Distracted √

Distracted: Chapter Sixteen

That morning, the family gathered in the farmhouse kitchen. The windows were open to the July breeze and the sounds of livestock: chickens clucking, cows mooing and Marsh, the sheepdog, barking at an errant sheep.

"I love cooking with this old, black frying pan," Jerry said.

The official cook of all egg dishes, he whisked a dozen fresh eggs into a yellow froth. "Cheesy, scrambled eggs are my specialty," he said, winking at Erin.

"Spence, why don't you get the orange juice out of the 'fridge and pour everyone a round?" Mariah asked as she put a platter of bacon on the table.

Erin rose to help but Spence put a staying hand on her shoulder. "I can handle this. You keep buttering the biscuits."

In Spence's honor, Mariah had made a Southern-style, country breakfast, which included grits.

"Can't get this kind of service at those Waffle Houses in the South," she joked.

"You're right about that, ma'am," Spence said, his North Carolina drawl more prominent this morning.

Ben, who hadn't had a chance to meet Spence the day before, looked with interest at their guest.

"You're a Confederate?" he asked.

"A Southerner," Spence explained. "Confederates went out of style after the Civil War. Now we're plain old Americans, just like ya'll."

Ben, already forgetting Mariah's warning, began his favorite game of Twenty Questions.

"Where do you live? The ocean? What kind of boat do you have? Wow; how fast have you gone? Yeah, I can sail, but I'd prefer your speedboat. What do you do? What kind of art? Oh, like that dude Van Gogh? You make much money? You rich? That's cool. You play sports? Any good? Did you play pro ball? Really? Get outta here. No way. How long? What happened? That sucks. You married? No? Got any kids? Well, how am I supposed to know, Mom? People have kids nowadays without being married. All right, I will. Sorry Mr. Spence. Sorry Aunt Erin."

Erin, breathless from watching the Ben-Spence marathon, couldn't believe that a twelve-year-old kid could get more out of Spence in three minutes than she had in two months.

"You played baseball?"

"When I was younger. That was a long time ago,"

He reached under the table and squeezed her hand, then held it in his lap. Mariah, who noticed the gesture from her vantage point at the stove, ignored it. Sure, she can handle him, Mariah thought.

"We're going to the store after breakfast. You need anything?" Erin asked.

"I thought you took care of that yesterday. I'm sorry, was the cabin that much of a mess that it took you all afternoon to get it ready?" Mariah replied.

Erin opened her mouth, then abruptly closed it when she recalled how she spent her afternoon. "No; it was fine. We did a little exploring."

"That's right. We were exploring." Spence echoed.

Ben piped in, "Hey, I know some good places. Let me know next time you guys go exploring and I'll come with you."

Spence grinned and said, "Sure will, Ben. Thanks."

Mariah gave Ben her evil eye and growled, "What did I tell you yesterday? You go about your business and you leave them alone. They're working."

Jerry broke into the fray, bearing a bowl of steaming eggs. "Ah, perfect. Now, dig in everybody. Even bookworms need a good breakfast to start the day."