“He’s all right.About how you’d expect.”
Tean nodded.He waited a moment, but Seth didn’t say anything else—no stay of execution, apparently—so Tean went into the kitchen.
It was bright, full of light.That was a nice thing.There was a white refrigerator and a white enamel range.A breakfast bar.A gate-leg table that was currently open.It wasn’t dirty, and nothing was in obvious disrepair.It took Tean a moment to notice what felt off about the room.Nothing hung on the walls.No knickknacks or decorations cluttered the counters.There wasn’t even any food in sight.
Tean’s father sat at the table with Amos.Corom and Tim stood—Corom had one hand on their father’s shoulder.
Amos was saying, “—don’t make them like that anymore.”
Corom laughed.“They sure don’t.”
Their father nodded and tried to smile.There was more gray in his buzz cut than Tean remembered.His cheeks looked sunken, and the skin sagged.It wasn’t that Tean had never seen his father with stubble before, but rarely this thick.He wore an old Ralph Lauren long-sleeved tee that their mother had gotten at the outlet mall, with a pair of dark jeans and, of course, boots.The clothes were all at least fifteen years old, and Tean realized with something like surprise that he wouldn’t have thought about their age if not for Jem.
“Teancum,” their father said when he saw Tean.He got to his feet, and his movements were slow and stiff.“I’m so happy you could make it.”
“He was busy with work, Dad,” Amos said and looked around to see if everyone had heard him.
Corom insisted on shaking Tean’s hand.Tim patted his arm.
And then their father was shuffling around the table like he was eighty instead of sixty, arms outstretched for a hug.
Tean wasn’t sure the last time he’d hugged his father.He felt thinner.Frailer.He smelled like cologne from CVS and, under the scent, like he needed to brush his teeth.
“I love you so much,” he whispered as he tightened his arms around Tean.“Thank you for coming.”
Tean endured it as long as he could.Then he stepped back, breaking the embrace.His dad held his arms out for another moment, as though maybe there had been a miscommunication, and the hug was supposed to go longer.He had tears in his eyes, and as Tean watched, they spilled down his cheeks.His dad wiped them away with one hand.With the other, he grabbed Tean’s hand—not in a handshake, but like a man grabbing as he fell off a cliff.He squeezed Tean’s fingers and shook his hand back and forth.
“This is such a blessing,” he said.“All my boys are here.This is what heaven has to be like.”
Corom nodded.
Tim said, “That’s a great point, Dad.”
“Come sit down,” Tean’s dad said, giving his hand another shake.“Amos, let him sit down.”
Amos’s mouth opened—shock or protest, Tean wasn’t sure.
“I’m fine,” Tean said.
“Come stand over here, then.”
Before Tean could protest, his dad tugged him across the kitchen.This meant Corom and Tim had to move.Tean’s dad sat, but he kept his hold on Tean’s hand.After a moment, he pulled Tean a step closer, until Tean’s leg brushed the chair.
Across the room, Seth gave him a commiserating look.
“Remember when he took us turkey hunting?”Tim said.
Corom laughed.“Oh my gosh, he was so mad.‘You boys be quiet!’”
“It’s funny for you!He didn’t spank you!”
“Spanking’s nothing.Remember when he caught Amos with one of his cigarillos?”
A hint of color rose in Amos’s cheeks.
“I thought you were going to puke up your toenails,” Seth said.
“He was teaching me a lesson,” Amos said.“I’m glad he made me smoke it.He made sure I never wanted to try one again.”
