"I have ears. Go wash up."
"Can I pick out the carrots?" he asked hopefully. "And the potatoes?"
"No. Go."
Grumbling under his breath, he rushed off towards the bathroom.
"What can I do?"
Her grandmother looked up from the soda bread she was slicing.
"You can tell me what the hell is going on. Who is this man? And why haven't you brought him home to meet us?"
Busying herself with taking out the bowls, Melanie avoided the question for a minute.
"We'll talk after supper."
"All right. Set the table. I'm starving."
She didn't have much appetite and tried to tell herself that it was due to the big breakfast and lunch she had at Rodney's. She could also blame her lack of concentration on him as well. She listened to her son excitedly relate how much fun he had at the park playing basketball with friends. And how he had helped grams to deliver some cake to the church bake off.
He even told her about the sermon and what he had learned in Sunday school. None of it registered.
She found herself toying with her meal and staring off into space, catching herself when she noticed her grandmother looking at her.
Afterwards, she helped with the tidying up. David asked to go and play with his Gameboy and went into the tiny living room.
"Shall we go into my bedroom? I have some wool I like to select for crocheting. A young lady at church is having a boy. I want to make a pair of booties and matching sweater." She went straight to the closet to haul out a basket. "Sit and tell me what's up with you." She gestured to a ladder back chair near the window, while she took her rocking chair.
"It's complicated." Melanie sat and stretched her legs out.
"Start talking."
Sighing, Melanie folded her hands and knotted her fingers.
"I'm in trouble grams."
Immediately the yarns were put back into the basket.
"What do you mean?"
Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes tight before opening them again and facing her grandmother. And decided to tell her everything.
"Lord have mercy child." Eloise stared at her in shock. "Are you out of your ever living mind? What on earth were you thinking?"
She blinked at the tears.
"That I wanted something different. That I'm tired of being poor."
"Nothing is wrong with being poor and we're not. We have roofs over our heads, food on the table and clothes to wear. Envy is dangerous and can lead to so much more." Eloise lifted her hands and let them drop back on the arms of the chair. "You had sex with this man. Of course you did. And he has no idea who you really are. You haven't told him about David."
"No." Melanie swiped a hand over her cheeks to get rid of the moisture. "And before you start thinking that I'm ashamed of my son, I'm not. He's the best thing that ever happened to me. I just wanted to experience what it was like to be with people like that."
"And now? How involved are you with him?"
"I'm falling in love with him." She blinked back the tears.
"Oh, dear sweet Jesus."
