All Good Women by Valerie Miner Page B

the office.’
    â€˜And I was counting on you for the fall season.’
    Teddy grinned and shrugged. ‘Say, where’s my sister-in-law?’
    â€˜Took the baby to visit her mother tonight. Knows when to duck outta this house.’
    â€˜Soup’s on,’ Mom’s voice.
    â€˜Want me to bring you something?’
    â€˜No thanks.’ Jolene pulled herself up. ‘Been lying down all day. Think I’ll just sit quietly at the table.’
    â€˜Everyone’s bound to be quiet tonight,’ Teddy sighed.
    During grace, Pop sat silently, both hands on the edge of the table. The back door slammed; Hank stuck his head in the room.
    â€˜Sorry we’re late, Mom. Arthur and I’ll be right in, soon’s we wash our hands.’
    Teddy watched her mother’s shoulders loosen.
    Mom stood. ‘I’ll get their suppers from the oven.’
    Pop was shaking his head. ‘Can’t they respect the family meal hour?’
    â€˜Probably got held up on the bus,’ Teddy tried.
    â€˜Don’t they know how long your mother worked on this supper …’
    Jolene interrupted, ‘Yeah, she went out and shot every last piece of spaghetti. Slippery critters.’
    Teddy cracked her knuckles.
    â€˜Don’t sass your father, Miss,’ Mom called from the kitchen.
    â€˜Hi there.’ Hank sat with a thud. ‘So how’s everyone?’ Avoiding his father’s glance, he addressed Virgil. ‘You get around to sweeping out the garage?’
    Virgil nodded proudly.
    Teddy wondered at the kindness in Hank’s ways. He really was the perfect older brother, at least he had been since he decided to stay off the streets. She missed the old times with Hank and Arthur, the three of them. She had felt like one of the boys: the long, tall Fieldings going out bowling or for a beer.
    â€˜And Jolene,’ Hank continued, ‘you on your last legs or what?’
    â€˜Don’t count your luck.’ She grinned. ‘I’ll be up and around tomorrow.’
    Mom brought in two plates of baked spaghetti for her eldest sons.
    Teddy noticed her father scrutinizing the size of their helpings.
    She was sure Mom had given Pop as much, but lately he had been extra touchy about such things. As desperately as they needed the pay checks, the boys’ income was a delicate affair.
    â€˜Teddy,’ Arthur asked, ‘how’s the big downtown world?’
    Teddy blushed. ‘Fine, I’ve taken to strolling Market Street and that’s fun.’
    â€˜Fun!’ exploded her father.
    â€˜Oh, leave her alone, Pop,’ said Jolene.
    Teddy noticed Jolene was wearing her ‘calm down’ expression rather than her ‘you jerk’ expression and her father surveyed the table for something else to criticize.
    â€˜Helen,’ he said, ‘you’re eating like a bird!’
    â€˜Now leave me, Dick. I’ve been nibbling as I cooked.’
    â€˜So what’d you do today?’ Virgil asked Hank and Arthur.
    Arthur chewed thoughtfully. ‘We almost got our heads knocked off tearing down a building. Crane swiped by Hank, inch away.’
    â€˜But Arthur saved my life.’ Hank spoke through a mouthful of spaghetti. ‘I ducked and, well, here we are, all together again.’
    Mom shook her head. ‘That work’s so dangerous.’
    â€˜Don’t worry.’ Arthur pushed forward his empty plate. ‘Looks like we won’t be there much longer.’
    â€˜What do you mean?’ Pop demanded.
    â€˜They’re laying people off at the end of the week.’
    â€˜Christ!’ Pop threw his napkin on the floor and stood up. ‘Whole country has gone to hell.’
    â€˜Dick,’ Mom coaxed. ‘Sit down and finish your supper. Remember what the doctor said about your health.’
    â€˜Health! None of us will have any health left if they keep draining blood from this family. Shoulda stayed in