Page 242 of Love Bites

“Hi, Mom. How was work?” An empty M&Ms wrapper lay behind Addy.

I propped my shoulder against the porch post and drudged up a smile—and a lie. “Pretty good.”

“Did you meet any nice men?”

Kelly had yet to look up from the box, which had three of the four flaps closed.

“Nope. Where’s your brother?”

“Gluing teeth into his horse skull.”

Of course. “What’s in the box?”

“Nothing.”

I leaned over, catching sight of something that resembled a coiled up rope. “What is that, Adelynn?”

She reached in the box and pulled out the rope. Only it wiggled.

“Jesus!” I jumped back.

“It’s just a baby, Mom.” A forked tongue shot in and out as Addy held the green snake by the neck area.

“I don’t care. Get rid of it right now.”

“But, Mom!”

“Take it over there by those trees.” I pointed to the edge of the forest that divided Aunt Zoe’s yard from Mount Moriah cemetery. “Now!”

Grumbling, Addy stomped across the yard toward the pine trees, the wriggling snake dangling out in front of her. Kelly watched Addy’s progress with a frown on her lips.

I decided to use this moment alone with Kelly to dig for some details about her mom and dad.

“Kelly.” I paused trying to use some delicacy in forming my question. “Was your mom going on a trip somewhere for a couple of days?”

She shrugged her bony shoulders.

“Do you know where your dad is?”

The Wymonds’ house had been closed up when I cruised by this afternoon, the yard and drive empty of vehicles that still had all four wheels intact, the front door shut.

“Of course.” Kelly shielded her eyes as she peered up at me. “He’s at work.”

I hadn’t noticed any road crews out and about today. “On a Sunday?”

“Uh-huh. He needs to make more money.”

“Is that what he said?” Or had Donna said that? Kids were excellent eavesdroppers and mimickers—mine in particular, especially when it came to swear words and finding-a-man conversations.

She nodded. “Mom can’t work because of Johnny, so Dad works on the weekend now, too.”

“That must be why he wasn’t home when I picked up your clothes yesterday.”

“Oh, he’s never home on the weekends, anymore.”

“Because he works so much?”

“No. Because he spends Saturday and Sunday night at Uncle Peter’s place.”

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