Well, there may be a little problem, Macon said Rose looked at him angrily.
'The vegetables are excellent, he said. "But the turkey
'ls just poison, Danny finished for him. At sixteen, he was the oldest of Porter's children, and already as tall as Porter
"It's been cooked at too low a temperature,' Macon explained.
I think it looks delicious Julian said
"Yes," Porter told him. "But you don't know about the other times the chicken salad that was left out all night and…’
Rose sat down. Her eyes filled with tears, 'Oh,' she said, you're all so mean! You don't fool me for a moment. You're just trying to make me look bad in front of Julian. You know perfectly well there's nothing wrong with that turkey. You just don't want me to stop cooking for you and taking care of this house, you don't want Julian to fall in love with me.
"Do what?"
But she pushed her chair back and ran from the room. Julian sat there with his mouth open'Don't you dare laugh. Macon told him.
"Don't even think about it. Julian swallowed.
"Do you think I should go after her?
"No. She's fine. Now, who wants a baked potato?
The three children all asked for baked potatoes with vegetables, and Macon then turned to Julian.
"Julian? Potato?"
"I'll take the turkey, Julian said firmly.
At that moment Macon almost liked the man.
You want your dog to obey you in every situation, Muriel said. You want to leave him outside shops or any public place and come back and find him waiting. Right. here's a grocery store
They climbed out of Muriel's old gray car and went over to the grocery. Macon tapped his foot twice. Edward looked unhappy, but he lay down. Inside the store Macon and Muriel walked past the fruit and vegetables. Muriel picked up a banana
and put it down again,
"Too green, she said. What are you do for dinner tomorrow night? Come and eat at my house
"Um…”
"Come on” We’ll have fun. Just you and me and Alexander. He needs to meet more men, it's good for him.
‘Um, don't know if I'm free tomorrow... ‘
‘Think it over. Six clock. Sixteen Singleton Street’
They went outside. Edward was still there, but standing up and growling at a dog across the street. Muriel sighed
They tried several more shops, with varying success, then Muriel parked in front of a building in Cold Spring Lane.
"One more test, she said. "I've got to pick up Alexander at the doctor's here. It won't take long. You come an with me."
They left Edward lying down outside and went in.
'How old did you say Alexander was?" Macon asked,
"He's seven," Muriel said.
Seven. Seven was when Ethan had learned to ride a bicycle. Alexander was a small, white, sickly boy with short thin hair and light blue eyes behind large watery glasses. Macon shook hands with him. He felt there was nothing on earth he could talk about with this child.
Muriel drove Macon back to his house and as they pulled up outside she said, l'll see you tomorrow for dinner then’
Macon didn't know how to tell her, but he knew he couldn't go to that dinner. He missed his wife. He missed his son, They were the only people who seemed real to him. There was no point looking for anyone to take their places.