All in the Family by Taft Sowder Page B

He wished he had brought his coat, but how could he keep things straight? His mind had been on edge, teetering. If the razor leaned one way or the other, he would lose it again.
    As he climbed into the driver’s seat, he caught something out of the corner of his eye. It was a man, or more a shape of a man standing near a tree on a vacant lot. The man stepped behind the tree as he turned to get a better look. There was a man there a moment ago, right?
    He rolled into the driveway slowly, something just didn’t feel right. Was it the man waiting by the tree? Is that what made him so uneasy? Had there even been a man? Something just didn’t feel right.
    When he stepped through the door, that feeling was confirmed by the look on Loretta’s face. She looked like a small child who had just lost their imaginary friend to a terrible fire. She was still sitting at the dining room table; he could see her clearly through the large open archway. Herman walked to her and put a hand on her arm.
    “What’s wrong, honey?”
    She looked up at him and swallowed hard. He could hear her crackling voice trying to form words. Then, she handed him the letter, her hand quivering as he took it. What could have her so frightened or nervous?
    “What’s this?” asked Herman as he flipped the letter over. Without even glancing at the front of the envelope, he took the paper from the pouch. Unfolding it, he saw what it was; he saw it was a letter from Roy, Loretta’s brother. “You mean that bastard is coming here? He’s a lowlife, he can’t stay here!”
    With that said, the doorbell rang. Loretta dropped her head. She hoped it was someone else, but she knew, deep down, who it was.
    Herman’s face became stern, a frozen statue. He walked to the door and sighing, opened it.
    Roy watched as the door swung open. He saw Herman’s face. He never really liked that asshole. He knew his sister could do better than that. His sister was hot, and hell, she could have had Herman’s brother. What was his name? Fred? Doug? Either way, she could have had him. He had money, a lot of money. Instead, she married this Lurch looking motherfucker.
    Herman wasn’t fond of him either, and he knew it. He didn’t care, but it would help out the cause this time if he actually made himself seem friendly.
    Herman didn’t smile, he didn’t acknowledge Roy at all, and instead, he looked across the street. Two police cars were parked on the other side of the road. Their lights were going, but there wasn’t a big scene. The officers had the neighbor outside. Probably questioning him, Herman thought. He smirked a little before finally looking at Roy.
    “Herman! It’s been far too long!” Roy said and held out an open hand.
    Herman ignored it. “What’s it been? Five, six years now?”
    “Ten, I was in that shit-hole for ten years,” Roy said with a frown.
    Herman sighed and then stepped back, throwing an arm out to the side.
    “Thank you, sir. Is Loretta home, I’m sure she’s missed me.”
    “She’s in the dining room.”
    Herman closed the door slowly, in the background he heard Roy speaking.
    “Hey, Sis, I bet you’ve been expecting me. What? Oh, no, I sent that letter three weeks ago. I thought for sure you would have gotten it before today.”
    Herman shook his head; just another lowlife out of prison, only not on the street, but in his own home.
    At the dinner table, Roy jabbered away as he used to. If he had been born eight years ago, doctors would have diagnosed him with ADHD or some form of hyperactive learning disorder. Alas, he was edging forty, and he despised doctors. In and out of trouble since before he was eighteen, his past was dark and spotty, like liver spots on an elderly person, and his future looked no brighter. He spoke of revenge. Of course, Loretta tried her best to talk sense into him; he kept right on track with the unintelligible prison gibberish. They were only half-siblings, but that didn’t stop Loretta from trying to