do. Maybe now that you’ve got help at work you canspend some time out there trying to find a woman like your brothers have.”

She didn’t waste any time jumping on that horse and riding it into the conversation.

“We’ll see,” he said. The doorbell rang. “I’ll get it.”

Coy moved through the house and opened the front door. There was Angel with a tray in front of her. She was wearing a pair of jeans, sandals on her feet letting him see the bright blue toenails, and a white retro T-shirt fitted to her body beneath a blue-and-white flannel open shirt.

It was funny that she was almost matching his exact outfit today minus the sandals, as he had sneakers on his feet.

“We are twinning,” she said. “Imagine that.”

“Yeah,” he said. “I was thinking the same thing.” He reached for the tray. “What do you have there?”

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