LEE ANN FOUND EUGENE AND Dee down by the workshop unloading Dee’s pickup.
“Excuse us for a moment,” she said to Dee, looping her arm through Eugene’s, guiding him toward the chicken house. Under the ancient, gnarled oak tree ground squirrels scurried about, scrounging acorns from under the leaves. The chickens came running and pecked the ground, expecting scraps.
“I see you got everything you need,” she said, pointing to the workshop. “Please, don’t make a scene about Walker taking the truck.”
“Maybe if I wrung his scrawny neck just one time, he’d understand there are other people in the world with business to tend to.”
“You know it won’t make any difference. He won’t even get angry, just shuffle his feet, slither off, and carry on as usual. You’ll work yourself up for nothing.”
Eugene stopped walking. “You got to quit defending him.”
Take heed to yourselves. If thy brother sins, rebuke him; if he repent, forgive him. Luke 17:3. “Please, let’s give him a chance. Let’s see if prison has affected his behavior.”
“Lee Ann, you’re kidding yourself. You know it. I know it. It didn’t even cross his mind that he might be screwing up my plans. You and I are playing some game where Walker’s concerned and I’m still going along. His disregard for everyone in the family is way out of line, for you, especially.” He spit. “You tell him, if there’s one more incident…”
She removed her arm. Eugene never spit.
The sound of the tailgate dropping and boards clapping came from the shop.
“Dee’ll be needing my help,” he said. “That lumber’s green and heavy.”
“I’d best get Mother’s dinner,” she said, starting back.
Normally, his eyes followed her and she’d swing her hips a little, or glance over her shoulder and shoot him a quick smile. Before meeting Eugene, she’d walked purposefully, taking big strides, arms swinging at her sides. But seeing herself from his perspective, she shortened her steps, turned her fingers outward, let them flutter just a bit, and reeled in her elbows, sometimes thrusting a shoulder forward in sync with the movement of her hips, like a movie star. Walking without enticing him would simply be a means of getting from one place to another. Of course, the Lord provided many things to admire when walking alone—grama grass seed heads curled into fuzzy commas, dried yarrow clusters on a plant she now knew, thanks to Scott, healed open wounds, and Solitaire Peak, a symbol of eternity formed eons ago and destined to be here eons from now. She turned to see if Eugene was watching. He carried a board into the shop, his back to her.
She heated a bowl of stew in the microwave, and whistling “Lara’s Theme” from Dr. Zhivago, carried it to Mother’s. The leaves had been raked from the back door. From the kitchen, the smell of baked apples drifted into the mudroom. By the sink, a colander of cores and peel overflowed onto the floor and a blanket of flour sprinkled with oatmeal covered the counter. A dishcloth and apron lay in a damp heap, rust-stained with cinnamon. Walker, a beer in his left hand, potholder in his right, tiptoed in front of Mother, whose eyes were fixed on some vague spot above the counter.
“I tell you, Mother, Plank’s orchard is downright bountiful this year, perfect as the Garden of Eden. And there I was, Adam! I took a bite. From the forbidden fruit! I ate of it!” He clutched his stomach and laughed. “I should have stripped naked and hung a leaf over my privates.” He dangled the potholder over his crotch, scooted around the table, bent over and peered underneath. “Shhhh…looking for the snake,” he whispered.
“Really, Walker,” Lee Ann said.
As if jerked by God Himself, he sprang up and twirled around.
“Ain’t that perty?” he said, pointing to the baking dish. “I’m a darn good cook when I put my mind to it.”
“How about putting your mind to cleaning up.”
“Yes, ma’am. That’s next on my list.”
“You might have asked before taking Eugene’s pickup.”
He lowered his head.
“I will next time, Lannie. I just borrowed it for a couple of hours. Mine’s low on gas.”
“He needed it this morning. You didn’t think. You never think.”
“Christ, I know Eugene. Our Leader. Our Main Man.” He patted his lips with his fingers and hooted a war cry. “Big Chief. You think I want to piss him off? No way.”
“The chief has a limit.” She reached into the drawer for a spoon and parked the wheelchair at the table. “Now, let’s not argue. We don’t want to upset Mother.”
He made more of a mess cleaning up than he had while cooking, banging the colander and utensils against the porcelain sink. In the midst of splashing water all over the place he tossed the sponge on the counter, excused himself to go to the bathroom and never returned.
She went for the broom and dustpan. Duped again, stuck with the consequences after he’s had his fun. And in front of Mother! The man has no shame. He needn’t be hunting for the snake. He is one! We’ve been evicted from heaven because of the likes of him.
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelation 12:9.