Chapter 7

Jonah asks Willa, “Why’s it so cold in here? And why are the lights off?”

“The power is out. It went off about fifteen minutes before you and Sandy got here. Mom’s in the kitchen, looking for candles and flashlights.”

“How long is the power going to be off? Did anyone call the electric company?”

Willa says, “Bobo called them. The power’s going to be out for the next few hours. Some asshole drunk driver hit two telephone poles in a dump truck and took out transformers on the next block over. The power might not be back on until morning. Who knows?”

Bobo’s a dipshit, Jonah thinks, but doesn’t say this to his sister. Instead, he simply asks, “What’s going on for dinner?”

“None of us have talked it over yet. We can’t stay here, though. The ham is undercooked, and the mashed potatoes will be chunky.”