Page 77 of Omega’s Fold

Donna is at the stove with her back to the door. There is a pot on the front burner and a plate of cornbread under a cloth on the counter. She does not turn around when the door bangs.

“Boys. Wash up. Food in five minutes.”

Matthew goes for the stairs. Caleb hangs his jacket. He does not go up. He stands in the doorway between the kitchen and the hall and watches us.

Donna puts the wooden spoon down on the rest. She turns.

She looks at Wyatt first and her face softens. Then she looks at me, and the soft thing is gone.

“You.”

She looks at Wyatt. “What is he doing here?”

“We’ve had a talk.”

“Is he staying?”

Wyatt looks at me. I look at him.

“That’s not decided yet.”

“Mm.” She picks the spoon up again. She turns back to the stove. “Then sit down before it gets cold. Caleb, set the table. Matthew, I said wash. Wyatt, you sit. Julian, you can pour the water.”

I pour the water.

We eat. The food is stew, beef and potatoes and carrots, and the cornbread is fresh from the oven.

Wyatt eats. He does not say much. He is sitting at the head of the table and his ankle is against my ankle under the boards. I do not know if he has put it there on purpose but I don’t move.

When the plates are cleared I push my chair back.

“I need to make a phone call. From the kitchen, if that’s okay. Won’t be long.”

Donna looks at me.

“Bureau?”

“No.”

“Then who?”

“My brother first. Then the firm. Then a lawyer. In that order.”

She watches me a beat longer, then she nods. “Boys, I think you can go help Wyatt with the cattle. And I’ll come join you.”

They all file out, giving me space.

For a moment, I consider cleaning up the table but I’ll do that after. This is more important. I collect my laptop from the car.

I paid for the year. I open the file with the affidavit draft I have been writing. I open the appendix. I open the published summary. I attach all three to a draft email addressed to the volunteer lawyer for the Parish Ridge holdouts, whose name I got from the county zoning board’s public docket last Wednesday.

Then I dial Eli.

He picks up on the second ring.

“Tell me you’re doing it.”

“I’m doing it.”