Stef Ann Holm by Lucy Back (books to read in your 30s TXT) 📗

porch was busted. He’d gotten used to no Internet and no cable. Their TV only tuned in ten channels. But he never had any time to watch it, anyhow.

Ada had him walking more dogs over the summer, since people were here on vacation. When he thought about it, Matt figured he was a pretty lucky kid to live here all the time. He liked it. When he was in town, the trees on the mountainside seemed like they jumped out at him. The air smelled like fresh laundry. The ski runs looked neat even without snow. He liked the metal lift chairs dangling from poles. There were the regular guys who sat outside, in front of the Mule Shoe, when he walked past and they always said hi to him.

He liked Bud, the guy who owned this house. Bud had given him five bucks the other day, just because he felt like it. Matt bought some comic books and candy.

Jason was doing better. He liked hanging out with Mackenzie. She was pretty. Matt knew his brother liked her. All the guys on the team thought she was hot.

Taking a drink of his milk, Matt wrinkled his nose. He didn’t think girls were hot yet.

“Jason, do you think you guys will make the playoffs?” Matt asked.

“Doubt it.” Jason shoved a big bite of mac into his mouth. “Now that Ryan wrecked his wrist, we’re screwed.”

Their mom frowned. “I don’t think that’s a good word choice, Jason.”

“But it’s true. We’re screwed.”

His mom frowned again, but she didn’t say anything more. She’d come home from Drew’s house and had been real quiet. Maybe she was tired from all the cooking. But she didn’t act tired while taking off her shoes and putting on her slippers. She’d acted funny, like she was waiting for someone to come over at any minute, or maybe like she had to leave at any minute. She seemed anxious, glancing at her cell phone.

When it rang, she jumped.

“That’s going to be Mackenzie,” she exclaimed, rising to her feet.

Then Jason said, “Well, then it’s for me.”

But Matt was too quick and he grabbed it, since it was the only phone they had in the house and maybe it was for him. Sometimes he had boys from the team call him up and want to go to a movie or sit out at the ice cream place and eat scoops of chocolate fudge.

“I got it, Mom!” he hollered, scraping his chair legs from the table, then speaking into the mouth piece. “Hullo?”

“Who’s this? Mattie or Jason?”

“Dad!”

“Hey, Matt. It’s your dad.”

Matt flopped into the overstuffed armchair and dangled his legs. “What’re you doing, Dad?”

Glancing at his mom, he saw her expression of wonder, as if she was thinking something bad.

“Just sitting here thinking about you and Jason,” Dad said. “I sure miss you boys.”

“We miss you, too, Dad. We’re going to see you this Friday. I already got my ideas for what we can do. We can go fishing in the river—Bud said we can use his tackle, and I can take you to Ada’s and show you the dogs and then we can have burgers at Woolly’s and make Jason clean up our table—”

“Shut up,” Jason scowled, but with a smile. “I’m not cleaning up after you guys.” Then his brother got quiet for a sec, as if he was trying to decide something. “Tell Ga—tell Dad I said hi.”

Matt felt better. “Dad, Jason says hi!”

Their dad replied, “Tell him hi back.”

Kicking his feet to the side of the chair, Matt asked, “So what time are you going to be here?”

“That’s why I’m calling.” His dad didn’t say nothing for a long time.

“Dad?”

“Matt, I won’t be able to come up.” Matt’s heart sank into his stomach. “I’m having a little bit of a financial problem down here. I can’t seem to get the money for an airline ticket up that way. You know how it goes. I’ve got to pay child support and that about taps me out. But I’m thinking of you boys all the time.”

Matt didn’t say anything, and maybe the look on his face said everything. Because his mom came over to him and took the phone. Matt let her. He went back to the kitchen table, sat down and gazed at Jason. “Dad’s not coming.”

Jason’s nostrils flared. “Effing bastard. I knew it.”

Their mom went outside, onto the porch, but Matt wasn’t even interested in listening. He had a stomachache now.

After a couple of minutes, she came back inside, stood in the doorway and folded her arms across her chest.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, Mom,” Jason said, looking up at her with his chin down. “Gary’s an ass.”

“Jason, I really don’t think you should say that.”

“I don’t care. It’s true.”

Matt wished he could cry, but in a way, he just didn’t feel like it.

“Okay, I have an idea.” Mom came toward them, her brown eyes happy even though her face was sad. “Let’s get out that old tent we have and pitch it in the yard. I call campout-sleepover, and we’ll even make a fire to roast marshmallows.”

“Yeah!” Matt smiled, a surge of excitement hitting him.

Even Jason shrugged with a half smile. “But, Mom, last time you put that tent up for us, it collapsed.”

“I never claimed to be perfect.” She set the cell phone on the counter, put her hands on her hips and gave them a loving glance.

Matt fought tears. He jerked to his feet, put his arms around his mom’s waist.

“I think you’re perfect, Mom.”

Even Jason got up and hugged Mom. It was just the three of them, but that was okay. They loved each other.

Twenty-Four

The plan must have worked.

Lucy woke up early, sunshine streaming through seams in the thin tent and blinding her. She put one of the pillows over her face and closed her eyes, her body sore from having slept on the ground. She was getting too old for this.

The boys were still out like lights, each a lump in