Chapter 42

“He has to find work,” Shirley said, “or we’ll both go insane.”

“No luck with that job program yet?”

“We’re in a recession, Chris. And he’s been in jail.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

She rested her shoulder on mine. “It’s not your mess to fix.” She sighed. “Sometimes I regret taking him back. But where was he supposed to go? They gave him his twenty dollars back, his daddy’s gold watch, and the shirt he had on five years ago. I can’t just turn him away, right?”

I knew she didn’t expect an answer from me.

“The worst part is, he hasn’t even touched me since he came home. I thought it was gonna be like that movie, you know, the one with Tom Selleck, where the guy comes home and jumps his wife’s bones like a wild man.”

I chuckled, trying not to wake Troy.

“But he lies there like a dead fish and I know I’m supposed to be understanding and patient, but damn it, Chris, I’ve been patient enough for—”