Chapter 8

“Hullo, Teodore.”

“Hi, Poppa. Happy Thanksgiving.”

“Yes, happy Thanksgiving.” A long moment of silence while we both searched for something more to say.

“Uh…how has the fishing been going?”

“Is well. We won’t starve.’

“That’s good. Um…”

“How is weather?”

“It’s the usual for November.”

“That is good.” He didn’t ask what the usual was. “I put your Momma on.”

I sighed in relief.

“Teo. Happy Thanksgiving.”

“The same to you, Ma.”

“I am disappointed you cannot come to spend the weekend with us. Will you be seeing William’s family?”

“No, Wills has work tomorrow. He just called his family.”

“And you have tomorrow off?”

“Yeah, Ma. I’m my own boss. I can make my own holidays.”

“Humph. You have enough food?”

“We have plenty. We won’t starve. Is…uh…Is Casey there? I’d like to—”

“Acacia is spending the afternoon with her boyfriend’s family. They will come back here for dinner.”