His throat was too clogged to speak, so he nodded and settled on the couch.
Glen started the television. “Radio says record cold this early. Ten below in the Black Hills.”
Not much seemed to be expected other than agreement. “Cold.”
“Yep.” The older man chewed his cheek, but after the next play he said, “You got some sort of injury, dontcha?”
He nodded. No shame ever in revealing himself, and certainly not to these people, so he bent and lifted his pants legs to show the metal protruding from his shoes.
“Both, eh? Some folks hereabouts lose one in a combine, but can’t say I’ve seen two. You walk mighty well.”
He nodded. “Run too.” He glanced at the game and shook his head. “No football.”
His host snorted. They didn’t talk for two possessions, and then Glen fired out of the hills. “Matt was our surprise. Marlys was forty-one when he came along.”
“Oh.” He started to feel hot in his chest again.
“His sister was right easy, but Matt changed our world.”
His heart veered closer to panic, but listening was his best newfound ability.
“Always asking me about things we don’t have here. Like that wi-fi.”
“Yep.” Now he sounded like the people in South Dakota.
“He wanted to come back and teach science and math. Get farm kids into technology, help more stay around here. I know farm equipment, but if it doesn’t have a power takeoff, I can’t do much about it.”
Their son had had big plans, empty now, like these people’s house. Rey’s struggle to decide what to do next wasn’t much in comparison to a boy who would never teach, never fulfill that dream to help his hometown.
“He sent that to Marlys and me.” Glen indicated a box on a lower shelf. “So she could see the grandkids. You know how to run it?”
Video chat equipment. Probably every soldier knew how to connect and use it.
“Com-com-com-puter?”
“In the other room.” It was halftime, so Glen stood. “Come on then.”
This he could do, in his sleep, and maybe then he’d be able to breathe again.
“Your kitchen is lovely.Spacious.” Grace had no idea what to say or do while Marlys bustled at the stove. “May I help?”
“Peel the carrots if you like, but mostly I want company while Glen watches the TV. It’s so quiet here now—” The energy left her, and she leaned against the counter.
As she grabbed for a topic to discuss with a sixty-year-old stranger, Grace wondered if their presence was tiring their hostess. “At the grocery store you must have heard us talking about leftovers.”
“That’s what made me think to ask.” Marlys straightened. “Your young man clearly wanted turkey, and Glen and I have too many leftovers by ourselves.”
“So nice of you to ask us.”
“Last year I decided…I decided I’d take more chances. Meet new people.” She started chopping celery stalks. “It’s hard, on account of there aren’t many other people, and the young folks move away, but I couldn’t stay in my same life.”Thwack, thwack.“I don’t have that life anymore. So I up and asked you to dinner.”
“We appreciate it.” She was circling the same topics, but she doubted her hostess wanted to talk about fish or jogging.
“Saw your young man use a cane, so you must also know how fast life changes. It can all go away, just like that, can’t it?”
“That’s true.” The conversation had entered deep water, but Grace couldn’t see the way out. If she responded with another comment about food or weather, she’d sound like an idiot. “Very true.”
“Youngsters never listen to us old people.” The diced celery joined a tower of shiny red cranberry sauce in a bowl. “But if you love that young man, then don’t dither.” She covered her cheeks with her hands instead of tackling the apples. “I’m sorry, I’mbeing nosy. And silly. Glen would tell me to stop reading advice books.”
