《Munch’s World》 Chapter 1. THAT MAN Grimly, Munch Dutchendorph scanned his bedroom. The room''s right wall separated him from his mothers room. A room she would be sharing with THAT MAN. He had half a mind to give Etta James a call, to see if she wanted a new son. Yeah, right. Beautiful as her voice was, she was addicted to heroin and was having a hard time taking care of herself. She wouldnt have time to look after a fifteen year old boy who had run away from home. Home. Home had always been his favorite place. There werent any bullies or people who didnt understand him. His mama let him draw and sew to his hearts content, but that was about to change. Things had been just fine until THAT MAN came along and ruined EVERYTHING. Why should he have to give up his WHOLE LIFE because his mama finally decided she needed a life as well. Refusing to dwell on this errant thought, he turned his attention back to his huge closet. He was NEVA gonna get his wardrobe in that puny closet in Grandma Toadys trailer''s rummage room. He would have to pick and choose. How was he supposed to do that? He glanced out his window at what he called The Trailer Park. It really wasnt a trailer park it was just the two trailer houses set up in the cow pasture. The trailers belonged to his best friend, Lollys family. Both trailers were butt ugly. He didnt know why anyone would want to live in one...until he wanted to live in one. To his mind it would be better to live in the single wide trailer with Lolly, her cat, Fluff and Grandma Toady, than live in his house with his mother and THAT MAN. The double wide trailer had more room but it belonged to Lollys Aunt Jessie and her two kids, Max and Mitzi. They had a big stupid pit bull, named Bruno. That dog was the size of a cow and drooledall over everything. If only he could convince Lollys Grandma Toady to go along with his grand scheme. Munch shouted, DAMN IT ALL! DAMN IT ALL! From the back of his closet a small voice said, Ummm, your cussing. Grandma Toady dont like bad words to come out of peoples mouths. Furious, Munch pushed back the clothes in his closet. On the floor, curled up with her stuffed bear, Puccini, sat Mitzi, Lollys little cousin. The child had pixie cut hair and big eyes that looked up at him in defiance. He asked, What the hell are you doing in my room? Mitzi just shook her head. Dont cuss at me. If youre plannin on running away from home, you better pack some food. You cant eat clothes. How did she know? His mother said, Mitzi was an old soul. What she was was a sneak. Good Lord, he never knew when or where she was going to turn up. How did you get in here? My door was locked. Yup. She offered no further explanation. To her crummy little bear she said, Wonder where hes plannin on living next. I think I know. She rolled her eyes at him. You do not. He knew he had just made a mistake. A mistake Lolly had warned him about over and over. Lolly had told him, Never start an argument with Mitzi, just walk away. Mitzi dropped her voice and pursed her lips. She batted her eyelashes and said, Aw, poor baby. Bet this is the first time your mamas been away from you. God, she was right. So. Mitzi stood up in the closet and gave him a look up and down. So, youre gonna have to share her with Uncle Trace and you dont want to. True, but he would never say that to an almost five year old. She climbed out of the closet and asked, Do you always act like you''re runnin away when you dont get what you want? This was too much! Truth was he did. It always worked in the past, but with THAT MAN coming to live with his mama, it probably wouldnt fly any more. With narrowed eyes, Mitzi looked at him and asked, Dont your think youre gettin a little old to be acting like such a baby? Before Munch could stop himself he shouted, Shut up! Aw poor little feller do you need to be burped. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. He took a wide swing at her, not to hit her, but to put a little fear into her. She ducked and said to her bear, Puccini, No wonder he dont play sports. This hurt. You little Mitzi cut him off. In a flat voice she said, Im tellin. Tattle Tail. No, Im a in-informant, like the ones on Police Woman. They tell Pepper what bad things other peoples do. And you been sayin bad words and plannin on running away from home and you just tried to HIT me. She gave him a satisfied smile. Munch wanted to scream, but he had to keep his cool. Please dont tell on me, please. This was another thing he had to deal with since the Phelps clan invaded his territory. It will cost you, said the almost five year old. What? I havent decided yet. She crossed the room and closed the door behind her. Her small steps clomped through the kitchen and went out the back door. With a thud Munch sat down on his bed. He put his face in his hands. Since he was six he had considered the house and all of the farm his own personal property. Now there was the Trailer Park and THAT MAN. At the wedding he thought he could do this share thing, but that was before Lolly and her family descended upon his space. Oh Lolly wasnt a problem, she got him, but Grandma Toady could really cramp his style. Max was mostly okay, but Mitzi swung from adorable to future bitch material. No, that was too harsh and he knew it. Mitzi was a good kid really, she was just too much sometimes. To his dismay he burst into tears. God, the water works, bad as a girl. Deep down he was scared. His life had been pretty solitary and now that was solid gone. He didnt know how to share, had never had to share and now there was this whole tribe of people he had to fit in with on the farm. He missed the days when he came home from school and had the whole place to himself. It had only been two weeks since his mom got married but it felt like an eternity and he missed her so much. What he did not miss were the google eyes she constantly cast at THAT MAN. How was he supposed to live in the midst of newly weds? Just the term made him want to BARF. Nope, he couldnt do it. He couldnt live in the same house with THAT MAN. He would talk to Grandma Toady. He would stay with her while THAT MAN was not working on the rig. When he went back to Louisiana to work off shore, Munch would live those three weeks with his mama. He wiped his eyes and went to the bathroom to wash his face. He would talk to Grandma Toady. Maybe if he put it just right, she might agree. Problem was, Grandma Toady was unpredictable. He never knew which way the wind was gonna blow her. Slowly, he took in a big breath and let it out. Even though people said, it never hurt to ask, asking could hurt. It could really hurt. With as much courage as he could muster, he walked through the kitchen, out the back door and to the trailers. Though a stiff wind was blowing, Mitzi was on the front porch of Grandma Toadys trailer coloring in her Mrs. Beasley coloring book. When she saw him, she closed the book and picked up her box of crayons. She said, Well, that didnt take long. Lets go see what Grandma Toady thinks. She held out her small hand to him and he took it. Grandma Toady was in the living room vacuuming. He had never witnessed such cleanliness issues in his life. He and his mom were happy slobs. It seemed Grandma Toady needed order and tidiness to breathe. Above the roar of the vacuum, Mitzi shouted, You will have to wait till shes done. Come on. They went into the kitchen. Lolly was at the sink doing dishes. On her face was this far off look that he recognized too well. She was mooning over Trevor Long again. She was as sappy as his mother these days. From one of the kitchen cupboards Mitzi hauled out her drawing pad and colored pencils. This was another new annoyance in his life. She plopped it on the table and said, Draw me a cow with pink spots. I dont want to. Mitzi cut her eyes at him. I can speak or I can be quiet. Which will it be? He yanked a kitchen chair back, sat down in it, grabbed the drawing pad and picked up the colored pencils. Lolly came out of her Trevor cloud long enough to ask, Whats she got on you this time? He didnt answer. By the time he finished the cow with pink spots, Grandma Toady was done wit her vacuuming. She came into the kitchen and asked, How you doin Munch? Mitzi answered for him, Hes not good. He wants to live here. Good LORD! Was the little witch psychic? Grandma Toady sat down across from him at the table. She was wearing a red bandana on her head and overalls with big roses on them. To Lolly she said, I think its time you and Mitzi fed the chickens. Still in a daze, Lolly said, Uh, sure. Let me get my jacket. Once Lolly and Mitzi were out of the house, Grandma Toady said, Well spill the beans. Munch felt a lump form in his throat. No, he would not cry in front of Grandma Toady. He stammered, I-I was wondering if I could stay here until um That-- um Lollys dad goes back to work. If your mom says its okay, its okay with me. Stunned, Munch asked, Really? Of course. She reached out and put her hand over his. Its gonna be okay Munch, it really is. Right nows hard because we are all adjusting, and honestly, Sweetie, you have the most to adjust to. She understood. His voice cracked, when he said, Thank you, but he didnt shed a single tear. Softly she said, Youre welcome." Chapter 2. Kool Jazz
The trailer was quiet. Max and Mitzi and that imp of a bear, Puccini were spending the night with their dad while their mom was at work. He honestly didnt know how they bounced from one house to another so easily. Truth was he liked his THINGS around him, he liked his bed. THAT MAN would only be there in their house for three days before he had to go back to Louisiana. Then, Munch would have his room, his house back to himself. He knew THAT MAN was looking to find a job closer to home, and every night he prayed that did not happen. He had tall doubts about such a prayer working. It seemed it probably went against Jesus teaching but he prayed it anyway, because maybe just maybe God might see things from his perspective. It was a long, long shot but it was all he had. He glanced around the rummage room, which had been THAT MANs room when he wasnt working off shore. There were the maps of Vietnam on the wall, with the places Grandma Toadys boys had been stationed. One of Lollys uncles hadnt made it home, just like Munchs dad hadnt made it home. There was a sewing machine in there too. It was a good one. Their were quilts in various stages either on a hoop or stacked on the work table. Grandma Toady was a fine seamstress and he admired that. It had been an early night for all of them. Grandma Toady had gone to bed early. Mitzi had had a day and she, as usual she had shared it with EVERYONE. If Mitzi was happy everyone was happy, if she was pissed, she injected everyone with her piss. Grandma Toady said Mitzi wasnt a thermometer she was a thermostat. What ever temper she set stuck and blew through every body in her vicinity. Once he had wanted a little sister. Now, not so much, not at all. His mom was old now. She probably couldnt have a baby, at least he hoped not. Through the window blinds he could see the stars. He had always loved stars. He climbed out of his sleeping bag and went to the window. After his dad was killed in Vietnam, he used to wonder if he could see him from way up there. He still wondered, he still hoped it was true. He really hoped it was true. For a long time he just stood there staring between the stars. Out here in the country a person could see stars upon stars...there were so many of them. He heard Fluff meow at the door and he let the let the fat cat in. Fluffs eyes caught the light of the hall night light and they glowed. It was kinda freaky. He didnt understand what made cat eyes do that. Fluff went to the sleeping bag and burrowed down into it. The big cat shut his eyes and began to purr. Munch didnt feel the least bit sleepy so, he picked up the radio that was on the beside table. The cord was long enough for him to take it to his sleeping bag. Careful not to smush Fluff, he climbed back into his sleeping bag, turned on the radio and slid the dial to KTRU 91.7. The announcer was speaking. His voice was smooth and he sounded so cool. News just in my friends, Astrodome Kool Jazz Festival this July. Featuring, Dizzy Gillespie, Marvin Gaye, Nancy Wilson, BB King and many more fine artists. Munchs heart leaped up almost to the place of happiness. There was going to be a jazz festival in the Astrodome in Houston! Houston was not even an hour away. He had to go, he just had to go! The radio announcer said, Now for the cool stylings of Nancy Wilson singing, The Masquerade. The soft voice of Nancy Wilson spun like magic out of the radio. The lyrics went straight through Munch, My blue horizon is turning grey/And my dreams are drifting away... that was exactly how he felt. What would it be like to hear her, see her in person? He might never get to see Etta James, but Nancy Wilson was coming to HOUSTON! The song Nancy was singing was so, so sad, it reached the sad place inside of Munch and held him. There was a soft knock on the door. Lolly whispered, Munch its me. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Who else would it be? He whispered back, Come in. The radio on the floor emitted a tiny bit of light, enough for Lolly to see his sleeping bag. He waited for her to ask why he was sleeping on the floor when there was a perfectly good bed, but she didnt. She knew. He couldnt bring himself to sleep in the same bed THAT MAN slept in, the bed he wished THAT MAN would have remained in for the REST OF HIS LIFE. Lolly did ask, Have you seen my cat? Munch pointed at the lump in his sleeping bag. Hes right there. Silly old cat. Lolly came and sat down on the floor beside Munch. I cant sleep. Me neither. She asked, How come? The girl knew him too well. He didnt have to say why. Lolly answered her own question. I feel weird about it too. I dont remember my parents being married. So, I dont know what this is going to be like. Its gonna be weird. It was weird already but Munch didnt say so. She looped her arm through his and pressed her head against his. This was the first time, her head had ever touched his. She was always very careful with her head. Her warm skin pressed against his. He had always been tempted to touch her bald head, but he never did. She wouldnt like it. But tonight, probably from a mutual place of fear and confusion, she had come this close to him. The nearness of her was a comfort. If only THAT MAN was not her pa, but he was. They sat in silence, neither of them speaking. They didnt need words. Another Nancy Wilson song came on. Lolly pulled away from him and said, Her voice is so smooth. Munch nodded. Yeah, shes coming to the Astrodome Kool Jazz festival in July. I gotta go see her. Yes, we do. You would go to a jazz festival with me? Of course. But you dont like Jazz. Thats not true. I like her, I like Etta. Im just not as into music as you are. Nobody was, at least nobody that Munch knew of. His dad had played jazz or the blues all the time when he was still alive. He would dance with Munchs mom. The way he could twirl her was one of Munchs favorite memories of his parents. Munch, are you okay? Softly he said, Not really. I miss my dad. Lolly put her arms around him and hugged him. She didnt say she was sorry for his loss or anything, she just held him. He felt a tear or two slip down his face. A lot of dads didnt come back from Vietnam. He could still remember the day his mom got the telegram, and the men in uniforms that delivered it. His mom started to weep even before she opened the telegram. She knew what it said, she knew why the men were there. That was the day everything changed. It was the day he found out he lost his dad and he lost a good bit of his mom too. The next Nancy Wilson song on the radio was, The Very Thought of You. It had been the song his dad sang to his mom. It always made his mom cry when she heard it. If only he could get his mom to take them to the festival. If only That Man would be out of state when the festival happened. He shared neither of these thoughts out loud. Fluff squirmed out of the sleeping bag and Lolly and Munch broke apart. The big fat cat curled up between them and closed his eyes. His motor began to rumble again. The next song on the radio was BB King singing, Nobody loves me but my mother/ and she could be jivin too. BB King was wailing it, and it was exactly how Munch felt. Lolly asked, Is that jazz? Munch said, No baby, thats the Blues. Its really powerful. It was, and some how BBs voice and the song made him feel better. BB will be at the festival too. I want to see him and who evers playing that guitar. Its crazy wicked. Lolly didnt usually say things like crazy wicked. Munch told her, BB is playing that guitar. Wow! Ive never heard anybody play guitar like that before. You got any of his records. In the dark Munch smiled. I sure do. Lets listen to them tomorrow after school. Done. Fluff stretched, rolled over and sauntered to the door. He let out a meow. Lolly said, I guess we best get back to bed. She squeezed his hand and stood. Munch really didnt want he to go, but he also didnt want her to stay. He just felt so mixed up. After the door closed, Munch lay back down. Another BB King song began to play. BBs blues washed over him and finally lulled him to sleep.
Chapter 3. This Girl Morning light filtered through the blinds. Much to Munchs dismay morning had arrived. His whole body hurt from spending another night sleeping on the floor in his sleeping bag. All around him in the rummage room were stacks of fabric. Grandma Toady had a nice sewing machine and her quilt work was excellent. She had been the one who taught Munch how to sew in the first place. It was one of the reasons he loved her so much. From the kitchen he heard Grandma Toadys belt out, RISE and Shine and give God the glory, glory... Grandma Toady could not sing, but it never seemed to stop her. How he wished it did. She was frying eggs. When Mitzi was with her mom or her dad of a morning, Grandma Toady made fried eggs. Honestly he was sick of fried eggs and regular food. He missed the way his mama cooked. All Vegetarian All Healthy. All the Time. He missed his mama. By now she was on a plane headed home with THAT MAN. Aunt Jessie was driving to Hobby Airport to pick them up. They had gone to sun island called Saint Martins. He had never heard of it. Inside of him his heart was a tangle. There was joy because Mama was coming home, mixed with his fear of being in second place. It couldnt be healthy to want to be first in everything, but that was just the way he was. He got up and went to THAT MANs closet. The poor bastard didnt have a bit of style. Munch honestly didnt know what his mother saw in him. His dad had been such a sharp dresser and when he wore his chopper pilot uniform, he was spectacular. As Munch moved his fingers across the hangers of the clothes he had brought from home, his hand slipped at the end and landed on the bars of an army jacket. So this is what HE wore when he was in the service. Munch pulled the jacket out. It was frayed and had seen hard use. All of his fathers uniforms had been crisp and dry cleaned. He doubted this jacket ever entered a dry cleaner. Munch knew his own dad had been a helicopter pilot, but what had Lollys dad been? In all the years he and Lolly had been best friends, he had never asked what her dad did when he was in Vietnam. The question haunted him. He shoved the jacket back into place and reached for his black slacks,black turtle neck and black oxfords. This morning he was feeling dark and moody. When he stepped out into the hall, he saw Lollys bedroom door was open. She was still in her robe, trying to figure out what to wear to school that day. It must be terrible to have no fashion sense or fashion confidence. Lolly had definitely inherited that from her dad. He walked into her room and asked, You need some help.? She turned a little pink and asked, Dont I always? When Mitzis not here to help me pick out clothes I struggle. You need to learn to trust your instincts. He stepped up to her open closet and said, Go with what you feel. What attracts you in this closet? Lolly turned to him and frowned. Clothes do not attract me or speak to me. With his left hand he touched the dress she had worn in his fashion show. This spoke to you. No duh. You made it just for me. He noticed she had a nervous tremble in her voice. Was it possible she was worried about seeing their parents together after school too? Maybe, Maybe not. The bus is going to be here soon. Just pick something for me please. Okay. Inside Munch wanted to shout, Pick something yourself, but he didnt. The poor girl had little in the way of fashion. Her clothes were so boring. He chose her black jeans, her better chucks and a purple sweater. The outfit was okay, but it was not stylish. Here, wear this. Oh, that looks good. Did it? It looked pretty average to him. One thing Munch Dutchendorph did not wear was average. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Lolly gushed, Thanks so much Munch. I dont know how you do it.She gave him a quick hug and then shooed him out of her room. Munch made his way to the kitchen. Grandma Toady put a plate of fried eggs in front of him. Without enthusiasm he at his breakfast. When he finished, Grandma Toady handed him his lunch bag. She told him, I made you grilled tofu with your moms recipe. I hope you like it. Thanks Grandma Toady. While he might not like THAT MAN at all, he loved his mother. Grandma Toady had been in Munchs life since she and Lolly had been the only ones who came to his sixth birthday party. He was the new kid at school. Skinny dark skinned and way too imaginative. Schools had only recently been desegregated and there were a whole lot of parents who didnt want their kids mixing with a weird biracial little boy. At that long ago birthday party, he and Lolly had become best friends and Grandma Toady had become the Grandma of his heart. He reached out and gave her a hug. Her long skinny arms wrapped around him. Her love for him was real and solid and he couldnt say that about many people in his life. She said, Ill be praying for you today. Remember we will get through this together. He released her and said, Yes Maam. Lolly entered the kitchen wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and her dads Army cap. Hehad to force himself not to sneer at the cap. His hatred for all things Trace Phelps went deep. Outside it was cold. Frost adorned every barbed wire fence and oak leaf. The air tingled when he breathed it in and it turned into a puff of smoke when he breathed out. As kids, he and Lolly had conjured lollipop sticks into fake cigarettes. They had puffed and blown so hard they made themselves dizzy. Munch glanced at Lolly to see if she was remembering the same thing. She wasnt. Her eyes were focused on the road ahead. The road that lead to the dearly beloved Trevor Long. In the distance, they saw the bus roaring to their stop. They both took off at a run. Neither of them was fast. Thankfully, Mrs. Anderson, their bus driver, was very patient. When they swung into the bus, she said, Glad yall could make it. Now take your seats. Lolly and Munch slid into their assigned seats. The bus roared forward. In no time at all, Munch spotted Trevor Long standing at his stop. Lolly began to beam. Sarcastically, Munch said, Oh. Lord. Save me from love. Lolly turned and smiled at him. You just wait, its gonna hit you some time. Sure. Like he had a chance in his all white school, scrawny little black child that he was. He might be half white, but when when people looked at him all they saw was black. The bus stopped. Track Star, Trevor Long took the steps two at a time. He winked at Lolly as he passed by and gave Munch a head nod. When they reached Lyndon Baines High School, the bus pulled to a stop. The doors squealed open. Lolly and Munch were the first ones in the aisle and the first ones off the bus. As soon as Trevor got out, he gave Lolly a hug. Nope, this was not company Munch wanted to keep this morning. He mumbled, I need to go to the art room. Not the least bit sad about his departure, Lolly said, Okay. See you later. Quickly, Munch made his way to the art room. It was a glorious room of clutter. High shelves lined the walls with every material that might spark creativity. The minute he entered he felt like something was different. Perched on his stool in the back of the room was Quack, the loudest kid in school and one of the best comic book artists Munch had ever met. Quack was staring at a new girl sitting quietly at the front table. Quack glanced at Munch and raised his eyebrows. This was his signal that he was into this girl and Munch should back off. Quack was into every girl that had a pulse. Unfortunately for Quack, none of the girls were into him, but he kept trying. The art room door banged open. Mademoiselle Petite entered with a huge stack of papers. She saw Munch and smiled. Hey Michael, could you help me. She asked, Thahn Ha, would you like to help? The girl looked up. Her eyes were the darkest eyes Munch had ever seen. Light seemed to bounce off of them and fill them at the same time. She was wearing a long sleeved dress with orange blossoms on it. The sheen of her black hair was amazing. She didnt look real. Timidly, Thahn Ha said, Yes Maam. Good. Mademoiselle Petite dumped the stack of papers onto the table where Thahn Ha was sitting. Munch felt his mouth dry out. His legs didnt seem to want to walk. What was wrong with him? He got himself going, made it to the table. His eyes took in every inch of Thahn Ho that was visible. Mademoiselle Petite said, Sit Michael. He did. His heart started this funny racy thing inside his chest. Thahn Ha looked at him from across the table with those beautiful eyes and he was gone. Solid gone. Chapter 4. The Next Thing Usually Munchs mouth went a mile a minute when he was near anyone who had ears. Not now. His mouth was so dry he couldnt even manage a whisper. Silently, he and Thahn Ha put together the work sheet packets. She too was very quiet. From time to time she gave him a shy smile and he felt like he was melting. The first bell sounded. They both stood. Mademoiselle Petite came to their table. Thank you both. She looked at Munch and said, Could you show Thahn Ha to her first class? The sound, Uh, came out of his dried out mouth and then the word, Sure. What a gentleman you are. Mademoiselle Petite turned and asked, Thahn Ho, what is your first class? Shyly, Thahn Ho showed her, her schedule. Mademoiselle Petite looked at it and said, Oh, you have Mrs. Beasley for Lit Class. She turned to Munch, Michael isnt your friend Lolly in that class? All he could manage was a nod. Introduce them. I bet they have several of the same classes. Again, Munch nodded. Great, that meant the new girl was in advanced classes and the only class he might have her in was art or maybe lunch. Yall better get along. Mademoiselle Petite motioned for the door. Slowly, silently they both walked to the door and entered into the stream of bodies headed for their first class. Munch managed to say, Its this way. He pointed down the Literature hall. She nodded. No words passed between them as they walked. Munch had never been this silent for this long in school ever. He had conduct reports to prove it. When they reached Mrs. Beasleys room she was standing at the door. She said, Oh, you must be Thahn Ho, I am Mrs. Beasley. Let me show you your seat. No! Munch was supposed to introduce her to Lolly. He cleared his throat to speak, but the hesitation cost him. Mrs. Beasley whisked Thahn Ho over to the desk right beside Lollys. He watched Lolly turn as Mrs. Beasley introduced her to Thahn Ho. The second bell rang. He was going to be late for class. With difficulty he turned and headed down the hall. * The lunch bell rang. Desperately Munch prayed, Please let her have the same lunch as me. Please! He had been right. So far, Thahn Ho had not been in a single class he had. Hed seen her at a distance several times, but a mystifying shyness had over come him every time he saw her. If only she had the same lunch he was DETERMINED he would talk to her. As fast as he could go without running, Munch zoomed to the cafeteria. The smell of fried fish hit him in the nostrils. It was Friday and fish was the order of the day every Friday. He was glad he had grilled Tofu. When he reached the cafeteria his eyes scanned the entire room and every table. He saw Lolly, but no Thahn Ho. No Thahn Ho anywhere. Miserable, he headed for the table where Lolly and their friend Lisa was sitting. Lisa was all decked out in a pink wool suit. This girl had some wicked style. Both girls smiled at him as he approached. He did his best to muster a smile, but truth was, what he felt always showed up on him. He slid into the seat beside Lolly. She looked at him, but didnt ask any questions. He knew she probably thought he was looking the way he was looking because...OH MY GOD! He hadnt thought about his mom or THAT MAN all morning. Not once. Wow. Stolen story; please report. Lisa asked Lolly, Do you have classes with the new girl? Uh, yeah, so far Lit Class and PE. Munch got very still and just listened. Lisa said, I saw Jake in the hall. He told me all the guys are talking about her. Shes not in any of my classes. All advanced, I guess. Yeah, I think so. The words all the guys are talking about her, echoed in Munchs brain. Some pretty boy or jock would get to her before he ever worked up the courage to even speak. He pulled out the plastic container of grilled tofu and the plastic fork Grandma Toady had sent with it. In silence he ate. He tasted nothing. There was so much spinning around in his head. What the hell was wrong with him? How could he fall so hard for a girl he just met and hadnt said more than ten words to? A girl he had no chance with at all. No one in the school ever forgot what color he was and neither did he. Life sucked so hard. After lunch, Munch fell into a mood as dark as his outfit. He headed into his painting class and was surprised to find that Thahn Ho was in the room at his table. All darkness dissipated. He took his seat. Once again she gave him that sweet shy smile of hers. He felt himself grin back with a big old stupid grin, but he didnt care. He was in the same room with her at the same table. He offered up a prayer of thanks. All during class not a single word passed between them, but Munch felt happier than he had felt in ages. From time to time he would glance at her painting of the still life they were working on. She was way behind every one else in the class but what she had put down so far was stunning.A little bit of jealousy swirled inside of Munchs artistic heart. She was really good at mixing colors. He had some competition and that was not a bad thing. Too soon, Mademoiselle Petite told them, Put up your supplies, wash out your brushes and dont drip water all over the floor. Thahn Ho looked at Munch and asked, Can I see? He pushed his canvas closer to her. She smiled at him and said, Very nice. You are good at proportions. He was and he knew it. Thanks. Youre really good at color. She turned a little pink and said, Thank you. They went to the sink to wash out their brushes and containers. He asked, What class do you have next? French. You will have Mademoiselle again. Yes. She said I could walk with her to the French room. Inside Munch said, DAMN! He was hoping to walk her to class. Oh well, even though it felt like it was a long way away, Monday afternoon would come around and he would be at their table with her. It was something. Later, on the bus ride home, Munch didnt see the cows or the fields or the farms. He was floating. When the bus stopped at their stop, he and Lolly got out. The bus pulled away. He looked down the drive. There was his house. His mom was inside the house with THAT MAN and he almost didnt care. He almost didnt care until his mom and THAT MAN stepped onto the porch. Lolly saw them and took off running. Munch maintained a slow but steady pace. All thoughts of Thahn Ho evaporated. He watched Lolly jump into her fathers arms as he swung her around. His mom was laughing. They were all so HAPPY. Well, he wasnt happy, he wasnt happy at all. His mom came down the steps and walked toward him. She looked a bit nervous and she should be nervous. The space between them closed, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. He hugged her back just a little. Deep down he was glad she was home. She pulled away from him and said, I missed you Sweetie. Begrudgingly, Munch mumbled, I missed you too. The next thing she said, sent Munch spinning. Grandma Toady talked to me and I said no. She has enough to deal with, she doesnt need another kid to look after when Im right here. Angrily Munch moved away from his mother. Are you right here? Are you? I just need time, Mama, some time to adjust. It doesnt have to be permanent, though he wanted it permanent. I just want to stay with Grandma Toady until he leaves on Monday. Is that too much to ask? To Munchs surprise, THAT MAN said, Mama dont mind. Let him stay with her. We will start fresh next time Im in town. His mothers eyes swung wildly toward THAT MAN. Munch knew her well enough to know she was choking something back and he could guess what it was. His Mama did NOT approve of the way Jessie and Mr. Trace Phelps dumped their kids on Grandma Toady, but he bet she wouldnt say that. And she didnt. She swung her gaze back to Munch. You and I are going to have a serious talk Monday night young man. Okay. He walked passed his mother and headed for Grandma Toadys trailer. Chapter 5. Maybe Actually When Munch got to the trailer, Grandma Toady was in her recliner working on a quilt block. She had on her rainbow reader glasses, herr sharp eyes looked over their rim. What are you doing here? Your mama said no. He wanted to shout, She changed her mind,but one did not shout at Grandma Toady. Instead he told her, Your son convinced her to let me stay until he goes back to work on Monday. Well, that was nice of him. Was it? He would have her all to himself tonight. Seemed kinda self serving to Munch but of course he didnt say that either. He said, If you will excuse me. There was a hint of tartness in her voice when she said, Sure. All the stuff his mama let him get away with did not fly with Grandma Toady. If he were at home he would have slammed a door and stomped around. Not here. Quietly he went to the rummage room, tossed his backpack on the bed and pulled out his sketch book. He got out his 4B pencil, sat down on the bed and began to sketch from memory the lovely eyes of Thahn Ho. He wondered where she came from. She was Asian, but from what country? If he had been able to talk to her, he would know, only he hadnt been able to talk. It was the damnedest thing. Munch Dutchendorph struck dumb. He was dumb, he was a little scrawny dummy. He let out a slow sigh. Fluff sauntered into the room. His gold and white striped body wove around Munchs legs. He took a couple turns then laid down at Munchs feet. There was comfort in the cat. Fluff closed his big green eyes and began to rumble. Munch continued with his sketch. From the eyes he moved on to her perfect nose and her small smiling lips. He had never kissed a girl. What was that like? For over an hour he worked on the drawing. The likeness was far from perfect but it did at least resemble her. There was that. Yes, there was that. When he heard Lolly enter the trailer he closed his sketchbook and shoved it in his back pack. He heard Lollys steps coming down the hall. She knocked on the door. Come in. She did. Are you okay? What do you think? You dont want to know what I think. The last thing he wanted right now was to have an argument with Lolly. Yeah, I probably dont. She sat down beside him on the bed. You seemed okay on the bus. In fact you seemed almost happy. He had felt happy. He braced himself for a lecture on his behavior, but to his relief Lolly abruptly changed the subject. That new girl, Thahn Ho, is really nice. Shes an artist too. In PE I asked her if I could see her sketch book. Oh my gosh Munch, the girl can draw. She drew these little tiny flower petals that looked so real. You should ask to see her sketch book." At first, Munch took in this information with rapt attention and then he got suspicious. Did Lolly know he liked Thahn Ho? Uh I might. You should. She seems too shy to just show her art without being asked. I think she needs a friend. I think I''ll invite her over. Trevor said its really hard to move to a new school and not know anybody. Oh my God, thought Munch. Thahn Ho might be coming over! Having a step sister did come with some advantages. Munch tried not to smile, but he couldnt help himself. Lolly punched him in the arm and said, I knew you liked her the minute I saw you with her this morning." He could deny it, but Lolly knew him too well. He dropped his eyes and admitted, "Yeah I do, but shes never gonna like me back. Lolly ran a hand over her bald scalp. You never know what might happen. He shook his head. You may be bald because of your alopecia but youre still white. Do you think Trevor Longs family would let him spend time with you if you was my color? The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. For a long minute Lolly just looked at him. Well, your mom fell in love with your birth dad. Lot of good that did them. It was illegal for them to get married in Texas back then. Yeah, but its not illegal anymore. Good Lord, girl, what are you talking about? I just like her Im not even old enough to even think about getting married to anyone. He cut his eyes at her, You think about marrying Trevor Long dont you? Now dont lie to me. Lolly promptly turned completely pink. She did think about that. Ah man, he didnt know if that was a good thing or not. So you got a Bride magazine hid in your room? She dropped her eyes from his and nodded. Swiftly she looked up at him and said, Dont you dare tell anyone. I wont if you dont tell anyone my secret. Deal. She stuck out her hand and they shook. You know Munch, its probably best you dont jump to conclusions about her or her family. I dont have to jump anywhere, facts is facts. Maybe some day, but right now, January 1976 its pretty hopeless. Softly Lolly said, The thing is, I dont want you to reject yourself before you even give her a chance to get to know you and decide how she feels about you on her own. Can you try not to do that? Maybe, she had a point. Maybe it was just wishful thinking. He shrugged and said, Ill try. Good. He asked, How was supper? It was okay. But, God those two are sticky in love. I dont blame you for NOT wanting to be there. The way they kept looking at each other, I felt like they were just waiting for me to leave. It is just so gross. I figured it would be. In the kitchen the telephone rang. Lolly jumped up from the bed. I bet thats Trevor. I hope he won a race today. She rushed out of the room, but Fluff didnt follow her. He winked his green eyes at Munch and seemed to smile at him. Could cats smile? * It was Sunday morning. Tomorrow THAT MAN would be headed back to Louisiana. He had traded shifts with someone to spend the last few days on the farm. Tomorrow, when Munch came home from school, THAT MAN WOULD BE SOLID GONE! Munch could stay in his own house. He could sleep in his own bed. He could eat the food he was used to. Honestly, Grandma Toadys cooking had done a number on his stomach. Munch climbed out of his sleeping bag and went to take a shower. His mama had asked him to go to early Mass with her. Usually, he would have said no but, he figured shed been pretty cool about letting him stay with Grandma Toady and he hoped to use Mass attendance as a bargaining chip. After his shower, he put on his loudest suit. It was hot pink with lime green stripes. He knew it looked like a pimp suit. Wearing it was his little dig at his mama. If she wanted him in church she was just going to have to be okay with whatever he decided to wear. When he got to the house, she was already dressed. She was wearing a dark blue sweater dress that matched her eyes. She had her fluffy reddish hair pulled back with a ribbon. She looked so young. The wrinkle between her brows had flattened out. That was weird. THAT MAN came into the kitchen. Praise the Lord, he was not dressed to go to church! Munch almost let out a sigh of relief. He gave Munch a nod, but he didnt speak. The ride to church was a silent one. His mama didnt try to make small talk and neither did he. They turned into Damon, drove passed the Catholic cemetery and stopped in front Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church. It was the church his mother had grown up in and the church where his parents were married. Munch had been at the wedding but he was too little at the time to remember it. The outside of the small church looked like it had been built in a story book. The stained glass windows were beautiful. They got out of their little red Volkswagen. A green Volvo parked beside them. Inside the car was an Asian family. Munchs heart seemed to stop. No, it could not be, but it was. Thahn Ho and her family got out of the car. Thahn ho had her hair in a ponytail circled with tiny flowers. She was wearing a cream colored crepe dress with white embroidery. It looked expensive. The girl had style. Mama said, Good Morning. Munch was suddenly aware his mama''s be friendly to guests antenna had just raised itself. This could be a good or a bad thing. The man responded Good Morning. The woman nodded, the little boy was picking his nose. Munch looked at Thahn Ha, she was looking at him. She gave him her shy smile. It warmed him to his toes. He felt his face slide into a huge grin. He heard his mother say, I am Estelle Dutchendorph and this is my son Michael. Munch noted she had forgotten to call herself Estelle Dutchendorph-Phelps. Thahn Has father had a slight accent when he said, We are the Duongs. This is my wife, Huong, my daughter Thahn Ho and my son, Le. He shook his head at the little boy. The child abruptly took his finger out of his nose and smiled. Mama said, Pleased to meet you. So glad you could join us. If you want, you are welcome to sit with us. No pressure though. Thahn Hos father cast a glance in Munchs direction. Munch was suddenly very sorry he had worn his vindictive loud pimp suit. He felt his face flush. He thought, Mr. Duong is going to decline not just because of my skin color but because of this damned suit. To Munchs surprise, he gave him a friendly nod and said, Yes, that would be nice. Really? This was totally unexpected. Did God maybe, actually listen in on prayers sometimes? Still he couldnt help but think Mr. Duong was wondering why a white woman had a black child. Maybe he thought Munch was adopted or something. He didnt know. What difference did it make? He was about to share a pew with Thahn Ho! Chapter 6. Teal River Behind Munch walked Thahn Ho and her entire family. Oh, God, how he wished he had not worn this damned suit. Served him right for trying to be vindictive in Gods house. Oh well, there was nothing he could do about it now. Next Sunday, he would wear some thing less loud. As Mama made her way down the aisle, she smiled and waved at people. Unlike him, she was really good with people. At their pew, his mother knelt, looked up at the sculpture of Jesus and crossed herself. Munch did the same. He slipped into his seat in time to see Thahn Ho kneel and cross herself. To him she looked like an angel. Her mother sat down beside him. Thahn Ho cast a quick glance at him before she sat down. It was enough to get his heart thrumming. Never in all his almost sixteen years had anyone made him feel like this. Her little brother, Le made a face at Munch and hopped up onto the pew. He looked to be around six or seven years old. When Mr. Duong knelt and crossed himself, Munch felt like he was not just performing a ritual, he was offering the gift of himself. This thought shook Munch. It was the strangest thing. A memory he had forgotten came to mind of his daddy kneeling and crossing himself with the same expression as Mr. Duong had on his face.When Mr. Duong rose, he turned to his family. Pure gratitude shone in his eyes. Once again his expression echoed Munchs own fathers. All the sudden Daddy felt very near. It had been a long time since he had felt so close. The music began to play. From his vantage point Munch could not see the tiny choir that warbled along. Not a single one of them could carry a tune well, but there was power in their joyful voices. It had been awhile since he had been in this holy place. First light filtered through the stained glass windows. Patterns of colored light scattered across the sanctuary floor. It was beautiful. The scent of incense and burning candles filled the air. All around him were the Saint statues he had loved as a child. The one with Mary holding the tiny peculiar little baby had entranced him when he was little. He felt Mamas hand slip into his. When he turned to her there were tears in her eyes. What was she thinking? Was she thinking about Daddy too? His anger toward his mother softened. He gave her hand a squeeze. Truth was, Mama was one of the best people he knew. Other people might not think so, her having a love child and all, but he knew it. In that instant he knew why he was so attracted to that strange little baby in Marys arms. It was because, like Mama, Mary had been gossiped about and shunned because of her child. Like Mary, Mama might look frail, but she was one tough cookie. Having him and keeping him despite the color of his skin and the scandal of his conception had cost her, but she had willingly paid. And his daddy had been a good man, who took them both in and had loved Munch as if he were his own flesh and blood, just like Joseph had loved baby Jesus. As the service progressed he became very aware of Thahn Ho. She was close, but not close enough. He couldnt look at her the way he wanted to because, duh, he was sitting right beside her mother. Her mother dressed well. The wool suit she was wearing was deep burgundy with tailored lines. Her dad was sharply dressed as well,but her little brother, who was currently sitting on the prayer kneeler had on scuffed shoes, his shirt was untucked and his tie was crooked. Through out the entire service, Thahn Ho and her parents kept their eyes riveted on the priest. The only time Mr. Duong turned and looked away was when Le started making rude noises with the palm of his hand. Le and Mitzi would be fast friends. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Too soon, it was time for the Eucharist. The priest, what was his name, Father Henri, raised the wafer to the sky, offering it up for Gods blessing. He then broke it before the congregation. Pew by pew ushers invited the congregation to come forward. An usher came to their row and the entire row stood. They made their way to the front. As he walked forward, Munch could just see the swing of Thahns dress as she walked in front of her mother. When she reached Father Henri, she opened her mouth and the priest placed a broken piece of wafer onto her tongue. She turned and went to drink from the cup. A man held it out to her and she took a sip. Munch always thought it was really cool that Catholics could drink in church. His mother pushed him from behind. He didnt realized he had stopped and was staring. Embarrassed he moved forward. Father Henri said to him as he placed the broken wafer on his tongue, The body of Christ broken for you. He honestly didnt really understand that part. As he made his way to the man who held the cup of wine, his eyes traveled to Thahn Ha. She was walking back to their pew. To his delight, she did glance in his direction. He could feel a stupid smile coming on and there was nothing that would stop it. Apparently he had stopped again because his mother jabbed him in the back with her bony elbow. The man lifted the cup to Munchs lips. The wine was sweet with a bit of tartness. His mother had issues with this part of the ritual. She was a germaphobic. She never drank from the cup. They made their way back to their seats. The closing prayer was said. The people began to rise. Oh no, it was over. He hoped Mama was feeling chatty. Father Henri shook everyones hand as they filed out the front door. Mr. Duong was moving at a pretty fast clip. Would Mama be able to catch up with him? Fortunately, Le stopped, looked around and kicked his foot up. His dress shoe went flying into the air. He clappped his hands and said a bit too loudly, My shoe thinks its an angel! See it can fly! Mama had to stifled a laugh. Mrs. Duong smiled. Thahn Ho looked a little embarrassed. Mr. Duong was not amused. He grabbed the shoe and hoisted up his son. Softly, Mrs. Duong said, That boy! Too much imagination. With a glance in Munchs direction, Mama told her, I know the feeling. She then asked, Are you new to the area? Yes we are. Mama fished a slip of paper and a pen out of her over stuffed purse. Heres my number, if you have any questions or concerns, or just what to chat, give me a call. The smile Mrs. Duong gave Mama when she took the slip of paper was much like her daughters. Munch glanced at Thanh Ho. She was radiant in the morning sun. Mama said, It was a pleasure to meet you all. I hope you will join us again. Mama had never spoken a greater truth in her life. Mrs. Duong said, Yes, we will be back. This is a very lovely old church. THEY WOULD BE BACK!!! Munch became an instant fan of Early Mass. On the drive home Mama asked, You okay? You seemed kind of distracted. She was fishing and he was determined she was not going to catch anything. He faked a yawn and lied, I was just a little sleepy. Really? You looked wide awake to me. Fortunately, she didnt press further. At the house, Munch went inside without thinking. The radio was on and THAT MAN was making french toast. The smile he gave Mama made Munch nauseous. He could sense his mother was restraining herself. She smiled at her new husband and said, We met the nicest family this morning. Michael what their names? Mr. and Mrs. Duong, um, Le and Thahn Ho. He had to work hard to keep the tremble out of his voice when he said her name. THAT MAN went, Mmm. Duong, that name is familiar. Did they say if they were from Vietnam? Vietnam? Had Thahn Ho lived in Vietnam? THAT MAN added, I knew a nurse in Saigon, Her name was Thahn Ho. She told me her name meant Teal River. The words Teal River echoed inside Munchs brain. What a cool, cool name. It was perfect. Chapter 7. Not the Art Room Monday morning! In two hours THAT MAN would be heading out of state and OUT OF MIND. Lolly and Grandma Toady had gone over to the house to say, Good bye to him before he left. Munch did not join them. He stood at the bus stop alone. His thoughts drifted from the exodus of THAT MAN to Thahn Ho. If he was lucky she would be in the art room when he got to school. He could already feel himself getting tongue tied. Good Lord! He needed to get a grip. How was he going to impress her if he could barely even talk to her? This morning he was dressed in brown wingtips, wool slacks, an arm patch jacket and a Led Zeppelin T-shirt. The screen door to the house banged. He glanced back, Lolly was on her way. She looked sad. She always got sad when her daddy left. A brief thought flitted through Munchs brain, how sad would Mama be when she came home from work today? He dismissed it. He WOULD NOT think about that. If Mama was sad it was her own damn fault. He heard the rumble of the bus. It pulled up just as Lolly reached him. He motioned for her to enter first. When they sat down, Munch did not ask her how she was. He did not want to know. He did not want to hear ANYTHING about her pa. In silence they road to school. As soon as the bus stopped he was out the door and headed for the art room. He couldnt get there fast enough. He was practically running down the hall when a girl in a hooded sweat shirt bumped into him. She looked up at him. There were tears in her eyes. Those frightened eyes were Thahn Hos. Sorry, she said and turned away from him. Wait, whats wrong? Thahn Ho glanced back at the art room door. That boy whos name sounds like what a duck says, wont leave me alone. Stupid Quack! If he was bigger, taller, stronger he would punch Quack, but Munch was none of those things. He said, Yeah, he is so stupid like that. Her voice quivered when she said, I really wanted to work on my painting. Im so far behind. I guess I will have to just take it home with me tonight. You shouldnt have to do that. Talk to Mademoiselle Petite, she will tell to Quack where to get off. For a moment she looked at him with a puzzled expression. I dont understand. She will make him stop bothering you. Her mouth formed a small o. I will,but Im not going to the art room before school anymore. I dont like the way those boys talk about me. Fury surged through Munch. What did they say? One boy called me an exotic piece of meat. And his friends laughed. Despite his lack of stature and strength, Munch was ready to kick some major ASS. Which boy? Nervously she looked back at the art room door again. She shook her head and told him, I need to go. She turned away from him and started down the hall. Munch followed. In his head he was going over every guy that hung out in the art room in the mornings. Sometimes they brought along friends that didnt even take art. He caught up to her and said, Im sorry that happened. The library is a quiet place. Tears pooled in her eyes. I dont remember where it is. No worries Girl, I will show you where it is. When they reached the double doors of the Library, Munch was unsure what to do. He didnt want to seem like he was after her and he didnt want to be a presumptuous jerk. With her deep dark eyes, she looked up and softly asked, Could you sit with me? It took everything he had to not slap on another stupid grin. Of course I can. He opened the door. As soon as the librarian, Mrs. Stanton saw him, she put a finger to her lips. It was her signal that he better be quiet or he would be kicked out. This morning he would NOT be kicked out of the library. He lead Thahn Ho to a table near the back window.He asked, Will this do? If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. She nodded. Thahn Ho slid into one seat and he slid into the one beside her. There were tears on her lashes, but they did not fall. She asked, Why are boys so dumb? I dont know. He really didnt. Not all of them are dumb. You are not dumb. I can tell. Lolly would never be friends with a dumb boy. This compliment warmed Munch to his core. No she wouldnt. She reached for her backpack and took out her sketch book. He didnt ask to see it, because when he was upset, drawing always calmed him. What she needed was to draw right now. Though he wanted to ask her again which boy had said that mean thing, but he thought better of it. If she wanted to tell him she would. Not sure what to do with himself and certain he did not want to read, ANYTHING, he got out his own sketch book. It wasnt the one he had drawn Thahn Hos portrait in. Over the course of his art life he had had more than one sketchbook snatched out of his hands and passed around. A few times the bully was amazed by what he or she saw, other times they turned plain nasty and said harsh and ugly things about his drawings. One mean girl had even called his work perverted, which implied he was a pervert. Stupid, stupid people. After several silent minutes, of drawing he cold tell that Thahn Ho was beginning to calm down some. He looked on the page of her sketch book and was amazed by what she had drawn. It was a sparrow with wings spread in flight. It looked almost real. The feathers were perfectly shaded. He couldnt help himself, he whispered, That is really incredible. Her shy smile crossed her lips. She dropped her eyes down to the page and whispered back, Thank you. She pushed her sketch book toward him and asked, Would you like to look at my drawings? Id be honored. With careful fingers he took the sketchbook in his hands. It drove him crazy when someone manhandled his sketch book. The second drawing in the book was a sketch of a small gray kitten. Munch was blown away by the delicate lines and contour shading of the drawing. The kitten looked so real and its eyes glistened with life. She told him, That is my cat, Hoa. Hoa means blossom or flower in English. Munch nodded. Page after page he was amazed over and over again. She liked to draw small animals and flowers mostly. He liked to draw people and clothes. When he finished looking at it, he said to her, These are amazing. I bet you could get an art scholarship. Pleased, she asked, You really think so? I do. Do you want a scholarship too? Yeah, I want to go to design school. With a tilt of her head she asked, For architecture? No clothing. Mrs. Stanton cleared her throat and looked straight at Munch. It was her warning sound. He gave her an apologetic nod. When he turned his attention back to Thahn Ho her eyes brightened up. She whispered, Did you make that suit you had on at church yesterday. Munch felt his face grow very warm. Embarrassment washed over him.Afraid to speak, he nodded. Oh, it was beautiful. My Me admired your stitching? Confused, Munch whispered, Your Me? A small giggle erupted in her throat. Oh, sorry. Me is the word for Mother in Vietnamese. Oh. Yes, it gets confusing when I mix my Vietnamese with English. The bell rang. Thahn Ho stood. She cast a worried glance at the doors. Munch said, If you want, I can walk you to class. Thank you. I would like that. Once they were out in the hall, Munch really had to fight his impulse to strut. He wanted everyone to see who HE, MICHAEL DUTCHENDORPH, was walking to class. Somehow he managed to tamp down his enthusiasm. He didnt want to come off as another dumb boy showing off. Before they reached Mrs. Beasleys door, he hung back. Suddenly unsure of himself, he worried that it would not be a good thing for Thahn Ho or him if he walked her all the way to class. From behind them someone called, Hey you two. In unison they turned. It was Lolly and she had a big old grin on her face. Trevor was beside her. Lolly said, Trevor this is Thahn Ho, Thahn Ho, this is my boyfriend Trevor. Trevor flashed a smile as only he could. He stuck out his hand and said, Nice to meet you Thahn Ho. Munch could only wish he was that charming. Thahn Ho blushed a little and took his hand. Nice to meet you. Lolly has said many nice things about you. Trevor cut his eyes at Lolly. The look that passed between them usually made Munch feel a little left out and a little jealous, but not this morning. He watched Thanh Ho release Trevors hand. Lolly gave Trevors arm a squeeze and then she linked her arm through Thahn Hos. She said, You boys better hurry or youre going to be late for math. With a quick peck on Lollys cheek, Trevor turned and headed down the hall. As Lolly escorted Thahn Ho to class, Thahn Ho turned to Munch and mouthed, Thank you. Munch mouthed back, Any time. And she smiled at him. Chapter 8. Those Eyes The day had been a long one. All day Munch wondered if Thahn Ho was alright.He had prayed harder than he had ever prayed before. Kids could be cruel. Boys could be stupid. Once a bullyor asshole knew they had gotten to you, they took mean pleasure in provoking. When he had seen Thahn Ho in the halls, Lolly or Lisa had been with her. It seemed the girls had formed a protective net around her. He had waved and let it be. He had to be so careful. It hurt that he had to be so careful. The last thing Thahn Ho needed was to be teased and harassed further because of any association with him. The world was an unfair and cruel place and yet the world also contained good kind people like Lolly and Grandma Toady and his own mama. The bus ride home was a silent one. Munch did not want to risk talking to Lolly about Thahn Ho in a public place. He wasnt sure Thahn Ho had told her about what happened in the art room, or if something about her demeanor had cued Lolly in that she was struggling in some way. Once they got off the bus and were walking down the drive to the house, Lolly said, Thahn Ho told me what that little piece of crap Sterling said. He is such an idiot. God, the things he says to and about girls...oh man, he is an absolute fool. All mouth and no substance what so ever. She shook her head. So, it was Sterling. He had been a creep since elementary school. In fourth grade he had dogged Lolly relentlessly until, she had had enough and had decked him so hard in the playground he had crumbled to the ground. When he told the teacher Lolly had hit him, Mrs. James had told him he had it coming. Lolly still got sent to the principal, but not even he faulted her. Sterling had had it coming. He still did. Lolly, continued, I told Trevor what happened and he told Jake. They are going to have a talk with that little piece of shit. Hes gonna wish he hadnt shown up for track practice today. Seldom did Lolly cuss. She had to be pretty riled to even say the word damn. Thanks Lolly, that makes me feel better. Ive been so worried. She smiled and said, Youre welcome. I have some news, I think you are gonna like. In her eyes was that spark she got in her eyes when she was up to something. "Can you guess what it is?" How he hated when she did this. He hoped it had something to do with Thahn Ho, but he wasn''t gonna say that. Lolly made a chicken noise in her throat. "Come on guess." "Not gonna. Just tell me." Her smile got huge before she said, "I asked Thahn Ho to go to the movies with us Friday night and she said, yes. Spontaneously Munch threw his arms around Lolly and hugged her. He fairly shouted, You are the bestest best friend ever!" Against his shoulder she said, I am. He laughed and let her go. Now he had to figure out what to wear to the movies. He was going to the movies and Thahn Ho would be there! He let go of Lolly and asked, Who alls going? Me, Trevor, Lisa, Jake, Thahn Ho and you. Its not a done deal yet. She has to ask first. She says her dad is pretty strict. If he says no, I told her we would get together Saturday. It might have to be at her house. But I am determined she will come to my house soon. The excitement in Munch faded, still there was hope and for right now he was going to hold on to that. When they reached Munchs house, it was empty. His mom was still at work. All that remained of THAT MAN were the tire tracks of his truck when he left. Lolly looked at the tracks. He knew what she was thinking, but she didnt say it. He told her, Ive been a bit of a butt to Mama so I think I will do the dishes for her. Without taking her eyes off the tracks, Lolly said, Im sure she would appreciate that. See you later. Munch went into the clapboard farm house. It was small. He couldnt even imagine how his mom and all his uncles had fit in that house. It seemed crowded with three people inside it much less five kids and two parents. After he washed the dishes, he went to his room. He checked under his bed and in the closet to see if Mitzi was hiding anywhere. She wasnt. He went upstairs to the studio he shared with is mom. He glanced at her drafting table. It had been weeks since she had touched her art, between the wedding and the honeymoon she hadnt had time to create. He hoped she got back to it, she was too good to let it slide. He went to the record player and flipped through the milk crate beside it. He came across Nancy Wilsons album, Easy. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Munch slid onto the floor by the record player.He turned the knob and carefully set the vinyl album on the turn table. There was the slightest scratching noise when he placed the needle on the spinning disc. The next instant, beautiful music seeped into the room. Nancys voice flowed into his ears. Her voice was so smooth and had this ache in it that was soft yet powerful. She didnt have to wail to make her him feel what she felt. He closed his eyes and just listened. When the fourth track began to play, When I Look in Your Eyes, he thought of Thahn Ho. He thought of all the different things her eyes had said to him since he met her. Nancy Wilson sang, Those eyes so wise, so warm, so real; How I love the world your eyes reveal. Vividly Thanh Hos real eyes came to mind...those lovely dark and shining eyes. They truly were so wise, so warm, so real. All the sudden he was struck by a thought, that quickly morphed into a hope that teetered on a dream.What would it be like to take Thahn Ho to see Nancy Wilson at the Astrodomes Kool Jazz Festival? What would it be like to be right beside her when Nancy Wilson sang this song? Oh she might not even sing it, but still, she would sing something and it would be beautiful. He had to see Nancy Wilson at the Kool Jazz festival and haveThahn Ho there with him. It MUST happen. His sketch pad was on the floor beside him. He opened it. This evening the portrait he had drawn of Thahn Ho looked terrible to him. He wanted to rip it out and destroy it, but Mademoiselle Petite believed that it was important to keep art work he didnt like to show him in the future where he had been and how much he had learned since. He closed his sketch book and laid down on the floor. He let the music wash through him. The music swept him a way and he forgot everything and every one almost. An hour later the back door banged open and woke Munch out of sound sleep. Good Lord, he had drool running down the side of his mouth. He grabbed the paper towel roll off his mom''s drafting table and wiped his mouth. He heard his mothers foot steps. She called out, Michael are you here? All the sleepy in his brain evaporated. Dammit! He was about to get lectured. He didnt want to be lectured, but he best not do anything that might get him grounded. In as friendly a voice as he could muster, he called down, Im up here. Come down now. Munch obeyed. He took the steps two at a time and swung into the kitchen. Evening light filtered through the white curtains. In its warm glow his mother looked like a small lost child. She said, We need to talk. I know. She pointed at a kitchen chair and said, Sit. He did. She sat down across from him. He could see that her eyes were red rimmed. Try as he might, he could never harden his heart against his mothers tears. In a firm, but weary voice she said, First off, you know how I feel about the burden of responsibility Grandma Toady bears. I cant have you staying with her when Trace is here. Taking care of four kids is just too much. The surly in Munch began to swirl. His jaw went tight. Trace is in our lives. He is here. He is a good man. Silently, Munch thought, not as good as my daddy. You need to give him a chance. I want you to give him a chance. So, this matter is closed. When Trace comes home, her voice caught a little, in three weeks you will be here with us. Do you understand? He could not say the words, so he just nodded. A nod wont do Michael. I need you to say it out loud so you can hear how it sounds. He had a lot of things he would like to say out loud in this moment and not a single one of them had to do with understanding. Every single one of them would cost him. A glint came into Mamas eyes. Her voice sharpened as she said, You agree or you are grounded this weekend. What? You heard me. Mama had never once in all his life grounded him. Problem was,shed been spending too much time with Grandma Toady and Aunt Jessie. They each ran tight ships and he had no use for that. Still, he said what Mama wanted to hear.I understand. There was no way he was going not being able to go to the movies Friday night. Good. We will revisit this issue if it arises again. Okay. His mother rose from the table, she looked a little shaky. Her voice broke ever so slightly when she said, If you will excuse me, I think I will go lie down for a bit. Munch said nothing. He watched his mama go to her room. He knew what she was going to do. She was going to cry some more and it was all THAT MANS fault. Life could be so stupid sometimes. The kitchen phone rang. He picked it up and said, Hello. Lolly said, Its me, like he didnt know it was her. I talked to Thahn Ho, her dad wont let her go to the movies with boys, even in a group, but he did say she could come over Saturday. Will you be around Saturday? Sweet Child of mine, where else would I be? Lolly laughed. Yup, I thought so. Munch could feel a big stupid grin spreading across his face. Chapter 9. A Boy Named Michael Tuesday morning when Munch got off the bus, he saw Thahn Ho waiting by the front doors. Lolly waved at her and started towards her. She didnt even bother to wait for Trevor. Not sure what to do, Munch tagged along. Relief filled Thahn Hos face when she saw Lolly. Lolly gave her a big hug. She told her, Come on, you are going to sit with us this morning. While this was good, Munch was really hoping for another quiet morning with Thahn Ho in the library. The library...weird, he had never wanted to go the library on purpose before. Thahn Ho made him want to go where ever she was.He hadnt been able to stop thinking about her. Trevor came up from behind and took Lollys hand in his. He asked, Ready to go inside? Lolly said, Yup. They went into the building. In the cafeteria Lisa, and Jake were already at their usual table. Lisa stood up and gave Thahn Ho a hug. Desperately, Munch wished he could give Thahn Ho a hug, but that was not going to happen. A little voice in his head said, Not yet. Everyone sat down. The morning conversation swirled around Munch. Trevor and Jake talked about track. The girls were looking at the fashion photos in Seventeen magazine. He was a bit torn. Usually all his attention would have been focused on the magazine, but he didnt want to appear too girly in front of Thahn Ho. Honestly he was at a total loss. He felt fidgety and out of place. Normally when the guys talked about track he just buried himself in his sketchbook, but he didnt feel right doing that this morning. He cast his gaze around the cafeteria. There were girls dressed in tight bell bottoms with skin tight shirts. Boys in slouchy jeans with football jerseys or t-shirts. No one, and he meant no one was dressed like he did. Normally it was a point of pride with him to be different, to be sharp, but this morning he felt like an alien who had just landed on a different planet and nobody spoke his language. Lolly exclaimed, Munch, look at this! He turned to her and the magazine she was holding up. On its glossy page was a couple. The girl was wearing a filmy pink dress, but the guy was dressed in a dark purple suit with tails. She gushed, Isnt this suit gorgeous. You should make it. He was aware she was trying to include him in the conversation. Uh, yeah. That would be cool. Thahn Ho said, It would. Purple is my favorite color. You would look good. All sense of alien-ish thinking evaporated.You think so? Shyly, Thahn Ho nodded. That little nod was all he needed. His day had officially been made. * The bell rang. Munch fairly sprinted to his painting class. He had been waiting all day for this class. When he reached the room, he saw Thahn Ho talking to Mademoiselle Petite. They looked serious. Munch entered the room. Mademoiselle turned and smiled at him. To Thanh Ho, she said, Take your seat. We will talk after school. Thanh Ho nodded and joined Munch at their table. Munch asked, Is everything okay? I am going to talk to her about what happened yesterday. Oh, thats good. She looked at the table, studied her hands for a moment and then looked back up at him. Could you come with me? The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. This surprised Munch. Uh, sure if you want me to. I do. Will you miss your bus? Definitely but he didnt say that. I can get a ride. With who? Somebody. Maybe Aunt Jessie or Grandma Toady would come get him. Regardless, she asked and he would be there. They pulled out their paints and canvases. Munch went and got them each a jar of water. Mademoiselle Petite checked roll. Afterwards she went into a lecture about light and shadow. Munch heard not a word of what she said as he painted. All he knew was that right across from him was Thahn Ho. When Mademoiselle Petite had completed her lecture, Thahn Ho leaned over and quietly asked, Why do people call you Munch? Oh, that. Uhm, when I was in kindergarten I had a friend who couldnt say my name. Somehow he mashed Michael Dutchendorph into Munch and it just stuck with the kindergarten crew. She nodded and timidly asked, Is it all right if I call you Michael? I think it is a beautiful name. OH MY GOD! No one had ever told him that. That goofy smile was fast making its way to his lips. Uh sure. I-I would like that. All right Michael. Did you know there is an angel named Michael? Yes, my Mama named me after him. She did. Your mama is so nice and so cute. If only she had said, you are so cute, the moment would have been perfect. Well, still having a beautiful name was something. It was definitely something. * Munch met Thahn Ho at her locker and they walked to the art room. Mademoiselle Petite was seated at her desk. She smiled at them when they walked in. Have a seat. Tell me how I can help. Thahn Hos face flushed deep red. She looked at her hands which were folded in her lap. Just above a whisper she said, I want to come in here before school to catch up on my still life but the boys have been bothering me. That boy Quack wont leave me alone and his friend Sterling says rude things about me. Mademoiselle shook her head. I am sorry to hear that. Sterling doesnt even take art and he shouldnt be in here in the morning. As for Quack, I will talk to him again. If that doesnt work, Im afraid he wont be in art anymore. Oh no, protested Thahn Ha, not that. He is very good. Something else please. If someone took my art away from me it would not make me be a better person. You may have a point. I will think of something else. As for Sterling he is banned from the art room. In fact I think its time I only allow people who are actually working on their projects to be in here before school. This seemed pretty drastic to Munch, but necessary. Thahn Ha said, Thank you. You are welcome. We will get this sorted out. Mademoiselle glanced at her watch. Have you two missed your buses? My mother picks me up. I told her I needed to talk to you. She is waiting for me. Okay. Good. What about you Michael? He hated to admit it. Um, yes. Distressed, Thahn Ho said, I am sorry. I did not think about your bus. My Me will take you home. OH WOW. Okay, thanks, if its not out of the way. Me wont mind. Mademoiselle Petite stood and said, I will see you both tomorrow. She gave Thahn Ho a hug and Munch a smile. They went out into the hall. The school was deserted. Only the janitors were out in the halls. Thahn Ho went to the side entrance that was by the theater. The air was nippy outside and Munch pulled his jacket a little closer around him. He saw the green Volvo waiting. Thanh Ho opened the front door and climbed inside. She said, Me, Michael helped me talk with Mademoiselle Petite and he missed his bus. Could we take him home? Of course. Get in young man. Mrs. Duongs speech was very precise. Munch slid into the back seat with Thahn Hos little brother Le. He had a red Kool aide stain circling his mouth. He eyed Munch but didnt say anything. On the white leather seat there was a big pink stain that looked like the result of a melted red crayon. He asked Munch, Are you an artist too? Yes. He giggled and said, Me too! Was the kid referring to himself or his mother? Munch didnt know and he was not about to ask. He gave Mrs. Duong directions. As they neared the farm, Le wiggled out of his seatbelt and pressed his nose against the window. You got any bucking broncos? No, just chickens. He looked at Munch perplexed. No bucking broncos? Not a single one. Well, said Le, that sucks! From the front seat Mrs. Duong said, Le, you know I dont like that word. Le sighed. Theres so many words you dont like Me, I cant remember um all. The Volvo stopped in the drive. Munch got out and said, Thank you Mrs. Duong. He was very careful about his demeanor. To Thahn Ho, he said, See you tomorrow. Yes. Her shy smile spread across her lips and lit her eyes with light. It took everything Munch had to back away from the car. He watched Mrs. Duong turn the car around and drive away. In the back window Le was waving good bye for all he was worth. Munch raised his hand and waved at the little boy. Chapter 10. S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Saturday morning Munch woke up with the Bay City Rollers song, Saturday Night stuck in his head. It was looping over and over: S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night... He didn''t even like the song, but it would just not stop. As he took his shower it was still going full blast through his brain. It did not stop when he stood before his closet trying do decide what to wear. He wanted to look good, but his clothes and shoes had to be functional. The plan, according to Lolly, was that they would go for a walk down by the steam. He and Lolly used to play down there they were kids. He couldn''t even remember the last time he had walked all the way through his grandpa''s cotton field. Not that any cotton grew in in it now. There were however still rows of upraised earth where the cotton once grew. After much thought, he chose gray dungarees, a paisley sweatshirt and work boots he had gotten from Good Will. It wasn''t the best thing he''d ever worn but it would have to do because walk to the stream meant contending with mud, bugs and an occasional snake. Three things Munch was not overly fond of. Still, none of that would matter because Thahn Ho would be there. At 1 p.m. The green Volvo appeared on the road and turned down the drive. And yes, Munch had been glued to the window since 12:30 in anticipation of this moment. As he watch the car approach, he saw Le bouncing around in the back seat. That kid had more energy than Mitzi. The car turned down the drive that lead to Grandma Toady and Aunt Jessies trailer house. He went to his bedroom window so he could see her get out of the car. The Volvo stopped. Not Only did Thahn Ho get out of the car, so did her mom and little brother. Mrs. Duong probably wanted to meet Grandma Toady. Though Grandma Toady could be A LOT, she was a kind and generous person. The front door of the trailer opened. It was not opened by Grandma Toady or Lolly, it was opened by Mitzi. From this distance it looked like Mitzi had gotten into her mothers make up bag again. He saw the child tilt back her head and yell into the trailer. This was the way she introduced people.Munch groaned. Aunt Jessie appeared in the door and pulled Mitzi inside. Munch watched as Thanh Ho and her family entered the trailer. He wished he was already there, but Thahn Ho was Lollys guest, not his. It seemed to take forever before Mrs. Duong came outside again. He watched her walk to her car. She was very prim. Her back was straight and she carried herself like royalty. When she reached the Volvo, Munch saw that Le was not with her. Le WAS NOT with her! Great. Not that he had anything against Le, but it meant that his walk through the pasture with the girls would probably include the company of Le and Mitzi. Who knew, Max, Grandma Toady and Aunt Jessie might want to tag along too. A crowd, that was just what he needed. Lolly and her people were really into crowds. His mood was sinking. What had he expected? Well, not this. The phone rang. He heard his mother answer it in the kitchen. By the tone of her voice he could tell she was talking to THAT MAN. Across the way, Munch saw Max come out of the trailer and perch on Grandma Toadys porch. There was the sound of another vehicle in the drive. The blue Toyota stopped in front of the trailer. Was Max going or staying? Long, tall Kevin opened his door and unfolded himself as he got out of the passengers side. How tall was that boy gonna be? From Aunt Jessies trailer came the booming bark of of Bruno. The double wide trailer was visibly shaking as the big dog bounced up and down in the front window. Max shouted, Knock it off. Bruno had no intention of knocking it off. Aunt Jessie came onto Grandma Toady''s porch and crossed over to her own trailer with her was Mitzi, and Le. Well, that was a relief. He did not want to have to deal with those two. Maybe the walk Lolly planned would turn out okay. He saw Max and Kevin head out toward the barn. All Munch wanted to do was go to Lollys NOW, but he mustnt seem too eager. Lolly had told him to come over around 2:00. He glanced at his bedside digital clock. It was 1:15 pm. he still had to wait 45 minutes. How was he going to passl the time? The only way to make time pass more quickly was to fill it. He went up stairs and started to work on the dress he was altering for Mama. Down stairs he could hear her voice. She was still on the phone with THAT MAN. Finally, 2:00 p.m. rolled around. Munch put up his supplies and headed to the kitchen. Mama was finally off the phone. She looked none too happy. He told her, Im going to Lollys. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Shes got company doesnt she? This was a leading question. Had Mama seen Thahn Ho arrive? Did Mama suspect something? Regardless, he had to answer her question very carefully. Yeah, but she asked me over too. There was a faint spark in Mamas eyes when she asked, Oh, did she now? Yeah. See ya. He went out the door. The distance between the trailer houses and his house was not far. As he made his way down the drive his heart started kerthumping. He felt his lips go dry and then his mouth. Nervousness was over taking him. When he reached the door he knocked. Mitzi opened the door. Great, she was back. She looked up at him and asked, Why you knocking? You never knock. His mind went blank. He didnt know what to say. Le ran to the door and looked up at him. He said, Hello Crrrunchy! Mitzi put her hand over her mouth and giggled. How many times had Munch heard this very lame joke? He smiled at the kid. What else could he do? The little runt was Thahn Hos brother. He entered the trailer.On the floor were Maxs cast off Hotwheels. From the kitchen, came the voices of Aunt Jessie and Grandma Toady. They were arguing about something. They sounded angry. Mitzi whispered, I sure hope Mama and Granma dont get divorced too, I couldnt take that. Le busted out laughing. Only married people can get divorced, not grandmas and mamas." This did not sit well with Mitzi. She put her hand on her hip and said loudly, Shut the f up. Aunt Jessie was in the room in a flash. She put her hands on Mitzis shoulders and asked, Where did you hear that word? Mitzi glanced at Munch. Her eyes plead for help. Much to his dismay decided to try to intervene. Not a good move, but he had to do something. He asked, Mitzi, do you even know what that word means? She dropped her gaze. Well, it must be bad. I just hear Max and his friends say it so much I thought it was normal. It was normal for thirteen year old boys, but not almost five year old girls or boys of six. Beside him, Le whispered, F, f, f. Aunt Jessie heard him too. The gleam in her eyes said there where was about to be hell to pay and Max would be the one paying. She let go of Mitzi and told Le, That is not a good word to say. If your mama hears you say it, you will be in trouble. He looked up at Aunt Jessie and said, Why is it bad? It just sounds like duck. Ducks not a bad word is it? No, its not. But I am going to have to tell your mama what you heard. Solemnly Le nodded at Aunt Jessie. Grandma Toady came into the living room. Its a lovely day. You kids should be outside. She called out, Lolly, I need you to take these kids for a walk or something. NO NOT THAT! EVERYTHING WAS RUINED. Oh, wonderful, oh fabulous. Munch was about to get to be in the company of two little kids who had just said the F word. This was not how he imagine it would be AT ALL. Lolly and Thahn Ho came out of Lollys room. Lolly gave Munch a look. She knew he was disappointed. It couldnt be helped. The important thing was that he was going to get to be near, but no close to Thahn Ho. Resignation settled over him. Lolly helped Mitzi into her sweatshirt and pinned Puccini to the hood of it with a diaper pin. Le was fascinated by the grubby little bear. He asked, Dont your mom make you wash it. Its filthy. This kid really knew how to get off on the wrong foot. Mitzi glared at him. Puccini is NOT A IT, he is a he. And HE is NOT filthy. Just well loved. She turned her back on him. Le of course was not the least bit fazed. Thahn Ho was having quite a time getting him into his navy sweater. Finally, the little kids were dressed. They went outside. There was a tinge of cold in the air. Munch hadnt even noticed it on his way to the trailer. The girls held the kids hands and he walked between the girls. Sun light played across Thahn Hos dark hair. The shine reminded Munch of star shine on water. The grass in the field was so tall it came up to the little kids waists. Munch remembered when it used to be that tall on him. Mitzi and Lolly chattered away. Le was holding a one sided conversation with his sister about the mysteries of toad pee. This little boy was weird. When Le took a breath, Thahn Ho asked Munch, Have you always lived on this farm? Since I was six, but its been in the family for three generations. So had my grandparents farm, but then the Viet Cong came. They burned or blew up everything. With new eyes Munch saw the land he always took for granted. What would it be like to have this bit of land destroyed? What would it be like to never see it again? He asked, Did you live on it? She nodded her head. I was very little at the time so I dont remember it. Me has pictures of it." She looked around her and added, "It was not so different from this farm." The word Me, said more like Meh, momentarily confused Munch and then he remembered that Me was what Thahn Ho called her mother. Thahn Ho continued. My grandparents fled from the Viet Cong and came to the United States. My mom went to college here. Le and I were born here. Le asked, Are you talking about me? Just telling Michael where we were born. He asked, Whos Michael? Thahn Ho gave Munch an exasperated look. To Le, she pointed and said, He is Michael. Le shook his head. Nuhuh. He is CRUNCHY! He and Mitzi burst into giggles. This little kid was a piece of work. Chapter 11. Farm of Memory As they made their way down the steep incline to the stream, Lolly and Thahn Ho kept a tight grip on the kids hands. Both Mitzi and Le had gone completely silent. It was Mitzis first time down here, and Munch bet it would not be the last. Sun light filtered through the oak trees. A breeze set the branches to swaying. The ground was covered with leaf litter. The sound of the water was soothing music. Memories flashed through Munchs mind. Some time Daddy brought him down here to pretend fish or real fish, depending on if there were any fish in the stream big enough to eat. It had always been exciting when they caught a fish, even if they had to throw it back. Mama was not a vegetarian back then and neither was Munch. That was something that began after Daddy died. Blurred images of his father passed through his mind. With each year his memories became a little less precise. If not for the photos Mama had out of him, Munch wasnt sure he would even remember what his daddy looked like. Le began to shout, I see a fish, I see a fish! Well he didnt see it for long. That fish shot out of sight in less than two seconds flat. Mitzi wailed, You scared him away! Calmly, Lolly said, Lets try to be quiet and maybe we can find another one. She looked at Le and Mitzi and asked, Can yall do that? They both nodded. Silently they tracked along the stream. Munch was bringing up the rear, right behind Thahn Ho. She wasnt a curvy girl, but she still had a cute figure. Maybe this walk wasnt so bad after all. Quietly, Lolly said, I think I see a fish. So be very, very quiet. The kids went to Lolly and stood beside her. Thahn Ho hung back with Munch. How he wanted to reach out his hand and take hers. He saw sun light catch the bright scales of the fish. It was a small perch. Le whispered, If we can catch it can we eat it? Mitzi shouted, BOO! The fish flipped its small tail and disappeared. Le punched Mitzi and shouted, You did that on purpose! I sure did. You aint gonna eat no fish on my farm. She slugged him back. Thahn Ho left Munchs side and grabbed her brothers arm before he could wallop Mitzi again. Angrily Lolly said, We are going back to the house. In unison, Le and Mitzi shouted, No! Lolly glanced in Munchs direction before she said, Yall have one more chance. Anybody hits, anybody yells and we are going back to the house. Do you understand? Both nodded. Next Lolly said, Munch, why dont you give Thahn Ho a tour of the farm. I can manage these two. Munch looked at Thahn Ho. Her cheeks were a little flushed. Did she want a tour of the farm? Well there was only one way to find out. He asked, Would you care to see the farm. She nodded. This girl was very quiet. He didnt bother to ask what she wanted to see first, he figured he would just show her as they went. If she wanted to talk, she would talk. If she didnt she would be silent. Either way, she would be with him. They headed back up the bank, and made their way to the barren cotton field. After several silent minutes of walking, Thahn Ho asked, What used to grow here? Cotton mostly, some green beans, okra and corn. She nodded. My ong noi, my grandfather, grew mostly corn and sweet potatoes. He plowed the land with a water buffalo. It was odd, the number of similarities that existed between Thahn Ho and Munch. Both were artists, both had lived on farms, both had grandfathers who were farmers, both were Catholic and both were here in this moment. He said, My grandpa plowed with an antique tractor. Its in the barn. Would you like to see it? This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Yes. As they made their way across the cow pasture, they passed several pregnant cows. His mama rented out this patch of land to Mr. Thomson who lived down the road. Near the barn, Munch caught a whiff of cigarette smoke. Thahn Ho wrinkled her nose. She smelled it too. Munch told her, Let me go check and see whos in the barn. It better NOT be Max. Munch slipped through the cracked barn door. There was Max puffing away on a cigarette. Kevin saw Munch first. He wasnt smoking, at least he wasnt smoking now. Max was just about to take another drag when he saw Munch. His hand froze in mid air. The ash of the cigarette glowed. In a low growl, Munch asked, See that? He jabbed his finger at the hay that was stacked in the hay loft. Max nodded. One spark goes up there and this barn will be burned to the ground. That hay does not belong to my Mama, it belongs to Mr. Thomson. Almost every bit of feed in this barn belongs to Mr. Thomson. Take that thing out side, put it out in the bucket of water by the faucet and get your ass back home. For half a second, Max looked like he was about to say something, but Kevin grabbed a hold of his arm and said, I told you this was a dumb idea. Lets go. Kevin nodded apologetically to Munch and left with Max in tow. When the boys were gone, Thahn Ho entered. She came to where Munch stood and didnt comment about the smoke or the boys who had just walked passed her. Her eyes traveled across the wide beam in the center of the barn ceiling. The way she looked around her Munch had the strangest feeling she was visiting something from her past. Suddenly, she sneezed. He grabbed a paper towel from the holder and handed it to her. He asked, Are you allergic to hay? She shrugged. She went to the tractor. It did not have rubber wheels. The wheels were jagged and made of metal. Slowly she ran her fand over the strange metal wheels. Finally she spoke, Wow this is really old. Mama says it was built in the early 1930s. Can I climb up? Sure. He watched her nimbly climb onto the tractor. There was a slight squeaking noise when she sat down on the metal seat. She took the steering wheel in her hands and asked, Does it still work? No, not any more. One of my uncles wants to sell it to an antique dealer but Mama wont part with it. She nodded as if she understood. For a while she studied each of the gears and levers. She looked down at Munch and said, I wish I had my sketch pad, Id like to draw this. If she drew the tractor she would have to come over again! Sure, your welcome to. A little nervously she said, I think we best get back to Lolly. She climbed down. Something in her mood had changed. Why? Munch followed her out the barn door. For a moment she stopped and looked at the woods that grew beyond the cow pasture. Many of the trees were leafless. The naked trees traced the sky with their barren branches. All around were natures noises. From a distance cars and trucks on the highway could be heard. She asked, Which way? This way. Munch took her back to where Lolly and the kids were floating sticks down the stream. She smiled at them when they approached. Her eyes glanced in Munchs direction trying to decider how the tour had gone. He honestly didnt know. Had he done something wrong? Said something? He didnt feel like he had, but something was off with Thahn Ho. She crouched down beside her little brother as he watched his stick race passed Mitzis. Le shouted, See, I won again. Mitzi shook her head, which sent Puccini bobbing on her sweat shirt. Nope. You dont see so good. Before the two could start arguing again, Thahn Ho glanced at her watch and said, Me will be coming to get us soon. I think we best head back. In unison, Mitzi and Le said, No. Firmly, Thahn Ho said, Yes. The tone she used was one that was respected and not questioned. Neither child argued further. On the walk back to the trailer, Mitzi and Le ran all the way, whooping and shouting. Lolly said, Your brother really seems to like it here. Yes. I do too. Thahn Ho looked at Munch and smiled. There was something so specific in her look that Munch was taken aback. Was she telling him, she liked him too or was he just reading into her words what he hoped to hear? Lolly said, You will have to come over again. This has been fun. Up ahead, Le shouted, It sure has! Wish we lived on a farm. Munch immediately thought of the farm Les grandparents had lost. Living on a farm was a privilege he never, until this moment realized he possessed. Back at the trailer, Mitzi and Le were both talking at lightening speed, interrupting each other and casting looks that were either excited or aggravated. Grandma Toady listened to the whole confused account of their walk with rapt attention. Aunt Jessie came out of the kitchen and asked, Did yall come across Max and Kevin? Mitzi said, Nope, but I smelled cigarette smoke when we was at the stream. I think Max stole some more of Uncle Traces cigarettes. How did this child know so much? Aunt Jessies face flushed red. Someone was going to be in major trouble when they showed up. Max was about to be grounded for a month. According to the living room wall clock, it was almost four. It was time for Munch to go back home but he didnt want to. He said, Well, I best be leaving. To Le he said, I will see you at Mass tomorrow. He looked from the mud smeared little boy to his older sister. He would see her too. He watched that slow smile spread across her face again. How he loved that smile. He smiled back and said, Bye. Outside he walked back to his house. The day had not gone as he imagined it would. It was the constant curse of having too much imagination. Rarely did a day live up to what his imagination could conjure. Still, he had learned more about Thahn Ho and gotten to spend a little time alone with her. When he got inside the house, his mother was prepping a vegetarian lasagna. She looked up at him and smiled. He waited for her to question him but she didnt. He went to his room, put on a Ray Charles Album and got out his sketchbook. That old tractor was an image he knew by heart. With his 2B pencil he sketched in its lines and on the seat was the figure of a girl with a dark pony tail. Chapter 12. Mitzi’s Way Bright and early Sunday morning, Mitzi banged on the back door. Mama let her inside. The child was dressed in a white dress with a black velvet bow, wearing black patent leather Mary Janes. Puccini was wearing a bow tie. Mitzi batted her eye lashes ever so slightly and said, I would like to go to church with you. Mama asked, Is it okay with your mother? Shes asleep, but Granma said it was okay. Let me give her a call first. Mama picked up the kitchen phone and dialed Grandma Toady. She said, Oh, hi Lolly. A certain someone is here. She says she has permission to go to church. Lolly said something neither Munch nor Mitzi could here. Okay, no its fine. We will enjoy her company. Max had been in more public places with Mitzi than his mother had, and he was not sure how well church and Mitzi would mesh. On the way to Mass, Mitzi asked, Why does Catho-licks call going to church Mass? Mama launched into a detailed description of the Latin word Mass was derived from. When she finished, Mitzi said, If you didnt know, you just couldve told me. You didnt have to make up a story. For half a second, Mama started to protest and then she just laughed. Truth was Munch didnt even have a clue as to what his mother had been talking about. When they reached the church, the green Volvo was already there. Mitzi bounced up and down in her seat. My best friend Le is here. Me and Puccini cant wait to see him. Get the lead out Aunt Estelle. Mama glanced at Munch. Her eyes twinkled. She really enjoyed Mitzis company. Munch did too, but only up to a point. A sense of dread was starting to swirl inside of him. For a moment Mitzi studied the church and said, This dont look nothing like Granmas church. This looks like Rapunzel or the three pigs might go here. So Mitzi thought it looked like a story book church too. Inside the church Mitzi just stopped. Her mouth formed a perfect O. Her eyes traveled from the stained glass windows to the patterns the colored light made on the floor. She whispered, "I didn''t know this was a rainbow church." Next her gaze traveled to the statues in their niche''s. When her eyes landed on the statue of Mary and baby Jesus. She whispered, I never knew Jesus was such a homely baby. Mama took her hand and lead her to their pew. Munch saw the Duong family sitting where they sat last week. He could feel a grin coming on. It was starting in his toes and singing Hallelujah as it spread across his face. At their pew, Mama knelt and crossed herself as did Munch. Mitzi did neither. She slid into the space right beside Le and said, Hey good Buddy. He frowned and said, I told you to call me Le. Mama tried to encourage Mitzi to sit beside her, but Mitzi had chosen her spot and she was not moving. With all his heart Munch wished he could be so bold and sit beside Thahn Ho. The service began. Mitzi was very fascinated by the incense that an elder was swinging in the air in front of the Father Henri as he made his way down the aisle. She wondered why the preacher was wearing a dress. All went pretty well until it was time for the Eucharist. Munch started praying Mama would just let Mitzi take it. If she did not, there would literally be hell to pay. The decision was made by Mrs. Duong. Perhaps she didnt know Mitzi wasnt Catholic, but she took her up front with Le. Disaster avoided. After the closing prayer, they headed to the parking lot. The adults talked and so did Mitzi and Le. Munch and Thahn Ho stood silently together not speaking and yet Munch felt like they were communicating in their own way. He had never been with anyone before in silence. Always he wanted to fill the space with the sound of his own voice. This was really strange and wonderful at the same time. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The adults headed for their cars. Mama grabbed Mitzis hand. Mr. Duong took Les hand. Thahn Ho broke the silence and said, It was good to see you today, Michael. I will see you tomorrow. Yeah, it was. See ya, tomorrow. This was the eighth day in a row he had spent time in Thahn Ho''s presence and tomorrow would be the nineth. Another grin spread across his face. As they drove away from the church Mitzi said, I liked your church. It was cool. Im gonna ask Mama if I can be a Catho-lick. Le says I have to be Catho-lick or his mama wont let him marry me. Its some kind of rule. I told him Im not even five and I cant marry him. But if hes really nice to me, which will be hard for him, I might let him be my boyfriend. Mama asked, Does he want to be your boyfriend? Indignant, Mitzi said, Why wouldnt he? I am fabulous. Indeed you are Mitzi. Indeed you are. Thanks. Can I have lunch with yall if you aint having anything thats gross? Mama asked, How does peanut butter and jelly sound? What kinda bread? I dont want that sprouted kind that tastes like grass. I have some white bread that your Uncle Trace likes. Thatll do. Me and Puccini will stay for lunch. * Munch had left his math homework until Sunday night. He was plowing through it in his room when he heard a knock on the door. It was Lolly, he recognized her knock. He went to answer the door. She had her back pack with her. She asked, Mind if I do my homework with you? No, I dont mind. Is everything okay? As okay as it can be with Max grounded. The big doofus is in such a MOOD. Youd think he got the death sentence or something." Alarmed Munch asked, Does he think I told on him? No, he knows you wouldnt do that. He thinks it was me though. Did you tell him it wasnt. Nope. Id rather him be pissed at me than Mitzi. Aunt Jessie is all freaked out that hes gonna start drinking next and then do drugs and then die in prison. She is totally over reacting. Munch exclaimed, Good Lord! He asked, How did Mitzi know hed been smoking? Lolly made a face and said, Well, when you and Thahn Ho came back from the barn, yall both smelled a little like cigarette smoke. Why didnt Mitzi think we were smoking? Lolly sat down on the floor and started digging through her backpack before she answered, Mitzi is very good at putting two and two together. Her brother went to the barn. You went to the barn and came back smelling like smoke. She knows Mr. Health Nut Munch wouldnt smoke, so that left Max. Do you think Kevin was smoking? Nah, he was just there while Max did what Max does. Lolly opened her Literature book and started reading. Munch sat down beside her and got back to his math. After a little while of studying, Lolly asked, So, how was your walk with Thahn? Eager to know if Thahn Ho had talked about him, Munch asked, How did she think it went? That girl does not talk much. Sorry she didnt say. How do you think it went? Good, and then something changed her mood. I dont know what it was. Yeah, Ive noticed she does that sometimes. I wish I knew why. Munch wished he knew too. A sly grin spread across Lollys lips. Mitzi tells me she might become a Catho-lick and marry Le. If she married Le and you married Thahn Ho you and Mitzi would be double kin. Shut your mouth girl! What is it with you and marriage lately? I dunno. I guess I just been thinking about it a lot since the wedding. The wedding of his mama to her pa, was not a topic Munch wanted to discuss, much less think about. He didnt answer and Lolly took the hint. She went back to her reading and he went back to his math. Of course Lolly finished her homework before he did. He was so absorbed in trying to unleash the mysteries of a + b = c, he didnt notice that she had pulled out one of his sketch books from under his bed. It wasnt just any sketch book it was the one that he had drawn Thahn Ho in. He reached for it but he was too late. Lolly studied the sketch. You really got the quality of her eyes. He muttered, The rest isnt so good. So what, the eyes are fabulous. They look so real. You should show her. Munch snatched the sketch book away from her. First of all, don''t look in my sketch books without permission and secondly, that is not going to happen." With a little break in his voice he added, "Don''t you tell her Ive been drawing her. She might think its creepy. A little twist came to Lollys smile. So you are drawing her. Theres more. Come on, please let me see. Though Munch was embarrassed he really wanted to share the tractor drawing with Lolly. There is only one more. He opened the sketch book and showed her. Oh, Munch, this is really good. I love it, but I promise I wont tell. She gave him a hug and said, I best be getting back to the war zone. I sure wish Aunt Jessie wouldnt ground Munch when shes working. It means Grandma Toady and I get to suffer through his nonsense. After Lolly left, Munch studied his two drawings. What would Thahn Ho think of them? He would never know, because she would never see them. He closed his sketch book and slid it under his bed. His thoughts turned to her. In a few hours it would be tomorrow and he would be in her presence again. For now that had to be enough. For now it was enough. Chapter 13. Grace Enters Algebra. It was not Munchs favorite subject but he managed to muddle through. At least he had his homework done. A certain amount of homework had to be done to keep his grade at C level. If he fell bellow a C he wouldnt be able to go on the art club field trip to the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston and he HAD to go on that field trip. He had already signed up for it and paid for it. More important than that Thahn Ho had signed up too. To be in the Museum of Fine Arts could be heaven. Trevor walked into the math class and sat down. He said, Hey. Munch said, Hey, back. Trevor pulled his Algebra book out of is back pack and plunked it on his desk top with his completed homework. Perfect Trevor always had his homework done. He glanced back at Munch, saw he had his homework finished and smiled. That smile irritated Munch for some reason. It was almost like saying, You have been a good boy and Im proud of you. It was slightly condescending. Sometimes Munch didnt know what Lolly saw in the boy. She thought he was Beautiful. If this boy was beautiful, well, he couldnt see it. What he saw when he looked at Trevor was a scrawny track boy with decent hair and zero taste in clothes. Track pants, baggy shirts and expensive athletic shoes. He wore the same thing every damn day. There was the clomp of heavy brogans on the floor. It was Quack. Quack walked into the room. He made so much noise. He said hello to all the girls he passed and only a couple even looked at him. He was just about to sit down in his desk when he saw Munch. With a strange gleam in his eye, he nodded his head and told him, I got some news for you. Whatever it was, it better not be about Thahn Ho. The doofus got up, crossed the room and slid into the empty desk behind Munch. He leaned forward and said, Seems we got us another new girl. I think you might like her. Munch turned and said, "Oh, yeah." Yup. She''s one tall glass of dark bourbon. Munch the vegetarian boy, knew very little about meat, and next to nothing about booze. He did get the tall glass part though. Why would a tall girl ever be interested in his scrawny self. Quack smirked. "Confused young son. You''ll understand when you see her." The dim wit was baiting him. Munch hadnt seen any new girl. It was possible she didnt even exist. Quack could just be messing with him. He wanted to react, but then he knew thats what Quack wanted him to do. He got off on upsetting people or making them mad. Munch turned back around and stared straight ahead. The idiot got up, laughed and went back to his seat. Munch didnt know what he thought was so funny. Under his breath, Trevor said, That dude is such a jack ass. "Yeah, he is." Was there a real new girl? If there was a real girl and if shes already had an encounter with Quack, Munch felt sorry for her. The door opened and a girl walked into the room wearing a floral Maxie dress. The fabric was gorgeous. Sophmore Counselor, Mrs. Dean came in behind her. The girl looked scared. Quack made a sound in his throat. This girl was black and that''s what dumb ass meant when he called her dark bourbon. Anger roiled inside of Munch. The new girl was tall like a super model and she was very pretty. No telling what the stupid boys were saying about her or thinking about her. Her eyes scanned the room and locked with Munchs. There was a brief instant of relief. It always helped to know you werent the only black person in a sea of white. Mr. Flynn took the class slip from Mrs. Dean. They exchanged a few words. Mrs. Dean gave the girl a reassuring pat on the arm and left the room. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. To the clas, Mr. Flynn said, This is Grace Thibodaux. Do make her feel welcome. Her last name sounded French to Munch. Mr. Flynn said to Grace, Go sit behind Michael. He pointed at Munch. Grace nodded. She walked down the aisle. All eyes followed her. She sat in the desk behind Munch. Her nervousness was palpable. Munch knew he needed to reach out to her. He could only imagine how she felt. Across the room that dumbass Quack was practically leering at her. Munch turned to her and whispered, Hey, everybody calls me Munch, you can call me that if you like. He noticed there were tears on her long curly lashes. Thanks Munch. She brushed the tears away with her hand and gave him a watery smile. When class was over, both Munch and Trevor hung back to wait for Grace. Trevor asked, Hows it going? When Grace stood Munch was very aware of how much taller she was than him. She was even taller than Trevor. She said, Okay I guess. Thanks for talking to me. No body has talked to me all day. Trevor asked, Whats your next class? Munch and me can walk you to it. My girl friend is really cool. I will introduce you to her. Thanks so much. I have Spanish. Trevor smiled, So do I Senorita. They headed into the hall. Munch couldnt help but notice how all eyes were shifting toward Grace. He knew what that felt like. Somewhere deep inside he was thankful he would no longer be the single token black student of Lyndon Baines High School. * Munchs last class of the day was American History. When Grace walked into the room, she came right to him and asked, Are any of these desks empty? The one in front of me. She slid into it. She turned to him and said, Trevor introduced me to his girl friend Lolly. Shes so sweet. I also met this girl, I cant remember her name. Shes super quiet. Um, it started with a T, I think. Shes new too. Oh, yeah thats Thahn Ho. Slowly, Grace said her name. I hope I can remember that. I thought this day was gonna be horrible but its turned out kinda okay. Mrs. Clary called the class to order. She had long blonde hair and wore the coolest bohemian clothes. Munch gave her an A for style. She saw Grace and smiled. Do you have your class slip? Grace got up and took it to Mrs. Clary. All eyes in the room followed her progress. Mrs. Clary signed the slip and said, Turn this into the office after class. You may take your seat. When Grace turned all eyes in the room shot to their desk tops. Only Munch kept his head up. Nervously, Grace made her way back to her desk. Even seated, she might be taller than he was. It was kind of hard to see over Grace. When he was little, well littler, his mama put him in a booster seat so he could reach the table. He could use a booster seat right now. Fortunately this was not math so he didnt have to worry about seeing equations on the board. Mrs. Clary launched into a lecture about the Louisiana Purchase. Munch heard not a word of it. In front of him, he couldnt help but notice Grace had an immaculate Afro. She smelled nice too. In no way did she eclipse Thahn Ho in his mind or heart, it was just hed never really been around any black girls. The last bell of the day sounded. Munch leaned forward and asked Grace, Do you ride the bus? No, I walk. We dont live far from the school. I gotta go get my sister from the junior high. I hope her day was not awful. They stood and walked into the hall. Thanh Ho was coming toward them. She said, Hi Grace. Carefully, Grace said, Hey Thahn Ho. You got it right that time. Thanks. She gave Munch a smile and fell into step beside him. The three of them made their way to the front doors. Out in the parking lot Munch saw the green Volvo. Thahn Ho said, See you tomorrow. She made her way toward her mothers car. Under her breath, Grace said, Damn, a Volvo. She dont act rich. Munch didnt know if Thahn Ho was rich or if her parents were just super cautious and Volvos were the safest cars on the planet. Grace scanned the sidewalk of the Junior High. Munch saw a scrawny black girl that looked miserable huddled beside the crossing guard, Mrs. Mc Farland. This girl was tall too, but she was too far away for Munch to clearly see her features. Grace waved her long arm at her sister and her sister waved back. See ya, tomorrow Munch. See ya. Munch watched her head down the side walk. She stuck out. Heads turned as she made her way to the Junior High. Not once did she turn to look at anyone else. She was headed straight for her sister. Mrs. Mc Farland nodded and smiled as Grace crossed the street. Mrs. Mc Farland could be counted on for kindness. When Grace reached her sister, her sister gave her the biggest hug. Not for the first time in his life, Munch wondered what it was like to have a sibling. Someone poked him in the back. He spun around. It was Lolly. Hey, the bus is fixing to leave. You riding? Yeah. Well come on. Mrs. Anderson is waiting. Chapter 14. A Walk in the Dark Friday night, Munch lay on the studio floor staring up at the ceiling. He had an idea for a drawing, but he couldn''t get his pencil to do what his brain envisioned. At her drafting table, Mama had finally settled down long enough to work on an illustration shed started two months ago. She was a bit fidgety, which meant a certain someone would be calling tonight. Once upon a time, Munch used to listen in on their phone conversations, but he no longer wanted to hear anything they said to each other. In less than six days THAT MAN would be in the house with his Mama again. Time was moving too fast. If there was just some way to skip, or avoid or erase that week when THAT MAN invaded the house. Munch had no idea how it would be or how it would go, he was however very certain that he did NOT want to be there. He let out a long sigh. Usually Mama would ask him what the matter was, but not tonight. Her entire being was focused on the impending ring of the telephone. Munch rolled over on his stomach and got up. He said, I think Ill go for a walk. Mama asked, Kinda dark isnt it? I''ll take my flash light. Okay, but don''t be gone long. Mama was such a worry wart. Munch went down stairs, grabbed his London Fog overcoat and headed out the back door. In the pocket was his flash light. He flipped it on and made his way passed the chicken coop and stepped into the cow pasture. Under the trees were the large dark forms of the sleeping cows. The beam of the flash light was shining on the ground directly in front of his feet. One never knew when one might step in a soft squishy cow patty. He breathed the night air through his nostrils. It was cold and smelled of damp earth. The stars above where so big and so clear. On nights like tonight he really missed Daddy. Daddy liked to take him for walks at night and show him the stars and tell him their names. Next year he would be able to take astronomy and he planned on doing it. It would bring his dad a little bit closer, at least that is what he hoped. All the sudden a large shadow came bounding out of the tall grass, Munch was just about to cry out when Bruno, the stupid Pitt Bull, tackled him and smothered him with kisses. Munch hit the ground hard. He felt the squish of a cow pat beneath him. Oh great! Furious he shouted, Get off of me you stupid dog. Aunt Jessie was laughing when she said, Get off him you big goof! The dog considered it a second and then resumed plastering Munch with his sloppy wet kisses. It was disgusting. Aunt Jessies shadow loomed over Munch. Her small hands gripped Brunos collar and she hauled him off of him. With a touch of giggle still in her voice, she said,Im really sorry about that. Are you okay? Ruefully, Munch said, My coats not. I got cow poop all over the back of it. Oh, wow, sorry. I will get it cleaned for you. Just come on up to the trailer and I will switch it out with one of Maxs jackets. The jacket would be too big. Munch really didnt want to go to the trailer. The last place he wanted to be was anywhere that damned dog was. Uh, its okay. No its not. I dont want your mama to have to deal with that. I should have had Bruno on a leash or at least called out a warning to you when I saw your flashlight." This was true and it miffed Munch that she had done neither. He reached down and picked up his flash light. Aunt Jessie, like her daughter Mitzi, didnt take no for an answer when she had other ideas. She said, "Come on. It won''t take but a sec." Reluctantly he said, "Okay. As they made their way to the trailer, Aunt Jessie held onto Brunos collar. The dog was whining and really wanted to give Munch more kisses. If that dog got loose from her, Munch knew he was done for. He waved the flashlight''s beam on the ground searching out cow patties. He didn''t want to get anymore cow poop on him than he already had. They were almost to the trailer when Aunt Jessie asked, Are you gonna be okay when my brother gets here? Munch shrugged. Well if being with those love birds gets to be too much, you are welcome to come over her. To be honest seeing them all sappy in love makes me want to barf sometimes." Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. "Really?" "Yup. Ill give you a key to my trailer. You are welcome to come over any time day or night. This was a very generous offer. It also felt a little like sabotage. Aunt Jessie was working against Mamas wishes. It was an action she would not tolerate if Mama did it to her. Munch was torn. Aunt Jessie worked four nights out of seven. When she worked, Max and Mitzi had to stay with Grandma Toady or their dad. Bruno worked the night shift with Aunt Jessie at the Penskys Gas Station, so no one would be in the trailer. Maybe he could even sneak out and sleep over there a couple nights, that would help. He just had to get up and leave before Aunt Jessie got home or his mother missed him. Yeah, right like his mom would miss him when THAT MAN was around. He bet she wouldn''t even notice he was missing. On the front porch of the trailer Mitzi stood bundled up in her pink robe, clutching Puccini with all her might. Indignantly she asked her mother, Whyd you sneak out without me again? I needed a little air. We got a little air here. Mitzi wrinkled her nose and said, I smell cow poop. Aunt Jessie said, Yup. Bad Bruno knocked Munch into a wet patty. Mitzi giggled and pinched her nose. Aunt Jessie said, Come one Mitzi, lets go inside." To Munch she said, Just leave your coat on the porch. Munch took the soiled coat off. He looked at in the porch light. The stinky, sticky stuff covered a large area. If he had paid for full price this coat he would would be furious but it was one of his Good Will finds, so it was okay sort of. Honestly he doubted Aunt Jessie would be able to get that big stain out. He was sure he would never wear the coat again. He tossed it on the porch and went inside. On the sofa, that looked like it was an island for clean laundry, sat Max. He didnt even look in Munchs direction when he entered. So the little baby was still sulking. Aunt Jessie said, Here take this. She pulled Maxs CPO jacket off the hook by the door. Max growled, What are you gonna do with that? Dramatically, Aunt Jessie said, Ah, he speaks, Max shot her a dirty look. Mitzi volunteered, Bruno knocked Munch down into a big cow patty and it squished all over his coat, Mamas gotta clean it up. Max raised his eyebrows, but didnt say more. He turned his attention back to the episode of Samford and Son that he was watching. From her purse, Aunt Jessie pulled a spare key and slipped into the pocket of the jacket. She gave the jacket to Munch and said, "Here put this on." He hated these big plaid CPO jackets. They were butt ugly. Still, he put it on, one did not protest when Aunt Jessie issued a command. He said, "Thanks," and headed out the door. He glanced at his house. The studio light was off. Mama must be on the phone, He really wasnt ready to go home , so he decided to stop by Lollys. There was music playing inside the trailer. It was Elvis Presley singing, You Aint Nothin but a Hound Dog. Munch opened the door and was surprised to see, Lolly, Thahn Ho, Lisa, Grace and another girl, who he suspected was Graces little sister, swaying to the music with Grandma Toady. Grandma Toady called, Come join us Munch. Sure thing. He ripped off the ugly jacket and tossed it on the recliner. He glanced in Thahn Hos direction. She had stopped swaying and looked embarrassed. She would get over it. Grandma Toady would see to that. The next song was Jail House Rock. Graces little sister could dance. Her body was amazingly fluid as she swung around just like she was Elvis Presley. Thahn Ho loosened up and started dancing too. In no time they were all dancing and working up a sweat. Munch loved dancing. He showed off his moves for Thahn Ho. Graces little sister took his hand and they did an impromptu jitter bug. Everyone was laughing when they finished, even Thahn Ho. Fluff, the cat was no where in sight. He must be in hiding. He didn''t like crowds or loud noises. The album ended, Munch said, Sorry to crash your slumber party, I didnt know yall were having one. None of the girls had mentioned it at school. Lolly said, We didnt know we were having one either, it just sort of happened. Grandma Toady said, Let me get yall something to drink. I worked up a powerful thrust." Grace said, Ill help. Munch and the rest of the girls flopped onto the floor. They were all out of breath. Graces little sister said, Im Tina, who are you, you wild dancing man? Im Munch. Nice to meet you. She gave him a big smile. She looked to be around twelve, maybe thirteen. Nice to meet you too. Grandma Toady and Grace came in with tall glasses of sweet tea. Grandma Toady made the best sweet tea. Much had a suspicion that once he drank his tea, he was going to be asked to leave. It was their party after all. The only thing he could do to forestall that exit was to drink his tea really slow. So he did, casting covert glances in Thahn Hos direction. She looked at him from time to time too. The kitchen phone rang. Grandma Toady got up to answer it. She wasnt gone long. When she returned, she told Munch, "That was your mama, you got her worried. So you best get on home. Munch didnt care if she was worried. He wanted to stay here with Thahn Ho, but when Grandma Toady said git, one got. He stood up, took his glass to the kitchen put it in the sink. He really did not want to go, but then he realized he just might see Thahn Ho in the morning before she left. That was something to hang on to. He went into the living room, scooped up the coat and bowed to the ladies. When he came out of his bow his eyes lingered ever so briefly on Thahn Ho. Her lips turned into a gentle smile and his heart did a kerthump. He was never going to be able to get to sleep tonight knowing she was so close. Chapter 15. A Ghost on the Bayou Mama met Munch at the back door. She looked better. He knew why. THAT MAN had called. She asked, Did you have a nice walk? I did until Bruno knocked me down, rolled me in cow Fido and slobbered all over me. Mama shook her head and let out an exasperated sigh. "I told Jessie not to let that dog run loose." Munch took off the horrid CPO jacket and hung it up on the coat rack. He said, Im going to my room. Um, we need to talk about something first. Oh God, he hoped it was not about THAT MAN. Mama turned him toward her and looked him directly in the eyes. She said, It seems there is a slumber party going on next door. I dont want you bothering those girls or going over there again. Do you understand me? Sarcastically he said, I speak English dont I? Mama continued, It is their night, okay. So leave them be. He gave a half hearted nod and went to his room. Like he would go over there. Grandma Toady was a fortress he did not want to contend with. He went to his window and looked out at the trailers. All the lights were on in Grandma Toadys trailer. Though it was cold outside he raised his window just a tad and listened. He could faintly hear music, but he couldnt make out what it was. How he wished he was over there. How he wondered what they were doing. For a long time he stood staring at the trailer. Nothing materialized from it, so he finally decided the best thing to do was go to bed. Morning would come faster if he fell asleep. If. His brain was on overdrive. He crawled under his covers, closed his eyes and thought about Thahn Ho. In such a short time he had some very solid memories of her. The warmth of sleep began to wrap around him. He was going under. A voice whispered, Munch, Munch wake up. For half a second Munch thought the girls had come to him. He opened his eyes and squinted out the window. The silhouette of Max was in the window. Great, did the goober want his ugly jacket back? Munch rolled out of bed and went to the window. In a excited whisper Max said, Theres women on this farm. Did you know? Yup. Why didnt you tell me? Why would I? Women Munch, women! Dont you like women? Okay this old jab. Shut up. What do you want? I saw Lolly and her friends go to the barn. Do you want to come with? Did he? Of course he did. This was one temptation he could not resist. Of course. He put on his steeled toed work boots and an old sweat shirt that belonged to his daddy. When he pushed the window all the way open it only made the smallest squeak. Quickly, he slid through the window and hit the ground running. Max was way faster than him and he was already half way to the barn. The wind was sharp as he ran. His lungs burned from exertion. It had been a really long time since he had run anywhere. Outside of the barn he saw Max waiting for him. When he reached him, Maxs one comment was, You sure are slow. Shh. Now that he was here, now that he was outside the barn, he didnt know what to do next. Of course he shouldnt have worried a second about that because Max had a plan. Well go through the hayloft door. How are we supposed to get through that? Max went to the side of the barn and pulled out the ricketiest ladder Munch had ever seen. "With this." He whispered, That thing will break and we will get caught. Max hissed back, God Munch stop acting like a girl. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. How many fin times had someone told him that. Aggravated, he followed Munch to the back of the barn. The hayloft door was closed. Quietly, Max placed the ladder against the side of the barn. He climbed up and tried to pry open the door. A voice from behind Munch asked, What do you two idiots think youre doing? It was Lolly. He turned around. Uhm, uhm From the ladder Max said brightly, We just thought wed see if we could join the party. Furious Lolly asked, By sneaking into the barn and spying on us? What the hell? Munch was feeling pretty stupid right now. If Thahn Ho suddenly appeared what would she think? Max climbed down and pleaded, Come on Lolly, you know Im grounded and I cant do a damn thing. And whose fault is that? It was too dark to see her eyes roll, but Munch knew they were rolling. Please we will be good. If you get caught out here, Im gonna be in trouble too. Max said, Come on Lolly, you dont have to be a goody goody ALL the time. She let out a sigh and said, If the girls say its okay its okay. But, if they agree you have to promise me that you will leave when I say leave. Solemnly Max said, I promise. Lolly lead them into the barn. The girls all had flash lights and were sitting up in the hay loft. They looked down on them. Munch looked up and saw Thahn Ho. Her hand was over her mouth and she was giggling. Max stood as tall as he could stand and said, Good evening ladies. Lolly asked, Is it okay if they stay a bit? If you dont want them here Ill send them on their way. Lisa said, Lets take a vote. All in favor of say Aye, all opposed say Nay. To the boys delight, the girls said, AYE! Lolly climbed up first, followed by Max and then Munch. There was a spot beside Thahn Ho and he sat down beside her. She gave him the most incredible smile. If he got grounded that smile alone made it totally worth it. Max sat between Lisa and Graces younger sister, Tina. He said to Tina. Ive seen you at school. In a haughty voice Tina said, Yeah, and you haven''t said a damn word to me. This comment took Max completely off his game. He looked confused. Oh, Im sorry. She cut her eyes at him and said, Yeah, I bet. Come Monday little old Tina Thibodaux will be invisible again. Max dropped his eyes and mumbled, I am really sorry. Well see. I dare you to talk to me and walk me to one of my classes. A dare. Max could not resist a dare. Okay, youre on. The sparkle returned to his eyes. Tina was surprised, but she was still wary. Max might bail on her come Monday. Munch knew he wouldnt but Tina didnt. Max asked, What are you ladies up to? Lisa said, Grace was just about to tell us a ghost story. Munch was not overly fond of ghost stories. Max of course loved them. He plopped down beside Munch. All the girls, except Grace, turned off their flash lights. Grace did that corny thing of holding the flash light under her chin. She leaned forward. Her eyes reflected the light. Shadows altered her face and somehow she looked like a crone. Munch was instantly freaked out. Her voice was low and sinister as she began, My granny said it happened by the waters of Bayou Lafourche in Louisiana back in day of Jim Crow. A whisky drunk soldier spied a lovely young lady walking along the bayou come twilight. Her skin was beautiful brown, her figure full and people called her Lacey. At the sight of her lust rushed through the soldiers whisky soaked body and mind. He would have her! Graces voice cut off with a hiss. Slowly she took in the eyes of everyone around her. She spun the flash light causing the shadows all around them to jump. A stray wind slammed against the barn, whistling its fury. Grace let out a low moan deep in her throat and said, Lacey asked, So, you have come to take me? The Soldier with his addled mind shouted, I have! Ever so meekly, Lacey whispered, So be it. Her eyes became as silver as the moon and her hair the white of spider webs. She raised her hands to the moon and began to twirl. As her body swirled wisps of vapor spun out of her. The wisps took the shape of snakes. Long white snakes! Water Moccasins! They hissed and slithered around the man and then, they struck! Their long white fangs dripped dark poison as they latched onto his throat. Ten snakes sucking, poisoning, stinging this drunk soldier. The soldier let out terrible scream. My granny told me that if I listened on a moon lit night, I would heard his scream. On that fated night however, when whisky and lust stole his soul, no one heard a sound, but my grannys granny. Munch could feel the hair on his arms standing on end. Again Grace swept her gaze across the faces of those gathered. My Grannys granny was not the sort of woman who wasted her time saving fools from their own mischief. After awhile the screams stopped. My grannys granny took her best coon hound and made for the bayou. There on the shore Lacey spun. A ghost she had become, at least that is what my grannys granny thought. Slowly, Lacey came to a halt. Her eyes faded from silver to brown and he hair became as black as the night. The snakes rose up and slithered heaven ward. Lacey smiled at my grannys granny as she made her way back home. As for the soldier there was nothing left of him but a heap of bloody clothes. From the water leapt a fiery creature, some say it was Satan others say it were a demon. My grannys granny claimed she saw the creature pull the rags unto itself as it bore away the soldiers soul to the fiery flames of HELL! Munch swallowed hard. He did not like this story. Grace said something else, but he didnt hear it because, the clammy hand of Thahn Ho slipped into his hand. She looked up at him, and then buried her face against his sleeve. Gently, he squeezed her hand. Chapter 16. The Fear of Hurling After the second ghost story, Lolly kicked them out. True to their word, the boys left. But neither of them wanted to. Max was pretty hyped up. Wow those Thibodaux girls are something else. So pretty. Munch couldnt help but wonder if he was referring especially to Tina, but he didnt ask. Releasing Thahns hand had been difficult. He wasnt sure if anyone had seen them holding hands. Max certainly hadnt or he would be grilling him right now. As they neared the house and the trailers, it looked like everyone was still sleeping. They parted at the drive. Munch went to his bedroom window, took off his work boots and climbed inside. To his dismay, he saw the shadowy form of his mother on his bed. Michael, were you and Max spying on those girls? That had been the plan, at least it had been Maxs plan. Honestly he could say, No Mama. They invited us inside and Grace told some ghost stories. Not sure I will be able to sleep tonight. The last part was only partially true. If he couldnt sleep, it wouldnt be because of any ghosts, it would be because of Thahn Ho. In a weary voice Mama said, Well, Im thankful to know you arent a peeping Tom. We will talk about this more in the morning. She stood, came to him and kissed him on the top of his head. Before she left his room, she closed and locked his window. When she closed the door, Munch turned back to the window. From his vantage point he could just make out the right side of the barn. A little light shown through some of the cracks. Would the girls be out there all night? He had failed to notice if theyd brought their sleeping bags. It was cold in his room. He went to his bed and climbed under the covers. The spot where Mama had been sitting was still warm. He was just about to doze off when he heard the girls voices outside. Sleep left him. He hopped out of bed and went to the window. The girls were a pack of indistinct shadows in the midst of flash light beams as they made their way back to the trailer. Grandma Toadys porch light was on. They stepped onto the porch. For just an instant, Thanh Ho turned and looked toward his house. He knew it was too dark for her to see him, but he waved anyway just in case. She didnt see him. The girls disappeared inside. Back under his covers he relived every instant of that night over again. It was after 2:00 a.m. He got up one last time and looked out his window. There werent any lights on in the trailer. The girls were sleeping or whispering their secrets to each other. * Morning came early. Munch heard a car door slam and he was out of bed like as shot. He rushed to the window. The sun was just rising. The car in Grandma Toadys drive was the green Volvo. Munch strained to see Thahn Ho. He could just make out her form climbing into her mothers car, only her dad was driving. Instinctively, Munch ducked down. The last thing he wanted was for Mr. Duong to see him staring at his daughter. He heard the car leave. Tomorrow was Sunday, and he would see her at church. He sighed. In the kitchen he heard his mother fixing breakfast. The smell of french toast wafted into his room. It had been a long time since he last ate. The food called to him but he hesitated. No telling what frame of mind Mama was in. Plus, he really didnt want another lecture. In the battle of the wills, his stomach caved in, it was hungry and it wanted food. Cautiously, Much walked into the kitchen, Mama gave him a rueful smile. She motioned for him to take a seat. In silence they ate their french toast. It was hot and sweet and gooey just like he liked it. When they finished, Mama asked, What do you think your punishment should be for sneaking out? WHAT? Had Mama read some article in that magazine, Psychology Today about teenage boys? Regardless, this felt like a trap. What if he over punished himself? What if he under punished himself? How would he punish himself? He said, Well let me give it a think? Mama raised her eyebrows. Confused, he said, Okay, okay. Go ahead and ground me. From what? One thing was for sure, she would not ground him from church or the field trip to the Museum of Fine Arts. Uh, I guess you could ground me from Goodwill for a month. Michael, I am not going to punish your creativity. It doesnt have to be grounding, It can be a chore or something. Exasperated Munch said, Why dont you just pick something? Punishing me is your job. I am NOT doing your Mama work for you. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Mamas lips twitched ever so slightly, but she kept her voice firm. You will clean out the chicken coop. Oh, Lord not that. Chickens were poop machines. Yes, that. Also, you are grounded for the next two weekends. That includes, going over to Jessies and Grandma Toadys. Oh, crap. The weight of his mothers words hit Munch hard. Next weekend, THAT MAN would be in the house. He would be stuck with Mama and THAT MAN. Dammit, he should have come up with his own punishment. He was such an idiot. Mama asked, Agreed? Can we rethink this? You had your chance. Now, go get dressed. The chickens are waiting. The chickens were not waiting for him. The only reason they ever came to him was because he had their food. * Sunday Morning. Munch dressed with care. He wasnt just dressing for Thahn Ho, he was dressing for her entire family. Since holding her hand, this wild hope had taken root in him that some how, some way they might accept him as more than Thahn Hos friend. This was 1976 and it was a far fetched hope, very far fetched and yet it still quivered inside of him. When he came out of his room, Mama asked, Going to Mass with me again? Not that Im discouraging it, but I have to ask what gives? Okay, this was when Mama asked a question she most likely knew the answer to. He lied, I have just realized I need God in my life. Mamas eyes narrowed. Right. She did not say more. After breakfast they got in the red Volkswagen and headed for Mass. Mitzi did not join them them this week. All the way to church Munch could feel butterflies in his stomach. He was so excited to see Than Ho. The green Volvo was in the church parking lot. In seconds he would see her. They walked inside. In the pew sat Mr. Duong and Le. Mrs. Duong and Thahn Ho werent there. She wasnt there. All the butterflies in Munchs stomach came to a dead halt. Disappointment rushed through him. Now he had to sit through an entire service for no reason. Mama crossed herself and walked to their pew. She greeted Mr. Duong and Le. Munch crossed himself and sat down beside his mother. The space where Mrs. Duong and Thahn Ho usually sat was empty. Where were they? Was everything okay? Loudly, Le volunteered the answer to this question. My sister is sick. She threw up every where, all over the carpet and the floor and herself. It was SO GROSS. Dramatically he added, "And she''s got the SQUIRTS!" Mr. Duong said, "Le, that is enough." Mama said, Oh, I am so sorry to hear that. To Mr. Duong, she asked, Is she okay? He looked a bit grim, Yes, it is food poisoning, we think. No one else got sick though. I hope she gets to feeling better. Me too. It might be food poisoning. It might not. Munch had a fear of throwing up. It was something he did not do. What if Thahn Ho had a stomach virus? What if Le and Mr. Duong were coming down with it and at this minute they were poisoning the air every time they breathed? When he had held Thahn Hos hand, it had been cold and clammy. What if she had a fever? What if she was delirious and didnt even remember she had held his hand? Had he caught this virus when he held her hand? God he hoped not. As his mind raced from one worst case scenario to the next the music began. The choir warbled. Incense filled the tiny church. The smell of it made Munch feel a bit nauseous. Was he getting sick? What if he threw up in church, on everything? Nervously, he took in a slow breath of air. Father Henri stood at the lectern and began his homily. All the while he was speaking about the goodness of God, Munchs imagination was running away from him, he really needed to calm down. People threw up all the time and it didnt kill them. No it didnt but it washe took in another slow breath of air and focused on the stained glass windows. Morning light was filtering through them creating patterns on the floor. The patterns looked like lit vomit to him.He ALWAYS completely freaked out when it came to vomit. Firmly he told himself, Stop you idiot. If you are infected you are infected. Just stop. He tried to focus on the homily but his mind was just a white storm of stupidity. After awhile the peace of the sanctuary began to penetrate his panic. It was then that he realized, Thahn Ho probably wouldnt be at school tomorrow and he wouldnt get to see her. Poor thing. Instantly he felt stupid. Here she was sick and all he could think about was his own stupid stomach. While he might be afraid of getting sick, she was actually sick. When the service ended, Munch went up to Mr. Duong and told him, If Thahn Ho is too sick to go to school tomorrow, I can get her assignments. Mr. Duong said, That is very kind of you. I will tell her. He bowed to Munch, unsure of what to do, Munch bowed back. When he stood up, his eyes met Mr. Duongs. This man was a man like Daddy, he could feel it. He was honorable and a straight arrow. He was not like THAT MAN. He didnt live away from his family, he lived with them. Not that Munch wanted THAT MAN to live with him all the time, but he did want that for Lolly. He had had a father that was always there, Lolly had never had a father like that and she never would. The ride home from church was quiet. Mama was rather preoccupied and he didnt feel like talking. This time next week, THAT MAN would be in the house. Would Mama go to Mass? As soon as he got home, he started to head over to Lollys. Mama asked, Where do you think you are going? Dammit, in his panic he had completely forgotten he was grounded. He was going to ask Lolly if shed talked to Thahn Ho, but he didnt say that. He had a sneaking ever growing feeling that his mom knew that he liked her. So, he said, Oh, I forgot. If I cant go over there, can I at least call Lolly? Of course. Inside he dialed Lollys number and pulled the long phone cord into his room. Lolly answered. Hey Lolly, I just got back from Mass and Thahn Hos brother told me she was real sick. Have you heard from her? No, but Ill check on her later and let you know hows shes doing. Thanks. He hung up the phone. He wished he could just call her himself but he didn''t have her number. Chapter 17. Of Mole Hills and Mountains It was late Sunday evening when Lolly called Munch. She told him, Thahn Ho is still really sick. Her mother told me that if she isnt better by morning her doctor recommends that she be admitted into the hospital to receive IV fluids. Stunned he asked, The hospital? Yeah, they may have to do some tests on her. Guilt bit Munch in the ass. He had been so worried about throwing up that morning and now Thahn Ho was really, really sick. Hospital sick. Lolly asked, Munch are you there? Uh, yeah. I told her dad at church that I would get her assignments together. She could be out a while, huh? Could be. Her mom will call the school in the morning to notify her teachers. Then her dad will pick up her course work from school. Again, Munch went silent. He wouldnt be able to do anything for Thahn Ho. She was really sick and he wouldnt see her tomorrow. It could be several days or even a week or more depending on what was wrong with her. Lolly cut into his silence, Munch, reign in your brain. I know its already predicting disaster. While it is a possibility she could be worse come morning, it is also a possibility she could be better. Do they, do they know whats wrong with her? A virus most likely So it might be contagious? Yeah, I guess. If Thahn Ho didnt wash her hands or something. He knew she would have washed her hands. She was very neat and tidy. Okay Munch dont go there. You havent even touched her. Yeah, you sat by her Friday night, but what shes got most likely isnt air born. But he had touched her. He had held her hand. Lolly must have not noticed, and if she hadnt noticed then probably nobody else did either. They had been in the shadowed part of the hayloft. Still, as hard as he tried Munch could feel his too vivid imagination kicking into over drive. Two scenarios were playing out in his head simultaneously. The first was that Thahn Ho would be violently ill and die. The second was that he would become violently ill and die. Lolly asked, Munch I know youre grounded from coming over here, but ask your mom if I can come over there. Okay. He pulled the phone and the long cord back into the kitchen. Mama was grilling tofu. She took one look at his face and asked, Is something wrong? His voice made this weird little squeak noise when he said, Thahn Ho is really sick, she might have to go to the hospital in the morning. Oh no, I am so sorry to hear that. He swallowed hard before he asked, Would it be okay if Lolly came over for a little while? Sure. Into the phone he said, Mama said you can come over. He told Lolly bye. Oh, Michael I know how much you worry. Lolly will be a good distraction for you. Yeah, Mama knew how much he worried. She also knew how his worries spiraled into apocalypses. His stupid brain. Thank you for letting Lolly come over. Lolly was there in a flash, accompanied by Fluff. She put the big cat down on the kitchen floor and he surveyed his surroundings. He sniffed the air. He had NO interest in tofu. The cat followed Lolly and Munch upstairs into the studio. He sniffed around and studied the space. The room was not tidy. There were many things to bat around on the floor and this intrigued him. The VERY NEAT and CLEAN world of Grandma Toady, did not ever contain so much potential prey. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Mama had bought a couple of turquoise beanbags and put them in the studio. Munch and Lolly fell into separate ones. Lollys eyes narrowed as she looked at Munch. She said, You really like her dont you and its just getting worse. He nodded. He really hoped she didnt want to talk about that. Perhaps she sensed he didnt want to talk about it, or she had nothing to add to her comment but either way she said, I think we should get a card and pass it around tomorrow. I can take it to the office and put it with her class work. Grandma Toady is going to call Mrs. Duong and tell her if needs her to, she can pick up Thahn Ho''s class work and drop off at their house. Munch was instantly alert. He asked, Would you go too? Yup. You could come along. Could he? Your mama is not so mean as to keep you from delivering a card to a sick girl just because she grounded you. Possibly. Maybe not though. He could feel his brain begin to tank. He was scared. His stupid brain always took mole hills and created great big ginormous mountains. Instantly, Lolly was in the same bean bag as he was. She put her arms around him and said, All we have is now. Right now Thahn Ho is at home. Her mom is taking good care of her. She could be much better by morning. Munch pressed his face against Lollys shoulder and whispered, She could also be a lot worse. Maybe, but we dont know. Like Grandma Toady says, dont go borrowing trouble. Trouble was something Munch always borrowed and paid for. A wad of paper went skittering across the floor. Fat cat Fluff ran, sort of, and pounced on it. Prey captured. Lolly released Munch and stood. What you need to do is make Thahn Hos card. Me. I thought you were going to give her one of those thousands of cards Grandma Toady and her Angels send out at church. Nope. I just got the best idea. YOU are going to make her a card. So get drawing buster. Until she said it, it hadnt even occurred to Munch that he could make her a card. This was something he could do for her. This was one way he could let her know he was thinking of her. Okay. What should we put on it. Lolly sank down in the bean bag chair. Fluff slapped the wad of paper and chased after it. For starters you should draw something pretty. She really likes birds and flowers. Ideas started percolating in his brain. These ideas began the slow work of pushing the fears out of his head. He asked, What will the card say? It wont say get well. I think its dumb to tell a sick person to get well, because if they could force themselves to be well, they would be well. We should go with something like, Thinking about you and then just let everyone write her a little note in the card. I will pass it around. A cheerleader did that for Max when he broke his collar bone last fall and he liked it so much he actually started being nice to me again. And, he kept the card. Its one his wall at home. Munch remembered when Max was being a total snot to Lolly. He was glad he got over it. Yeah, okay, that sounds good. Now it is time for me to EMBELLISH. He got up and started sorting through his drawing paper and colored pencils and markers. This would be a card to remember. This would be a card he hoped Thahn Ho would keep, maybe even put on her wall. There were several false starts. Wads of paper littered the floor. In the midst of them, Fluff snored. Lolly had pulled a paper back out of her back pocket and was reading. Finally, Munch came up with an image the hoped Thahn Ho would like. It was a river, a teal river, with sparrows flying over it. He showed it to Lolly. Oh, Munch that is too beautiful to be just a card. It should be framed. Actually, he was thinking the same thing, but this was a card and it would remain a card. After several silent moments of thought, Lolly said, I know what we can do. Cut a square of card board the same size as the card and we can wrap it in Saran Wrap so people dont get it all grungy when the sign it. Yeah, that sounds good. Who all are you going to ask? Just people who actually know her. She is so quiet in my classes shes practically invisible. Still, Trevor, Jake, Lisa, Grace, Max, you, me and Mitzi. I think Grandma Toady and Mama would want to sign it too. Lolly nodded, They would. We will get all the home signatures and take it to school tomorrow. Okay. Later, when Munch was alone in his room, he kept looking at the card he made. Would she like it? More importantly would she be better in the morning? She just had to be better in the morning. He did something that was very rare for him. He prayed the Rosary for Thahn Ho. He had to get out his catechism, because he couldnt remember all the words. Honestly, he didnt know if it would do any good, but he had to do something, and this was the something he chose. For awhile he stood at his window staring up at the stars. A fragile peace began to settle over his anxious mind. He pulled his sleeping bag out of his closet and took it up to the studio. He spread it out beside the window. Right now, what he needed most was to focus on something bigger than himself and all his worry. The moon was rising. Chapter 18. Monday Monday The sound of the roosters crowing woke Munch from sound sleep. It was morning. How was Thahn Ho? He went downstairs. His mother had an early class on Monday mornings, so she was about to leave for work. She asked, Did you sleep up there? Yeah. Oh, okay. She gave him a peck on the cheek and started to head out the door. Wait, I need you to sign Thahn Hos card. He rushed upstairs got the card and brought it back down. Mama took it from him and softly said, Michael, this is beautiful. Thank you. She got a pen out of her purse and scrawled a message on the inside of the card. Her hand writing was really hard to read. She gave the card back to him and said, Its okay if you take this over to Grandma Toadys and get them to sign it. Thanks Mama. He started to head out the door. Michael, you are still in your pajamas and you havent eaten. Oh." Dont forget you have your first Karate class tonight. I will be taking you. Karate? They had signed up so long ago he had completely forgotten about it. Bye Sweetie. Bye Mama. She closed and locked the door behind her. Really, Munch wasnt hungry. His stomach didnt feel so good. Could it be? Maybe? Please God no! Disgusted with his inner dialogue, he wen to the fridge and got out soy milk and a slice of sprouted bread. He put in the toaster with out butter because he forgot about the butter. The toast was very dry, but he didnt even notice. After he took a quick shower he spent several long moments staring at the clothes in his closet. Nothing appealed to him. Over all his clothes were too flashy. He did not feel flashy today. He just felt scared. His issue with worst case scenarios began when his dads helicopter had crashed outside of Hanoi. First he was missing as was his helicopter and co pilot. During that horrible time of waiting Mama had said a Rosary for Daddy every day and every night. They attended Mass every time the doors were open. They both held onto hope, that he would be found, that he would be okay. Then the soldiers showed up with the telegram no one wants to receive. Little as he was, he knew what that telegram meant. His daddy was dead. He had been burned up in the helicopter crash. There was nothing much left of him to send home. His remains were buried Austin, where Daddy had grown up. Ever since then, Munch had not trusted hope, he knew the worst could and did happen. Mama didnt like that he thought this way. She insisted that good things happened too. Would good things happen for Thahn Ho today? He didnt have the courage to risk hope. He picked a faded pair of jeans and his daddys old sweat shirt. It wasnt how he usually dressed, but today was not usual. After he made his lunch, he headed out the door to the trailer with the card wrapped in Saran Wrap. When he walked into the living room, Mitzi was in mid tantrum. How come every body else gets to go to Karate class tonight but I dont! Its not fair! I want to go too! Patiently, Grandma Toady explained, Mitzi, you are already in tap and ballet. You dont have time to be in another class. At the top of her lungs Mitzi shouted, I DONT WANT TO BE A DANCER ANY MORE. I WANT TO BE A NINJA! Max came into the living room and interjected, I dont want her in Karate. Furious Mitzi spun around and said, You are NOT the boss of me, so Shut UP! Munch never felt comfortable when he walked into these battles of will that were constantly going on in the trailers. Grandma Toady said, That is enough. Max started to say something, but the look Grandma Toady gave him silenced him completely. As for Mitzi, she was too worked up to be silenced AT ALL. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! I WANT TO GO! Keep this up young lady and you wont even be going to dance this week. This got her attention. In a choked voice, Mitzi said, I want to go please. I might be a good ninja. I tell you what, began Grandma Toady, I will let you go to class tonight just to try it out and if you like it better than dance, I will talk to you mama. No, Max said. She causes a scene everywhere she goes. Grandma Toady asked, Mitzi can you behave? I will do my bestest to behave. Okay, we will give it a whirl. Max threw his hands up in the air and said, Wonderful. With sharp glance at him, Grandma Toady said, Watch your attitude young man. I know things your mama doesnt know. Munch knew exactly what Grandma Toady was referring to. Max''s mama did not know he had snuck out Friday night. Max caught Grandma Toadys meaning and shut up. There was finally a pause in the argument, so Munch said, I made a card for Thahn Ho, if yall would like to sign it. The tension in the air evaporated. Mitzi said, I want to sign it and so does Puccini but we cant write very many words. Munch told her, Just draw a heart and write your name and the letter P. I bet she will know its from you. Grandma Toady dug a pen out of her voluminous purse. That thing was bigger than Mitzi and probably weighed more. Munch handed the card to her. She smiled at him and said, Munch my dear you are amazing. This is beautiful. With Grandma Toadys help Mitzi carefully wrote just what Munch told her to. Pleased with herself she smiled. Grandma Toady signed and then Max. Lolly still hadnt come into the living room. Grandma Toady called, Lolly, the bus will be here soon. You need to get off the phone. Lolly was on the phone? Was it about Thahn Ho? Finally Lolly came into the living room. She looked like she had been crying. Had she heard bad news? Grandma Toady asked, You okay Sweetie? Not really. Whats wrong? Trevors dad had another heart attack. They are at the hospital. Grandma Toady extended her arms and Lolly rushed into them. I am so sorry Baby. It just seems like when it rains it pours. Lolly asked, Can I go to the hospital? No, Sweetie, you have school. Maybe after school, okay? Lolly nodded and let go of Grandma Toady. Silently, Max, Lolly and Munch headed for the bus stop. Trevors dad was super OLD, older than Grandma Toady. He had had a heart attack a year or so ago and been forced to retire. Munch really hoped he was going to be okay. He knew how tough it was to loose a father. The bus ride was a silent one. Lolly just stared out the window with tears slipping down her cheeks. When they reached the school, she wiped off her face with her sweatshirt sleeve and pasted a smile on her face. Munch couldnt believe how hard she was taking this. She barely knew Trevors dad. In the cafeteria, Lolly asked Grace, Jake and Lisa to sign the card. Jake asked, Wheres Trevor? Quietly, Lolly said, His dad had another heart attack. Oh, no! Jake exclaimed. He was worried that would happen, his mom and dad have been fighting a lot. Lisa asked, About what? Stuff. Mostly, his mom wants to move. She hates it here, but Trevors dad loves it. Jake glanced around the cafeteria and said, She thinks we are all just poor white trash. I seriously dont know how someone as nice as Trevor could have a mama like that. This day was turning very bleak. Munch said, I think I will go to the art room and make Trevors dad a card for us to sign. Lolly said, That would be a good idea. I will take it to him when I go up to the hospital this evening." Munch couldnt help but wonder if Thahn Ho was in the hospital too. When he reached the art room, several students including Quack were hard at work, trying to catch up on one of their projects. Mademoiselle Petite saw Munch and said, Thahn Hos going to be out. If you can get her stuff together so I can send it to her, I would greatly appreciate it. Sure. Uhm, do you know how Thahn Ho is doing? No, I am sorry. But, I will be seeing her dad this afternoon, so I will find out and let you know. Thanks. He went to Thahn Hos art drawer and pulled it out. There was a beautiful sketch of crane in flight. She just had to be okay, she had so much more to learn and do. She just had to be okay. He packed up her paints, canvas, pencils and sketch book and took them to Mademoiselle Petite. Thank you Michael. When he sat down at his table, it occurred to him, he could have slipped a note into Thahn Hos sketch book. He still could, but, what would he say that he hadnt already said in the card? And what if her dad found it? Well, if he just drew a picture, her dad wouldnt know it was from him, but Thahn Ho would. First though he had to make a card for Mr. Long. * When school got out, Munch was surprised to find Mama waiting in the parking lot for him. In the car with her was Le. Why was Le with Mama? Had something horrible happened? He raced to the car and asked, Is everything okay? Le said, My sister is sick. Shes at the hospital cause shes got a hot gall bladder. The doctor had to take it out. Your Mama picked me up from school, cause Im too little to visit my sister. Mama glanced at Le and said, Shes going to fine, but she has to stay in the hospital for two nights. Le will be staying with us tonight. Thahn Ho was going to be okay, that was all that mattered. In the backseat of the Volkswagen with Le, were Thahn Hos assignments and books. Tucked into her sketch book was a small drawing he had done of a barn. It wasnt just any barn it was his barn. From the back seat, Le said, "I''m going to Karate with you." Le and Mitzi at Karate at the same time. Oh, wow. Chapter 19. Keikogi, Cloth of Practice Mama drove to Bell Street. Oak trees lined the street. The houses were modest and rectangular. All of them were made out of brick with a different trim. When Munch got into the car, for something reason it didnt even occur to him that they would be going to Thahn Hos house. Mama pulled into the drive of a white brick house with black trim. Le threw off his seat belt and burst out of the car. He ran to the front door and opened it and shouted, Ong noi, Im home! Mama said, Good grief that child is quick. She jumped out of the car rushed to the open front door. Munch followed close behind. .They might not be in there long. Mama came to an abrupt stop at the front door. An older gentleman stood there. He wore thick glasses and hearing aids. His accent was pronounced. Mama seemed to understand him, but Munch didnt have a clue. Mama said, It is good to meet you Mr. Phan, I am Estelle and this is my son, Michael? The old man looked at Munch with confusion. Mama continued, Huong called me and asked me to take care of Le for the night. Ive come to get his things. The old man nodded. Distinctly he said, Thank you. Le is much. He let them inside. The house was sparsely furnished. It only contained what was necessary. Simple chairs and tables. There was a deep blue fold out couch. Two things were in abundance in the living area, potted plants and framed art work. Some of the art was obviously Thahn Hos, others were not. There was one Japanese ink drawing on yellowing rice paper of trees in the mist. It was delicate and beautiful. Le was in the kitchen banging doors and slamming drawers as he fixed himself a peanut butter sandwich. Mr. Phan shook his head. My chau trai. He turned to the kitchen and said something very firmly in Vietnamese. Sorry Ong noi! In English, Mr. Phan said, Come, get your things. With peanut butter sandwich in hand, Le led Mama down the hall. Munch followed. He was hoping for a glimpse of Thahn Hos room. He passed a door with drawings of kittens on it, but it was closed. He would keep his door closed too, if Le were his little brother. In Les room Le gave Mama doughy instructions as to where his things were, while he ate. In the center of his room was a table with an entire Lego city. It even had cars. Munch asked, Did you make this? Yup, me and Ong noi did. Some times Papa helps. Its really good. Le studied the table a second and said, Yup it is. Mama got Les clothes, his tooth brush, pillow and a stuffed alligator named, Ca Sau. The alligator was big and could probably eat Puccini in one bite if he wanted to. They went back into the living room. Mr. Phan was on the couch watching television. The volume was rather loud. Mama said, We are leaving. It was a pleasure to meet you. You too. To Le he said, Be good. Le smiled brightly and said, Of course. He ran to the front door, threw it open and headed outside. Bye, Mama said as she ran after him. Mr. Phan smiled and said, The house will be quiet tonight. Munch smiled. It would be. * Before they headed out the door for Karate, Mrs. Duong called to check on Le and let them know that Thahn Ho had come out of anesthesia and was doing better. That was such a relief. The red Volkswagen was packed. Mama and Max were in the front seat. Lolly was still at the hospital with Trevor. This was fortunate in one way because there wouldnt have been any place for her to sit tonight. In the backseat were Mitzi, Le, Munch, Puccini the bear and Ca Sau the alligator. Both Mitzi and Le were so excited. Neither of them had ever been to a Karate class before. From time to time they punctuated the air with a chop. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The class was held in a small studio, much like a dance studio. There were thin gray mats on the floor and mirrors on the walls. The class was supposed to start in January, but something had happened that had pushed it back to February 5th. The room was divided into two sections. One was for older kids and the other was for the little kids. Mitzi saw a girls she knew. Look Aunt Estelle, Sunnys here! She shoved Puccini into Mamas hands and ran across the room. Disgruntled, Le said, I didnt know there would be girls in my class. Mama said, Go on Le, there are some boys. His voice caught a little when he said, But, I dont know them. Though Mitzi had not needed an introduction, Le did. Mama took Ca Sau and said, Come on, I will introduce you to the teacher. She held out her hand and Le took it. Munch watched them cross the floor. Mama was practically having to drag Le over to the teacher. As soon as Mama was out of ear shot, Max asked, Does Grandma Toady know about our trip to the barn? If she does, she didnt hear it from me. Maxs eyes narrowed and he asked, Lolly? This question did not deserve an answer so Munch remained silent. A man with hair cut very close to his scalp, came out of the office wearing a white uniform. He bowed to the class and said, I am Ito-san. This uniform I am wearing is called a keikogi. Some call it Gi, others dogi. I choose keikogi because it means cloth of practice." The words, cloth of practice seemed to echo inside of Munch. They spoke to him on such a deep level. Cloth was his muse and clothing were his art. Ito-san continued, "All of our lives are about practice. You practiced to roll over as a baby, to crawl, to walk. In this class you will practice the art of Karate. You will learn how to defend yourselves. Your will grow strong and confident. Each of you will have to earn your keikogi. That is for later. Tonight we come together as a class. We will do some simple exercises to limber our bodies. Follow me. I will go slowly. The slow movements were not hard for Munch to follow. He loved to dance and in a way the movements were like a very slow dance. Max was struggling a bit but he was determined. They both were. The exercises seem pulled the tension from Munchs body. Ito-sans calm voice broke through all the chaos in Munchs mind. He felt his anxiety begin to ease. Too soon the class was over and Munch had really like it. Max said, That was so cool. Kevin needs to come to this. I think it would be good for him. Kevin was Maxs very tall, very thin friend. Would Kevin want to come to a Karate class? If Lolly was in it he would. That boy had such a crush on Lolly. Across the way, Munch saw Le and Mitzi with Mama. By their animated faces he could tell they had a good time too. In that instant he realized neither of them had had a single outburst during their class. That was close to miraculous. On the way out of the studio, Mitzi clutched Puccini in her arms. As for the alligator, Ca Sau, Mama was holding him. Obviously, Le didnt want the other boys to think he loved a stuffed animal. On the car ride home, Le was very quiet. Mitzi was not. She told Munch, I was really good. You were too. I saw you. I want to be a ninja. I want to wear a keikogi and chop wood with my hands and feet. She was thoughtful a few moments and then she said, I will miss dance recitals, but when I am older I can compete in tournaments and kick everybodys butt because I am going to be so awesome. Oh, to have the confidence of youth. Munch had no aspirations of competing in any tournaments. He just wanted some skills so he would feel a little safer in his world. * It was after 10:00 p.m. when Munch heard a car in the drive. He looked out his bedroom window. He saw Trevors sister, Ambers Mustang. Lolly got out of the car. She waved at Amber as she backed out of the drive. The instant the car disappeared, Lolly broke out into hard sobs. Munch was through his window in less than a minute and running toward her. When he reached her he asked, What is it Lolly? Did something happen to Mr. Long? Her voice quavered when she said, Not yet. Its awful. Hes scheduled for by pass surgery early tomorrow morning. He will be in intensive care afterwards for I dont remember how long. Oh, and Amber said, he really appreciated the card you made. She paused took in a deep breath and said, Trevors mother hates me. She was so awful today. Amber called her B to her face and she wasnt even phased. Worst of all, Lollys voice broke. Trevor told me that if his dad dies, his mom is moving back to Dallas and taking him with her. He doesnt want to go. He hates his mom. Oh Munch I dont understand how any one could be so selfish and mean. Munch wrapped his arms around her and said, Of course you dont. You are so kind and generous, nothing like her. Grandma Toady came out onto the front porch. That you Lolly? Its cold outside. You need to come in. Hey Munch. Nice PJs. Lolly pulled away from him. She said, Im coming. Just a sec. Okay, but hurry up. Its late and you have school tomorrow. I will. Grandma Toady went back inside. Lolly asked, How is Thahn Ho? She is doing better. Her mom called and she said, that she was able to have a little jello and she kept it down. Shes groggy, but mending well so far. Oh, Munch that is so good to hear.. A voice called out, Hey, Crunchy, arent you supposed to be in bed? It was Le, leaning out Munchs bedroom window. Lollys voice brightened a little when she said, So you have a visitor. Hows that going? Not so bad. Mitzi has trained me well. I bet she has. She gave Munch a peck on the cheek and said, Love you buddy. Love you more! Not possible. Lolly turned from him and ran to the trailer. Munch went back to the house. When he reached his window Le asked, Is Lolly your girlfriend? No. Le argued, She is too. She kissed you. I saw. Man, you just got so many cooties. I bet you got a whole city of cooties on you. Munch reached up and grabbed Le''s arm. "Now you''re infected too!" Le squealed. Chapter 20. Of Promises and Fit Pitching The following morning as Munch sat at the kitchen table eating oatmeal with Le, he couldnt help but notice the way Mama looked at the little boy. Something in the pit of his stomach knew his mother was thinking about a baby, having another baby. If she and THAT MAN had a baby, the baby would be his half sibling and the baby would also be Lollys half sibling. The child would further strengthen the bond that existed between them. A mixture of anger, fear and wonder got stirred up inside of him. Again, he reminded himself that Mama was probably too old to have another baby. It was just wishful thinking that was all. At least thats what he told himself. Le sat across from Munch, his small legs were swinging beneath the table as he shoveled oatmeal into his mouth. This kid could eat. Suddenly, his spoon stopped half way to his mouth and he said, I saw a girl kiss Crunchy last night. Mama put down her spoon and asked, What? Her eyes shot in Munchs direction. Yup. He went through his window just like Spider Man. Michael, did you sneak out of the house again? Great. Uhm yes. When Lolly got home last night she was really upset. She was crying. Mamas brows furrowed in concern. Are things bad with Mr. Long? Yeah, hes supposed to have bypass surgery this morning. Le interjected, His girlfriend kissed him. Mama said, Le, Lolly is not his girlfriend. Shes his best friend and his step sister. Le asked, Oh, like in Cinderella? Sort of, Mama said, but shes not wicked. Nope, shes not. Lollys nice. I like her. The kitchen phone rang and Mama answered it. She said, Oh hello Dear, yeah, hes right here. She extended the receiver to Munch and said, Its for you. Munch took the phone fully expecting to hear Lollys voice, instead a tired, unexpected voice came over the phone. Michael, I really loved the card you made for me. It means a lot. Instantly, totally tongue tied with his heart thumping in his chest, he said, Your welcome. How are you feeling?" Groggy. My stomachs not great, but I am eating. Mama has gone to get some coffee so I thought I would call. Ive been worried, Im so glad you are doing better. Me too. I hear Mama in the hall. I better let you go. Bye Michael. Bye Thahn Ho. She hung up the phone. Munch put the receiver back in its cradle. He knew he was beaming. Thahn Ho didnt just like the card, she loved it. She called him. She knew his number. He still didnt know hers, but she knew his! That meant something! It had to mean something. Le asked, Is Sissy your girlfriend? Surprised Munch asked, "What?" Sissy called you to tell you shes better. She never called a boy before. This was welcome information. Munch didnt know what to say. Le lowered his voice and said, I am glad she is better. Ive been worried. It had been very hard to tell that Le was worried, but when Munch met the little boys eyes, it was obvious he was sincere. Abruptly, Le shoved his empty bowl away from him and announced, I am riding the bus. His tone was just like Mitzis when she decided she WAS going to do something. It was unnerving. This kid sure changed gears fast. Mama asked, You want to ride the bus? Of course. Ive never ridden a bus before and Ong noi says it is good to do new things. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Oh is it. Okay. I will walk you to the bus stop and ask Mrs. Anderson if its okay. If she says its not, you promise you will not pitch a fit. Too easily, I promise, rolled off Les tongue. This should be interesting. Once their lunches and back packs were packed. Munch, Le and Mama headed out the door. Munch was not surprised when he saw Mitzi standing on the front porch of Grandma Toady''s trailer. She wavedd and was all smiles until she noticed they were not getting in Mamas red Volkswagen. She called out, Hey, where yall going? Le shouted back, Im gonna ride the bus with the big kids. It was like throwing gasoline on a fire. Mitzis face turned red. What? You get to ride the bus! Thats NOT fair! Mama said, When you are in first grade you will get to ride the bus. Thats a long time from now. Mitzi scowled. She was winding up. Grandma Toady stepped onto the porch and said, You pitch a fit young lady and I will not be talking to your mama about Karate lessons. Now get inside where its warm." Though it was an effort, Mitzi remained silent. She did however stomp loudly across the porch on her way inside. Le commented, That girl is something else. Indeed, she was. The sun was just slipping over the distant tree tops. It shot out long fingers of light. So very beautiful. The color of the sky was a color Munch had tried over and over to replicate, so far he hadnt succeeded. He felt so much better this morning knowing Thahn Ho was going to be okay. Good things did happen. Le slipped his hand into Mamas and said, I really like it here. Can I come stay again? Too easily, too quickly, Mama said, Yes. I would like that. A whole ball of trouble started to form in Munchs head. Forcefully he pushed it away. He was not going to ruin this fine morning with worry or fear. They reached the bus stop and stood waiting. Max and Lolly came down the drive to join them. Lolly looked like she hadnt slept at all. When she saw Le, she asked, You riding with us? Yup. She asked, You want to sit with me? Nope, Im sitting with Crunchy. Munch really didnt like that name. The bus pulled up, the brakes squeaked. When the door shot open, Le took an uncertain step back. His small head tilted up as he took in the enormity of the big yellow school bus. Mama asked, Mrs. Anderson, Hes a student at the elementary, can he ride? Mrs. Anderson smiled down at Le and said, Sure. Hop on board little Buddy. My name is Le. Okay, Le it is. Le reached for Munchs hand. Together they climbed up the big steps. He lead Le to the seat behind where he and Lolly usually sat. Three kids were not allowed to occupy one seat. The first thing Le did was press his nose against the window. Wow! I can see a lot from up here. He loved the rumble of the bus as it pulled out. Preoccupied though she was, Le made Lolly smile with his enthusiasm and wonder over the magic of a bus ride. He exclaimed, I can see cows! Oh my Gosh! Look that cow is pooping! Thats big poop! And its got smoke on it. Munch said, Thats water vapor. Nuhuh its smoke. This kid liked to argue as much as Mitzi did. Lolly said, You know how you blow your breath out in the cold and it looks like smoke? Yup. Your breath does that because the air is cold and your breath is warm. Cow poop is warm like your breath and so it makes a vapor. Le frowned. So my poop is warm too. And if I pooped it would smoke? Lolly gave Munch a look. He just shook his head. Lolly had just planted a seed in the fertile mind of Le Duong. The elementary was the first stop. Munch got up and intended to walk Le down the steps, Le told him, I can do it myself. And he did. The little boy march straight for the school cafeteria. It had been awhile since Munch had paid any attention to the Elementary school. A memory surfaced. His hand was in his daddys and he was being walked into a school building. Shaken by the memory, he slid into the seat with Lolly. He asked, You okay? Not really. I just pray everything goes okay with Trevors dad. Hes probably being prepped for surgery now. Lollys voice dropped, I pray he makes it through okay. Trevor needs his dad. Yeah, he does. The bus stopped at the Junior High. Max and Kevin got off. Kevin waved at Lolly as he passed. Poor Kevin. When they reached the high school, Lolly asked, I know theres a new rule about who can be in the art room, but do you think Mademoiselle Petite might let me sit in there. I cant face the cafeteria this morning. Probably, if you volunteer to do something. You now what a disaster the art room is. Okay, Id like that. I need to keep busy to keep my mind of, her voice dropped to a whisper, the surgery. When Munch opened the door to the art room, Quack was at the pencil sharpener sharpening his pencil. He saw Lolly and asked, Hows Trevors dad? In a small voice Lolly replied, Not good. Damn, Im sorry to hear that. Ill keep him in my prayers. Thanks. Quack prayed? This was news to Munch. Lolly went to Mademoiselle Petites desk and said, I would like to volunteer this morning. Is there some way I could help out? Is there ever. We are going to start working with pastels next week and I got a whole bucket full of broken pastels. If you could sort them by color I would really appreciate that. Here, let me show you. Munch took his seat. Quack came to his table and asked, How is Thahn Ho? He seemed genuinely concerned but Munch didnt trust him. Uhm, shes getting better." Good to know. Quack went back to his table. Spread out on it was a story board for his comic character,Rabid Robot. Lolly brought the bucket of pastels and some other containers to Munchs table. She asked, Will it bother you if I sort here? Of course not. Thanks. She sat down beside him. Chapter 21. To Lose Wednesday morning rolled in gray and over cast. A storm was coming. Something else, well someone else was also coming. Munch gritted his teeth. Tomorrow THAT MAN would be on his way to Texas. He wasn''t supposed to be there until Friday but he swapped shifts with somebody. Tomorrow night he would be in the house and since Munch was grounded he wouldnt be able to escape THAT MAN''s presence. They were going to have a family dinner and Lolly would be there too. Thank God Lolly would be there. Poor Lolly, she was so upset about Trevors dad, Munch was worried about her. As much as he did not want to see THAT MAN, he silently and secretly knew, Lolly needed to see her pa. Her pa was alive and he was well. Lolly and her pa were very close in their own way. Though he dreaded THAT MANs visit, it would do Lolly good. Somehow he would survive the next seven days but it was going to be damn hard. He tucked his lunch in his back pack and told Mama good bye. She gave him a quick hug. She was beaming. Her happiness was growing by the minute. Only one day stood between her and the return of her Munchs thought stopped there. He still could not think about or call Trace Phelps, husband in relation to Mama. Negative, hateful thoughts rose up inside of him. Firmly, he told himself, No, we are NOT doing that this morning. Outside a cold brisk wind beat against him. He ducked his head into his navy pea coat collar. Usually on a day like today he would wear his London Fog coat, but that coat was ruined FOREVER thanks to stupid Bruno. Aunt Jessie hadnt been able to get the stains off of it. Ahead he saw Lolly and Max waiting beside the road. Max said, Hey, when he reached them. Lolly gave him a hug. She told Munch, Mr. Long made it through the night. Trevors gonna be at school this morning. Good to know. She released him. She still looked really short on sleep but she seemed a bit more hopeful. The bus squealed to a stop and they climbed on. Munch started down the aisle. In the back of the bus, he saw Kevin eagerly hoping Lolly would wave to him. She did. The light that broke out in that boys eyes, just made Munchs heart hurt. A crush was a terrible and wonderful thing. Lolly didnt seem to have a clue about Kevins crush, or else she had decided to continue to be his friend despite it. Munch slid onto the cold vinyl seat after Lolly. The bus heater was on the fritz again and it was colder than a witchs titty in a brass brassiere. The bus rumbled down the road. Lolly kept her eyes focused out the window. She was looking for one thing, her first sight of Trevor. It wasnt long before he appeared. He was bundled in his hideous CPO jacket that clashed with his track pants and flannel shirt. The bus stopped, the doors slid open. Trevor hopped inside. Lolly pushed passed Munch into the aisle and hugged Trevor hard. Gently Mrs. Anderson said, You two can to sit behind Michael. Mrs. Anderson bent the rules in favor of compassion when it was called for. The two slipped into the seat behind Munch. He turned to say something to Trevor, but Trevor was so absorbed in Lolly, he just turned back around. Their quiet voices could not be clearly heard over the rumble of the bus. This morning when the bus stopped at the elementary school, Munch watched the little kids get off the bus. When he was little he wasnt allowed to ride the bus because of his color,and his mothers fears he might be bullied or hurt. In fact he had just started riding the bus a couple of months ago because he was tired of living in fear. Max and Kevin got off the bus at the junior high. Kevin cast one long lingering glance at Lolly and stepped out. Next came the high school. Lolly and Trevor didnt even notice Munch when they got off the bus. They headed inside without him. Okay. He went in. Lolly and Trevor didnt go to the cafeteria. He knew they were headed for the library. He was about to go the the art room, when he saw Grace in the hall. She asked, Gonna sit with me today? Seems like theres nobody at the table. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. He glanced at their usual spot. Jake and Lisa werent there either. He said, Sure. In the cafeteria eyes followed them to their table. It was so dumb that practically everyone in school assumed that since they were both black they would like each other and become a couple. Both ignored the looks and sat down. Grace asked, Have you heard anything about Thahn Ho? Yeah, her mom talked to my mom and told her shes getting out of the hospital this morning, or later this afternoon. Thats good. I was in the hospital once to get my tonsils out and I hated it. Hospital food is disgusting. Her large eyes glanced around the cafeteria before she asked, And what about Trevors dad? Still on earth. Its too soon to tell. That really sucks. Munch nodded. It did. I dont know what Id do if anything happened to my daddy. If he was as sick as Mr. Long is, Id be half crazy. Yeah. Munch knew what it meant to lose a daddy and he didnt wish that on his worst enemy. Grace asked, Did you get your history homework finished? Oh, God he had completely forgotten about History. No, I forgot. You can copy my answers if you want. The offer was generous, but he knew the penalty for cheating in Mrs. Clarys class. Thanks but, no. Mrs. Clary is a beast about cheating. Embarrassed Grace said, Oh, yeah sure. Just trying to help. I know and I appreciate that. Thanks. With everything that had been going on, Munch had forgotten something else, Tinas dare. That night in the barn seemed like a century ago. He asked, Did Max talk to your sister at school and walk her to class? Yup. She lowered her voice and said, And, he walked her to class yesterday and he called her last night. What? Yup. If my daddy knew a boy was calling Tina, there would be hell to pay. Good thing Daddy wasnt home when that boy called. You best warn Max. I will. Munch turned his attention to his American History. He would do what he could, but there really wasnt much time left. When the bell rang he had managed to do more than a quarter of it. By the time he had class, he should be able to get it mostly finished. He and Grace headed down the hall together. He caught a glimpse of their reflection in the window. They were quite a pair. Grace was at least a foot or more taller than he was. Also, she was beautiful. He didnt have a crush on her or anything, but he really wanted to design a dress for her. Of course, he couldnt tell her that. She didnt know him well and she might think he was a creep. It wouldnt be the first time a girl thought he was a creep. Over time he had learned that he couldnt just go up to a girl and say, Id like to dress you. He got slapped for that once. No, he would wait, and maybe in time, Grace would agree. They entered class together and went to their seats. Trevor was late getting to Algebra. He slid into the desk in front of Munch. He did not look good at all. Munch said, Hey, man. Hey. Trevors eyes were completely lightless. They had dark circles under them. He looked like he hadnt slept for days. In an angry burst of words he whispered `, If my dad doesnt make it, Im not moving. Im staying here. Amber and me are getting an apartment. Shes gonna quit school and work full time. Im gonna get a part time job. With an sharp edge in his voice he said, I am not leaving Lolly or my friends. Unsure of how to respond, Munch said, That sounds like a solid plan. I am praying your dad makes it. A sudden change came over Trevors face. You lost your dad didnt you? Yeah. That really sucks. It did and it never stopped sucking. Mr. Flynn called the class to order. Munch could not believe it when Trevor pulled out his completed assignments. With all that he had being going through he did his freaking homework. This dude was sick, just plain, sick. Behind him, Grace whispered, He looks bad. Is he okay? Munch turned to her and shook his head. Sadness filled her eyes. Life was tough, it was just stinking tough sometimes. Mr. Long just had to get better, he had to survive. When class was over, Lolly was at the door before anyone even walked out. Trevor went to her and grabbed her hand. Munch watched them walk away. There was no spring in Trevors step, no smile, no waves at friends or track buds. He seemed to be traveling in a bubble of darkness tethered by Lollys hand. Trevor was fortunate to have Lolly. She might not be able to make it better, but she would ride through it with him. It was her way. Over the years, Lolly had been there for Munch so many times. The next seven days, as hard as they would be, he was determined to not gripe, complain or side eye THAT MAN in Lollys presence. It was gonna be hard, it was going to be so hard. He wasnt sure even Jesus and all the angels could keep him from being an ass to Trace Phelps, but he sure hoped they could. Chapter 22. Just the Thought of You Thursday afternoon, Lolly was practically bouncing up and down on the bus seat. Mr. Long was still among the living and had made some small improvements. And more importantly for Lolly , her pa was at the house. It was the first time she had been happily excited about anything in almost a week. Munch for his part was taking in deep breaths. He knew his mama and THAT MAN probably already did the deed. It was just so gross. God, he was NEVER going to survive this week. NEVER. Honestly all he knew about sex had been gleaned from the dirty magazines Max had stolen from his dad. Mama had not had any talk with him about anything because until now, he had never liked a girl enough to distract him from his art. For reasons he did not quite understand, Thanh Ho had captured his attention completely, but she wasnt a distraction. Some how she made him more aware of his own art and his own creative process. He always thought of girls in terms of what he could make for them to wear. Now, he wondered what it would be like to hold Thahn Ho in his arms. How would it feel to kiss her? Would he ever get to kiss her? This terrible longing swept through him. Was this what falling in love felt like? Was he falling in love with a girl he hadnt even kissed or been out with? How was that possible? He didnt know. He only knew it was true. As the bus neared the house, Munch caught a glimpse of THAT MANs truck. Inwardly, he recoiled. Lolly was so happy she was practically shedding light. The bus stopped. Okay, it was game time. Munch put on the best face he had and stepped into the bus aisle. He could feel Lollys eagerness to get off the bus. Though he was really trying, his feet were reluctant participants in his journey to the bus door. The instant he was out the door, Lolly darted passed him and ran all the way to the house. The door to the house banged opened and closed. Munch let out a slow breath. Okay, he could do this, for Lolly he could do this. Finally he reached the front door and walked inside. He was met by such a wave of happiness. Mama was glowing. Glowing, at her age! Lolly had her arms around her pas waist and was talking so fast she didnt seem to be breathing. Her pa glanced in Munchs direction. He gave Munch a tentative smile. Inside Munchs head, the words, Show time, echoed. With effort he returned the smile. It was not real or genuine and maybe THAT MAN knew it, but it was the best he could do. THAT MAN asked, Hows it going Munch? How was it going? Did he really want to know? It took everything he had not to pull a face. Uh, okay. And you? Munch could feel the struggle going on inside of Lollys pa. It was as if his eyes wanted to dart in Mamas direction but he had to focus to keep them from doing so. He said, Good. And left it at that. Of course he was good! By the look on Lolly and Mamas faces a body would think Jesus was visibly standing in the room with them. All the good vibes were bouncing off Munch and just making him feel angry and very alone. He was not part of this happy reunion. His resolve was melting. He was failing, and failing fast. Truth was, despite his spectacular imagination, he just couldnt keep his pretend button pressed down. He needed to get out of this room and get out fast. He said, I got homework, and dashed up the stairs. Lame, so lame. He was embarrassed he had bailed so soon. All his good intentions had come to naught. Besides, what did it matter? Lolly didnt even know he was in the room. If Mr. Long hadnt gotten sick he never would have attempted this farceoh yeah what a little chicken he was, blaming his cowardice on a sick and possibly dying man. But, hell he wanted to blame someone, anyone. He wasnt any good at hiding his true feelings. He never had been. Why in the hell had he thought he could do it today? He flipped through his record albums and pulled out Etta James. Nope, he couldnt listen to her. If he did both Mama and Lolly would know he was in a mood. Right now they were so happily oblivious, he wasnt so selfish that he would ruin their evening by pitching a fit like he was three, though he really wanted to pitch a fit. No, even if he was NOT happy at this moment. Lolly was, and he wouldnt spoil that for her. She had had a very hard week. He needed to calm down. He put on Nat King Coles album, The Very Thought of You and pulled out his sketch book. His art could always take him to another place and he desperately wanted to be in another place now. He didnt think, he just started drawing, long swirls. The swirls turned into flowers and stars as Nat King Cole sang: I see your face in every flower This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Your eyes in stars above It''s just the thought of you The very thought of you My love * When he looked at his drawing he saw the vaguest outline of eyes. Thahn Hos eyes. Art was strange like that. Sometimes it pulled stuff out of him and he didnt even realize it until he finished a drawing or a sketch. He began to high light the eyes in the drawing. Slowly, Thahn Hos eyes became distinct on the page. How he missed her. She would be out of school for one more week. Would she call him again? He hoped so, he really hoped so. * Grandma Toady came over for supper. She brought fresh baked bread. Usually just the smell of Grandma Toadys bread made Munchs mouth water. This evening as he sat at the table trying to eat, he was having a hard time just swallowing his food. All around him happy chatter filled the air. The three females were beyond happy that their beloved was home for the week. Munch felt like he was sitting on an isolated island of misery. He managed to answer questions when asked, but that was all he could manage. To his relief, for the most part, no one tried too hard to draw him into the conversation. When the meal was over, Grandma Toady said her good byes. She reached out and gave Munch a hug. In his ear she whispered, You are doing so good. Hang in there. He nodded. He didnt feel like he was doing so good. Lolly and her pa went into the living room to watch TV. Mama and Munch werent into TV. Mama washed the dishes and he dried. When they finished he was sure Mama would join Lolly and THAT MAN in the living room, only she didnt. She said, Lets go on up to the studio. I think Lolly really needs to spend some time alone with her dad. Grateful he said, Sure. For two solid hours, Munch and his mama worked in silence. Mama was putting the finishing touches on an illustration of a barn owl while Munch worked on a series of sketches for his next painting. Downstairs the sound of the television clicked off. Mama glanced at the clock. It was almost 10:00. Lolly must be leaving, lets go down and tell her bye. Okay. When Munch and Mama got downstairs, Lolly looked nervous. Her pa gave her a look of encouragement. Her voice trembled when she asked, Estelle, would it be okay if I stayed here while Pas home? Of course honey. The couch folds out. Thanks. Lolly looked like she was about to cry. THAT MAN looked really worried. He mouthed the word, Help! to Mama. Mama said, Lolly you are welcome to stay anytime and every time your Pa''s in town. Would you like to have a bed here? We can pick one out this weekend. Lolly asked, Where would you put it? Believe it or not, there is space in the studio. Michael will just have to organize his fabric. Lolly asked, Munch, will you do that for me? Sure. Of course he would, but he did have an ulterior motive. If Lolly was in the house the next seven days, chances were she would call Thanh Ho and if she did, maybe he would get to talk to her too. Somehow the week just got a tiny bit brighter. Thank you. Lolly still looked upset. She said, I have one more question. If you say no, I will accept it, but I really am hoping you will say yes." Once again, the quaver came back inot her voice as she asked,"Would it be all right Fluff stays here too? Mama was not a fan of cats in general, but she said, Of course Honey. You go on and get your things. While you''re gone I''ll make up the couch for you." "Okay, thanks." She asked, Pa will you come with me? Sure thing Shortcake. * Lights were out. It was late. Munch couldnt sleep and he suspected Lolly might not be sleeping either. Quietly he left his room to check on her. With flashlight in hand, she was reading a book titled, Tears are for the Living. It was super fat and she was more than half way through. He didnt know why she liked to read so much, but she did. He asked, Cant sleep? No. Do you want some company? She nodded. A couple silent seconds passed before she said, I know you dont want Pa here, but I wish he was here all the time. She started crying. He couldnt deny what she said. Softly he said, Youre right, but I do get it. He sat down in the chair beside the fold out couch. You do? Of course I know you love TH-- er, um your pa. Its only natural you would want him home. You arent mad at me? No, of course not. It''s just everything that''s going on with Trevor''s dad has me really scared. I know Pa''s not old, but.... Munch finished the sentence for her, "But, he''s the only Pa you have." Yes. Thanks for understanding. You''re the best. Munch gave her a smile and said, On that I will agree. She stuck her tongue out at him and wriggled down beneath the covers. I think I might be able to sleep now. Thanks for checking on me. You are welcome. Buried beneath the blankets, Fluff began to snore. He didnt sound like a cat he sounded like a pig, a big fat pig. Munch asked, Will Fluff be staying here every time you stay here? She smirked at him and asked, What do you think? He will be. Cat hair was going to be everywhere. Tomorrow he would tell Mama to buy a heavy duty roller brush when she went to the grocery store. When Munch got up to leave, he said, Night Sis. Night Bro. She pointed the flashlight in the direction of his door. He followed the beam of light. Chapter 23. The Problem with Parents Sunday morning. This was the fourth day. Only three more days and he would be headed back to Louisiana. Time was passing. Munch stood before his full length mirror examining himself. His clothes looked sharp. Outside it was cold, so he had opted for a gray pin strip wool suit he had altered to fit him. He had done an excellent job. The suit was conservative but very classy with great lines. If only he were taller. Just two or three more inches would help. Sometimes he wondered if his birth dad had been a Munchkin. Mamas brothers were average height. Mama said, he still had some growing to do. Did he? Did he really? In the kitchen, Mama was up. She was dressed and ready for Mass too. She was wearing a poppy red dress that was a little too loud. Right, like he of all people could nit pick about loudness. Munch hoped THAT MAN wasnt going to church. The hope was short lived. He entered the kitchen wearing a dress shirt and tie with jeans. He looked tacky, was tacky. There was a thump on the stairs and Lolly, with Fluff in her arms came into the kitchen. She smiled at all of them. Munch adjusted his face for her. The back door flew open and Mitzi and Puccini burst inside. Fluff immediately perked up. Puccini was his favorite prey. The little girl was wearing cute navy sailor coat. Mitzi announced, Hey everybody, Im going to Mass. Grandma Toadys coming too, but I dont think she wants to be a Catho-lick. She hurled herself in THAT MANS arms. He swung her up and she asked, Uncle Trace is you Catholic-lick? No, honey, Im not. Well, Im gonna be. Put me down please. He obliged. Through the open door, came Grandma. She was wearing a mint green wool suit. She was sharp. Grandma Toady had style. As always she went around hugging everyone. When she finished she beamed on her son. So did Mama, so did Lolly, so did Mitzi. This was getting really old. What was so damn special about Trace Phelps that he conjured such adoration from the women in his life? It took two cars to get them all to church. Munch road with Grandma Toady. As soon as they were on the road she asked, So hows it going? Even though THAT MAN was her son, he knew he could be honest with her. Im managing. Doing better than I thought I would. Good to hear. I am proud of you. I know this is not easy for you. It wasnt. Thanks to Lolly it so far it hadn''t been as horrible as he feared it would be. Also having her around while he was grounded was nice. As they neared the church, he had his eyes peeled for the green Volvo. He doubted Thahn Ho would be there, but hopefully someone from her family would be. His hope that Lolly would call Thahn Ho to check on her had not happened yet. If Lolly was on the phone at all, she went to the trailer to call Trevor. The green Volvo was there in its usual parking spot. Munch felt his heart beat a tad faster. Grandma Toady parked her truck beside it and said, My this is such a lovely church. I''ve never been inside. When my daughter, Michelle was a kid, she used to come here with her best friend when she was a kid. I''ve often wondered if it was in this little church that she heard the call of God." Munch had completely forgotten Lolly had an Aunt Michelle If he remembered correctly, after her tour as a nurse in Vietnam she had gone to Italy and become a Carmelite nun. Lolly said she wrote to them, but hadn''t been home in years. Grandma Toady had a far away look in her eyes, like she was remembering. He couldn''t imagine going years without seeing Mama. When they entered the church, Grandma Toady whispered, "Michelle feels so close right now." Mr. and Mrs. Duong and Le were in the pew. Thahn Ho wasn''t. She must be at home with Ong noi. Grandma Toady and Mitzi entered the pew first. Mitzi didnt plop down beside Le, but she did pinch his leg when she passed him. Ow! Whyd you do that? Mitzi just gave him a smile and sat down beside Grandma Toady. Mama and THAT MAN entered next. Mama said, Good to see you this morning. Let me introduce my husband, Trace Phelps. Trace this is Thao and Huong and Le. He gave them a shy smile and said, Nice to meet you. Mr. Duong said, You as well. Lolly entered the pew ahead of Munch and asked, How is Thahn Ho? Mrs. Duong said, Better. Getting bored. That is a good sign." She smiled. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Lolly asked, Can she have visitors? For an instant, Mrs. Duong furrowed her brow like she was considering something. "I think she would very much enjoy your company. Just call when you would like to come over. I will. Lolly scooted passed Mrs. Duong and sat down. Munch was pretty sure, positive actually, that he wasn''t included in this invitation, but if at all possible, he was going to go. He gave Mrs. Duong, what he hoped was a shy smile and took his seat. Rather loudly, Le announced, I want to sit by Crunchy. His mother scolded, "His name is Michael." Perplexed, Le asked, "Why''s he got so many names? Is he Vietnamese too?" "No, he is not." "Oh. Well, can I sit by him." His mother asked, "Can you behave?" Confidently Le said, Of course I can. He crawled over his mother and plopped down beside Munch. When he smiled, Munch noticed the kid was missing a tooth. As the service progressed, Le became fidgety. His mother handed him a coloring book. Down the pew, Mitzi saw the coloring book. The next thing Munch knew, she had zipped over the prayer kneelers and wedged her body between his and Les. She handed Puccini to Munch and whispered to Mrs. Duong, Can I color too? Mrs. Duong pulled another coloring book out of her bag and handed it to Mitzi. It had a puppy on the cover. To Le she said, Share. He put the crayon box between him and Mitzi The fidgeting stopped. The children became absorbed in their coloring. Instead of listening to the homily, Munch watched the kids color. Truth be told he wished Mrs. Duong had another coloring book in her bag. Without Thahn Ho there Mass had lost most of its appeal. When the service let out, they all stood in the parking lot talking with the Duongs. Mrs. Duong said to Munch, Thahn Ho told my father that you drew the card she received. You are a good artist. My father is also an artist. He thinks you would do well with ink brush painting. He has asked me to invite you to learn this art form from him, if you are agreeable. As always her words and her demeanor were so precise. With his heart jumping into a race, he steadied his voice and said,Yes, I would like that very much. I will tell him. Thank you. Oh how he hoped his face was not revealing what he was feeling. Inside he was shouting, I am going to Thahn Hos house! I am going to Thahn Hos house! * Sunday evening Lolly whispered to Munch, Lets go for a walk. If I have to spend another minute with those two love birds Im gonna barf. So, it was getting to her too. Munch said, We are going for a walk. The parents looked oh, so pleased. Stupid parents. Out in the cold evening air, Lolly took in a deep breath. "Whew. The air was getting thick in there. They are probably jumping each others bones right now. "EW!" Sorry. I understand better why you''ve been struggling with those two. Good LORD! I hate to think what it would have been like for you if I wasn''t staying over. Munch said, You have definitely helped. Usually, I am sad to see Pa go, but right now, I have had enough. Its not like they do or say anything thats inappropriate but the way they look at each other, OH MY GOD! Yeah, it is intense. Lolly changed the subject, Trevors dad is stabilized. That is a good sign. I was talking to Amber last night and she said, she thinks her mom may be plotting her escape. Honestly, I think Trevors dad would be better off without her. They followed the cow trail that led to the stream. Munch asked, When are you going over to Thahn Hos? She smiled at him and said, Pa is leaving Wednesday evening, so probably Thursday after school." Thursday seemed like a long time from now. He wanted to ask so bad if he could tag along, but he thought better of it. Ong noi wanted to teach him ink wash painting. He needed to be patient, hard as it was. He had to play this very cool. He didnt want to do anything that would risk this new found opportunity. He asked, Could I send a note for her with you? Sure. I think shed really like that. He hoped so. When they reached the stream they sat down on the bank. For a while they watched and listened to the flowing water in silence. The peace of it settled into both of them. The sky was beginning to darken and they hadnt brought their flash lights. Munch said, We better be getting back. Shoot. I wish we could stay longer." "Me too." Slowly and reluctantly they made their way home. It was completely dark when they reached the house. Lolly said, You think we should knock first. That would be weird, but yeah. We should. Munch rapped on the door. A very flushed and bright eyed Mama opened the door. Munch quickly averted his eyes. He did NOT want to see whatever was going on in Mama''s brain.. She asked, Did yall have a nice walk? Lolly answered, Yup. We are going upstairs. Lolly didnt make eye contact with Mama either. They raced up stairs. In the corner of the studio near the window was Lolly''s new twin bed. Fluff lay on his back with his big tummy exposed. He looked over his belly at them. Lolly said, Somebody thinks that bed was bought just for him. She turned away from Fluff and went to the clothes rack against the wall. It held all Munch''s best Goodwill finds. Are there any dresses that might fit me? A couple. You want to borrow one? Yeah. Id like to try to wow Trevor. He is in such a dark place. I know a dress isnt going to fix anything, but if it just made him smile at me that would help both of us. I am worried. I didnt think Trevor was capable of hate, but he is and its going deep. Hate is such a poison. Im afraid of what its going to do to him. Munch was too. Trevor was such a good guy and there werent enough of those in the world. Chapter 24. Differences On Monday morning, the back door flew opened and Mitzi and Puccini entered. The first thing Mama asked her was, Does your Mother know where you are? She will when you call her. Mama shook her head and called Aunt Jessie. Okay, yeah. Sure. Let me ask her. She turned and asked, Are you staying for breakfast? What are you having? Waffles. Good ones are yucky ones? By good, Mitzi meant not whole wheat. THAT MAN said, Good ones, the kind I eat. Okay, Im staying. Lolly came downstairs followed by Fluff. She was wearing a jade green dress with little yellow flowers. Last night, Munch found out Lollys feet were the same size as Mamas. This morning she was wearing Mamas black suede boots. Mitzi exclaimed, Oh Lolly, you look B-Beautiful! Thank you Mitzi. Lolly took her seat.. Mama put the platter of waffles on the table. Mitzi jabbed one with her fork and put it on her plate. When she reached for the second one, she saw egg shells on the counter. Oh, great. Her face turned red. Volcano red. She swung her eyes at Mama and asked, Are you trying to feed me my friends still in the egg babies? Mitzi had named ALL the chickens and each was her special friend. Eating their eggs was a crime in her eyes. Mama lied, No Honey, of course not. Mitzi frowned at Mama. There was suspicion in her eyes. She said, I dont believe you. If you will excuse me I am going home. She hopped off the chair with Puccini in tow and marched out the back door. Gosh, Mama said. I shouldnt have lied to her but darn it, I get so tired of listing ingredients for her every time she comes over here to eat. Lolly laughed and so did her pa. He said, Well, Love of Mine, this morning you might have just put her off forever. Maybe she wont be showing up unannounced at meals any more. Mama gave him a lopsided grin and said, I can only hope. Now, Munch was not fond at all of THAT MANs nickname for Mama. LOVE OF MINE. It was stupid. He called Lolly, Shortcake, for crying out loud. Of course, Munch didnt acknowledge that his own nickname was on the strange side. In silence he finished his waffles and went to his room to get his books. Later, as he, Lolly and Max stood waiting for the bus, the sky was filling with color. Though Max was standing with them, he was not with them at all. By the look on his face he was on another planet and he liked it there. The bus pulled up. Mrs. Anderson complimented Lolly, which made her blush. Lolly didn''t notice Kevin but Munch did. That boy''s eyes were bugging out of his head. They took their seat. The bus took off. It wouldn''t be long until they were at Trevors stop. Munch started praying so hard that Trevor would notice Lolly had dressed up for him. If he didn''t notice, Lolly would hide it, but she would be so hurt. As they approached Trevors stop, Lolly began to lean forward. Munch saw her hand tremble ever so slightly as smoothed out her dress. The bus doors opened. Trevor got on. His eyes went straight to Lolly and he smiled, he actually smiled. Munch sent up a silent, Thank you Jesus!" Trevor reached out his hand and gently cupped Lollys cheek as he passed her. Lolly turned bright red, but she looked so happy. She turned to Munch and whispered, It worked. Thank you. No problem. Once they got to school, Trevor and Lolly headed for the library. Munch made his way to the cafeteria. Grace was sitting at their table with Lisa and Jake. When Munch reached the table, he was very aware something was off. Lisa gave him a smile, but she looked like she was on the verge of tears. Jake seemed mad. This couple had always been on rocky ground. In Munchs mind it was just a matter of time. Lisa stood and said, I need to go to the library. Jake stood up. Lisa said, Alone. Jake said, Fine. It wasnt fine. Lisa headed for the library and Jake left the cafeteria. Munch and Grace just looked at each other. Grace said, Thank God they are gone. When I got here they were going at it about some girl named, Viv. Seems Lisa used to be friends with her. Anyway, they shut up when I sat down, but man was I uncomfortable. You think they are gonna break up? Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Dont you? Yup. Grace fidgeted with her purse for a moment. I am glad they left, I need to talk to you about something. Okay. I caught my sister calling Max. She pretended like it was just some friend. I didn''t believe her. So, I snuck in my parents room and very carefully picked up the receiver. Yeah, that was bad, but Tina kinda has a history with white boys. So, Grace listened in on phone conversations. Munch used to, but he stopped. When his mama first started dating THAT MAN, he listened in on their conversations. He was very good at picking up a phone receiver without making a sound. Almost, as good as MItzi was. Of course, listening in had made things worse for him an it didn''t stop Mama from marrying THAT MAN. Grace snapped, "Are you even listening to me?" "Sorry, Uhm, so Tina has liked a white boy before?" That was just what I was saying, if you had been LISTENING to me. Grace frowned at him. It was a fearsome frown. Munch realized right then and there he did not want to get on the wrong side of Grace. She continued, "The problem is that my sister is too damn pretty for her own good." The word beautiful came to Munch''s mind. "Plus, she is boy crazy. That Max is a little hottie." Max a little hottie. Okay. "From the minute my sister laid eyes on him, I knew there was gonna be trouble. Why in the hell did ya''ll sneak to the barn in the first place?" He couldn''t say he''d gone because Thahn Ho was there. With a slight catch in his voice, he said, "Max wanted to." Grace rolled her eyes. "My daddy is gonna be some kinda pissed if he finds out about Max." Munch asked, How is he going to find out? You arent going to tell on her are you? Insulted, Grace said, Of course not. Its just they are both thirteen and stupid. You know Maxs parents, how would they react if they knew their son liked a black girl? This was something Munch had never thought of before. He probably should have. He honestly didnt know. He couldnt assume that just because Uncle Luke and Aunt Jessie loved him that they would be wild about Max liking a girl that was not white. I honestly dont know. I do know though that Grandma Toady and Lolly wont care. So what? Thats nice of them, but they arent Maxs parents and they arent mine. I dont know what do. If youve talked to her and she wont listen, I dont know what else you could do. She grumped, Easy for you to say. This made Munch mad. Is it? Is IT? You know my mama is white. If my mama listened to everyone that thought she shouldnt be seeing a black man, I WOULD NOT BE HERE. He hadnt meant to be so loud. Instant embarrassment washed over him. Grace was dumb. Her eyes filled with remorse. I am so sorry Munch. That was stupid of me. He could see she was very sorry and also scared. He told her, "Its okay. I forgive you. I know you are worried about your sister and you should be. People can be very cruel. If you want I can try talking to Max, but I dont think it will do any good. Seriously, that boy is one of my best friends, but he is hard headed. Sos Tina. The bell rang. They picked up their books and headed for Algebra. When they passed Quack in the hall he gave Munch a smile that clearly said, Atta boy! The idiot thought he liked Grace. * After supper, Munch took Mama aside and said, I really need to talk to Max before we go to Karate lessons. About what? Trust me Mama, its really important, or I wouldnt ask. For several eternal seconds she studied him and said, Okay, but you only have 30 minutes. Thanks Mama. He got his jacket and headed to the trailers. He doubted 30 minutes or even a hundred hours would convince Max to stop doing something he wanted to do. Still, he had told Grace he would talk to Max. His biggest obstacle was managing to talk to Max without ratting on Grace. He never should have agreed to this. NEVER. Aunt Jessies little Pinto was gone so Max and Mitzi were with Grandma Toady tonight. How Mitzi and Max kept track of where they would be sleeping each night, he did not know. He entered the Trailer. Mitzi was standing on a chair in the living room, dressed in her white pajamas singing opera at the top of her lungs. Puccini was on the floor with a chop stick taped to his paw. Apparently Puccini was the conductor of the opera. Mitzi did not miss a note as Munch went to Maxs room. He knocked on the door. Max opened the door. He had his transistor radio plugged into his ear. He said, Hey Man. Hey. Munch entered the tiny room. Max closed the door. I thought you were grounded from coming over here. I am. Now what? This was stupid. Munch had no idea what to say or how to say it. This really wasnt any of his business. Uh, Mama wanted to borrow some sugar. So she sent me over. This was the lamest lie he had ever told. "I, uh, never asked you if you walked Tina to class. At the mention of her name, Max lit up. He lit up more that Munch had ever seen him lit. So, he had it bad. He looked away from Munch and mumbled, Yeah, course. I dont back down from a dare. Now what? Munch really wasnt the sort to pry. Yeah right. Okay. He asked, Do you like her? Shes okay. Great. There was no way to sugar coat this or make it NON awkward. Okay. Well, if you do like her, you need to think about something. Liking her might cost you a little, but it could cost her a lot. This is deep white country. My mama knows what that means. I know what that means. Max looked at him and said, It didnt stop your mama. No, it didnt and she paid for it. And, my birth dad did too. Did they think it was worth it? I hope so. You be careful with Tina. Thats all Im sayin. We cant help who we like. We just like them.. Max frowned and asked, Did her big sister put you up to this? Why would you think that? Last night when me and Tina were on the phone, I thought I heard someone else breathing. I thought maybe it was Mitzi. Now, I know it was Grace. Max looked mad. Frustrated, Munch asked, "Did you hear anything I said?" "Yeah, whatever." Well, Munch had bungled this. He had said his piece, done what Grace asked, and had accomplished absolutely nothing. As far as he was concerned, whatever came next was totally out of his hands. Before he left though, he said, "Don''t rat on Grace to Tina, or I will tell your mama about our little trip to the barn." Max glared at him. "You can leave now." "Gladly." Chapter 25. Closer to Maybe As Munch walked away from the trailer, he felt discouraged. Who was he kidding? This whole situation with Max had touched a nerve with him. The chances of things going well for him and Thahn Ho were as bleak as the chances were for Max and Tina. When he came into the house, Mama was in the kitchen. She saw his face and asked, Did something happen? He felt like crying. Me and Max got into it. About what? This was a question he would not answer. He said, Just stuff. Okay. Mama did that thing where she read him. Anything else bothering you? Nah. Gently, Mama said, Michael, you know you can tell me anything and I wont say a word to anyone. Not even THAT MAN? Not even him. He looked up into his mothers compassionate eyes. I like someone and its not Grace. I cant just walk down the hall with her or call her unless I sneak around. Unbidden tears slid down his cheeks. Oh baby, Im so sorry. I know how hard that is. What am I supposed to do? Take it a day at a time. Like Grandma Toady says, Live in the now. That doesnt mean you throw out past and future. It means you dont let them overshadow this moment. You like a girl. Enjoy that. Its not a bad thing. Isnt it? No, its not. Thahn Ho is a very sweet and quiet girl. Of course Mama knew. He said, But her parents would never let her like me back. Mama smiled at him. I think its too late for that. Ive seen the way she looks at you. Though Munch would like to take these words to heart, coming from Mamas mouth he didnt trust them. She had a tendency of seeing him in too bright a light. He asked, What am I supposed to do? Whatever comes next. By that I mean, dont borrow trouble. Go slow. Face what you have to face when you get there. She shrugged and said, Sorry thats all I got. I cant and wont condone sneaking around, even though I did it. Hard as now is, its not like it was when I met Bartholomew. Things are better. Now I could have married him. That wasnt even a possibility when I was young. You are only fifteen. Times are changing. She gave him a hug. * Their chauffeur for the evening was none other than THAT MAN. It was just weird to see him driving the red Volkswagen. Lolly was in the front seat with him while Munch forced to share the back seat with sullen Max, a gross bear and Mitzi, who was still wearing her white pajamas. Max took a verbal jab at his sister, Everybodys gonna know those are your pajamas and not a keigkogi. They are gonna think youre weird. Mitzi responded, You stink and Im not just saying that cause youre a mean little turd. Im saying it cause its true. She turned to Munch and asked, He stinks doesnt he?'' I dont smell nothin. Well, I do. Hes got BO. Max growled, You better shut up. Make me. From the front seat, THAT MAN said, I can take you both home if you keep this up, and Im not fooling. Mitzi stuck her tongue out a Max. He frowned at her and turned his attention to the window. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it When they reached the studio, the green Volvo was not there. Maybe Le wasnt coming after all. Inside, the first person Munch saw as Kevin. With his height he was hard to miss. He made a bee line for them, well actually for Lolly. Lolly smiled at him and said, Hey Kevin. Eagerly he responded, Hey Lolly. Im gonna be in your class too. His smile could have lit up the room if it werent already lit. Poor boy. Mitzi passed Puccini off to Lollys pa. Uncle Trace promise not loose him. Sometime he tries to sneaks off. Dressed in her white pajamas she ran across the room to her class. All the little kids thought her pajamas were cool. She just beamed. As for Munch, he followed Lolly to their side of the studio. Ito-san had not yet come out of his office. Of course, Kevin was way more interested in Lolly than he was in pouty Max. When they lined up, Munch made sure that Lolly and Kevin were between him and Max. The bell on the front door of the studio rang. Everyone turned to the sound. Through the door, walked Le and his ong noi, Mr. Phan. The old man saw Munch and nodded his head. Munch waved at him. Le called out, Hey Crunchy. Mr. Phan took the empty chair beside Lollys pa. Class began. For whatever reason, Munch really wanted to impress Mr. Phan He very much wanted the old man to like him. Also he was hoping that he would finally get a firm invite for his first ink brush painting lesson. Through out the hour of class, Munch kept his focus on every word and movement of Ito-san. He didnt notice Lolly struggling, or Kevin tripping or Maxs dirty looks. All he knew was that he wanted to perform well and he did. After class, Mr. Phan crossed the room to Munch. He said, Michael, you move well. Ink brush painting like Karate is similar to dance. The right rhythm must be found. If it is agreeable to you, I would like to have our first lesson Sunday morning after services. Would that suit you? Yes Sir it would. Mr. Phan turned his head ever so slightly and said,I will see you on Sunday. Yes, Sir. Le flew into Munch nearly knocking him over. He grinned at Munch and shouted, Hi CRUNCHY! Hi Le. Le glanced in Mitzi direction and asked, Whyd she wear her pajamas to class? There should be a rule against that. Perhaps there should. Munch just shrugged. Mr. Phan held his hand out to his grandson and said, Come along. Le took his hand and obediently left the studio. All energy and vigor, Mitzi ran across the room and took Puccini from THAT MANs arms. She asked, Was he a good boy? Very good. Mitzi held up her arms. Carry me Uncle Trace, please. My legs are tired. Tenderly, THAT MAN scooped her up. He said, Come on kids. On the way back home, Lolly sat with Mitzi and Munch in the back seat.. She whispered, Whats up with Max? Even though he knew, he just shrugged. This was between him and Max and Lolly didnt need to get involved. * Finally, it was Wednesday night. By the way Grandma Toady, Lolly and Mama were acting a person would think someone had just died. No one had, but THAT MAN was headed back to Louisiana, and he couldnt leave soon enough for Munch. If he was honest with himself, he had to admit having THAT MAN in the house all week hadnt been as terrible as he thought it would be. But, he wasnt being honest with himself. He did manage to say to him, Have a safe trip. The shy smile THAT MAN gave him, made Munch feel slightly guilty, still he would not admit that Trace Phelps was a good person. Thanks Munch. I will. Munch headed upstairs to the studio. Fluff was on the bed grooming himself. The look the cat gave him, was unsettling. It appeared that Fluff not only thought he owned the bed. He thought the entire room and everything on it belonged to him too. In his green cat eyes, Munch had invaded his territory without permission and was interrupting his grooming. Stupid cat. Munch went to his albums and found Nat King Coles album, The Very Thought of You. He was currently wearing it out. He did tend to get stuck on one album at a time and he listened to it over and over until he moved on to the next one. Earlier, Lolly told him, she was planning on calling Thahn Ho that night, to see if she could go visit her tomorrow. He wanted to send a note with her but, thanks to Grace, he had suddenly become paranoid about physical evidence. The card Munch had made from Thahn Ho was one thing. A note would be evidence. Grace had come across one of Maxs notes to Tina. He didnt want anyone to come across a note he wrote, especially Le. Especially, since he was so close to going to her house for a lesson on Sunday.. The front door open and close. Outside the truck rumbled to life. Munch knew his mother was probably balling her eyes out. Thank God Lolly and Grandma Toady didnt fall apart the way Mama did, every time THAT MAN left. In the days ahead, Munch knew he was going to have to endure her heavy sighs and looks of complete distraction. The truck pulled away. The sound of it faded in the distance. The door opened again. He heard Lolly and Mama talking, but he didnt hear Grandma Toady. Lolly came up stairs. She said, I think your mom needs to be alone. I bet if I ask, she will let you come over. You can try. Okay, Ill be right back. There was the mumble of voices and then Munch heard Mamas bedroom door close. Lolly came back upstairs. She said, yes. You can help me lug my stuff back. Okay. As Lolly packed up her things, she said, Ive been thinking about something. I havent decided yet, but would you mind if I moved over here permanently? This was unexpected. What would Grandma Toady say? I dunno, I need to talk to her. What do you say? Fine by me. Really? Yup." She smiled at him. Chapter 26. Without Words On the way back to the trailer, Lolly carried her stuff, and Munch carried Fluff. The cat was sniffing the air like a dog, taking in every scent. His ears were alert and his eyes were doing that freaky thing that cat eyes did. They glowed like demon eyes. For years Munch had known Fluff, but after this week he had an actual relationship with the cat. Weird. Another weird thing crossed his mind, it was really weird how the house and the trailers had morphed in this kind of gigantic house with long outdoor halls. The wind was low tonight, but it was still nippy. In the pool of the porch light, Mitzi sat wrapped in a quilt clinging to Puccini. When they got closer, she stood up and ran to Lolly. Her tiny arms reached around and hugged Lolly and all her stuff. She said, Oh, I missed you so much!" While Mitzi had been staying at the house she had seen her everyday, but Munch got her meaning. Having Lolly in the house day and night had been different than just seeing her during the day. It brought him and Lolly closer than they ever had been before. Having her eat and sleep in the same house, seeing first hand how she interacted with her pa, Munch had learned things about her, seen sides of her, he had never known. As he looked at the two girls, he wondered if Lolly could really leave Grandma Toadys trailer for good. Grandma Toady was home to her. Max and Mitzi were more than cousins to her. They were like siblings. Mitzi let go of her and said, Puccini and me is SO glad yous finally home. Lolly said, Me too. It sounded like she meant it. Inside the trailer, Grandma Toadys eyes were a bit red rimmed, but it didnt look like shed been crying. She said, Hey Munch, like she hadnt just seen him ten minutes ago. Aunt Jessie was on the couch in her work uniform. Mitzi ran to her mother and gave her a quick hug. Aunt Jessie said, You be good. Yes, Mama. To Grandma Toady, Aunt Jessie said, Thanks, Mama. She waved at Lolly and Munch and headed out the door. Mitzi followed Munch and Lolly down the hall. The boom of Led Zeppelin came from Maxs room. Munch wasnt into rock, but he thought Robert Plant had a really soulful wail.Lolly unlocked her bedroom door and went in.She dumped her stuff on the floor and looked around her room.Mitzi said, I havent been in here, I swear.Lolly raised her eyebrows at her. There was no way of knowing if the girl with the bear was telling the truth. Munch still hadnt figured out how she got into his locked room. Sometimes Munch thought Mitzi was more magic than real. Fluff jumped out of Munchs arms and began his own inspection of the parameter. Grandma Toady entered the room and said to Mitzi, its time for your bath. A change came over Mitzi face. Her lower lip stuck out and she asked, ever so meekly, I dont gotta wash my hair do I? Firmly Grandma Toady said, You know you do. There was tension in the air. Munch could feel it. Mitzi was weighing her options. For Grandma Toadys sake, Munch prayed a fit was not in all their futures. Lolly said, Go on Mitzi. I will read to you when you get done. Oh, okay. Grandma Toady, mouthed, Thank you, and led Mitzi out of the room. Munch said, Im gonna go. No, wait. There is something I need to do first. Itll take just a sec. Lolly left the room. What was Lolly up to? Fluff had finished his inspection and hopped onto the bed. The face he made when he landed was comical. It was obvious he wanted HIS new bed. Though the cat pushed the blankets around he couldnt seem to get them just right. Finally, he flopped down and gave up. When Lolly came back she trailed the long cord of the kitchen phone. She said, Im about to call Thahn Ho. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Just the mention of her name, sent Munchs heart to galloping. She dialed the number. Someone answered. Hi, this is Lolly Phelps, may I speak to Thanh Ho. Munch stood frozen. Lolly smiled at him. A few silent moments passed and then she said, Hi Thahn Ho, how are you feeling? Lolly nodded her head as she listened. Of course Thahn Hos response was short. Lolly asked, Would you like a visitor tomorrow after school? A VISITOR! Why not TWO VISITORS? Why had Lolly decided he needed to hear this? A smile spread across Lollys face. She said, Yeah, really. I would love to stay for supper. Lolly was going to get to have supper with Thahn Ho! Thahn Ho said something else, and then Lolly said, Munch is here. There was a response and Lolly shoved the receiver into Munchs hands. Instant panic set in. So this was why Lolly had called while he was there. His sweaty hand gripped the receiver. This was the next thing. He swallowed hard, held the receiver to his ear and said, Hello. Her sweet voice came over the line. She said, Hi, how are you? Currently he was completely over the MOON. The sound of her voice made his heart explode with happy vibes. Uh, I am good. How are you? Much better. I have finished my painting and started the next assignment. It will be good to be back in class. It would be SO good to have her back in class. He said, I finished mine too. I havent figured out though what to do next. Ive done some sketches, but I cant make up my mind. I know what thats like. He knew she did. She said, I am looking forward to seeing you Sunday. Thanks. Im looking forward to seeing you too. Boy, he was looking forward to seeing her! I told Mama you were a vegetarian so there will be the right food for you at lunch. What? On Monday night when Ong noi spoke to him about the lesson, he hadnt said anything about staying for lunch. He was gonna have lunch with Thahn Ho!!! Thank you. That was really sweet of you. You are welcome. In the background Munch heard Le ask, "Who you talking to?" Thahn Ho said, "Lolly called me go away." "I need to tell her something." There was a scuffling sound and Munch heard Thahn Ho, say, Give it back. What was happening? At a volume that was ear splitting Le said, Hello Lolly! Is CRUNCHY there?" Lolly had heard the kid. She called out, "Yes. Here he is." Munch said, "Hi Le." "Hello CRUNCHY! Ong noi told me you was coming over Sunday for a lesson. He said, If Im good I can paint with yall, but I have to be good. I was wondering, when we get done will you play Legos with me? Tentatively, Munch said, If its okay with your mom. She wont care. Bye. The kid slammed the phone down and the line went dead. Lolly asked, What just happened? Le hung up the phone. Lolly said, Oh good grief. I better call Thahn Ho back. She took the phone receiver back to the kitchen. Fluff chased after the cord as it trailed behind her. In a total daze, Munch just stood there. All think could think was WOW!. The little twerp had ended his conversation with Thahn Ho, but if Les mom was agreeable he might get to stay even longer at Thahn Hos house on Sunday. He felt warm and happy all over. A freshly washed, Mitzi came into the room with a towel on her head. She asked, Whats wrong with you? Munch smiled at her and said, Nothing, absolutely nothing. Well, you should tell your face that cause it looks real goofy. * The night air swirled around Munch. Clouds scudded across the starry sky. He was waiting for Lolly to get home. Grandma Toady and Mitzi had left a while ago to go pick her up. Max had stayed home. Currently, the trailer was blasting Black Sabbath. If he blew out Grandma Toadys stereo speakers, he was gonna be in so much trouble. Lights turned into the drive. Grandma Toadys pick up approach. It passed Munch and headed down their drive. At the house Lolly got out, followed by Mitzi. The two girls headed in his direction. Lolly said, Hi, and handed him an envelope. She then told Mitzi, Race you home. The two took off running. The envelope in Munchs hand was made of good quality paper. It was sealed with purple sealing wax. The design on the seal was a bird in flight. Was this from Thahn Ho? He turned over the envelope. Nothing was written on it. He slipped it into his jacket pocket and went inside. Mama was working in their studio. He went to his room. His heart was doing that kerthumping thing again. He sat down on his bed and carefully opened the seal. There was a card inside. The card was made of rice paper. On it was a painting of two sparrows. This was an ink brush painting. Thahn Ho had made this for him. She was really good. Wow. He opened the card. There were not any words inside only a small pencil drawing of a kitten with a ball of yarn. If only he could call and thank her, but he couldnt. On Sunday when he saw her, he would thank her. In silence he stared at the kitten. Was this her way of saying she liked him without words? He hoped so, he really hoped so Chapter 27. Falling Light The moment had arrived, Munch stepped into the church beside Mama. She had a firm grip on Mitzis hand. Puccini was smelling a bit ripe. He was flecked with Cheeto dust. The Duongs were already seated. He saw the back of Thahn Hos head. Her hair reflected the multicolored light falling through the stained glass windows. Mama knelt beside their pew, as did Mitzi. As Munch knelt and crossed himself, panic ripped through him. What if when Thahn Ho looked at him, all he saw in her eyes was friendship? It took all the courage he had to meet her eyes as he slipped passed her. She glanced up at him. It was too swift for him to read whatever her eyes were saying. He took his seat. Mrs. Duong smiled at him and said, Good Morning Michael. Good Morning. Thahn Ho leaned forward so she could see him. She said one word, Hi, but it was enough. She was happy to see him. He smiled and she smiled and then she turned away. Munch felt her mothers eyes upon him. He turned and faced the front. Had he just given himself away? Le climbed past his mother and sister and asked him, Can I sit by you? Yes. Mitzi slid around Mama and asked Le, Did you bring colors? Le nodded. Munch, said Mitzi, Move over so I can sit by Le. Instead of being one person away from Thahn Ho, he was now three people away. Maybe it was better. He knew he looked too happy and too scared at the same time. The service began and he tuned out. In his head appeared an entire scene of what he hoped would happen when he went to his ink brush painting class. It was too rosy and too unrealistic. Imagination could be a dangerous thing. When church was over, Mitzi wanted to go home with Duongs too. Mrs. Duong said, It is fine. She and I will will have tea with Thahn Ho. The back seat of the Volvo was packed. Mitzi, Puccini and Le were strapped into the same seat belt, while Munch and Thahn Ho were on either side of them. In the rear view mirror, Mr. Duongs eyes met Munchs. He did not smile. There seemed to be a trace of warning in those eyes. Munch began to feel a little sick. The car took off. Once they reached the house, Mrs. Duong said, My fathers studio is in the back yard. She pointed at the gate. Disappointment filled Munch. He had imagined the lesson would take place in the dining room in full view of Thahn Ho. Le said, This way, and took his hand. They went through the gate. The backyard contained a garden in progress. Over turned dirt ran along each fence, but had not yet had anything planted in it. There were small pots of plants lined up in rows. The studio, stood in their midst. It was just a glorified shed. At least that is what Munch thought until he walked inside. All at once he felt like he entered a sacred place. Framed rice paper scrolls hung on the walls with sharp black strokes painted on them. Were these Vietnamese characters? On a small table was a slender gold statue of Buddha. Above the Buddha a large window let in natural light. In the center of the room, was a drafting table with four wooden stools. On it were, bamboo brushes, ink blocks and rice paper. There were also small wells of water. Ong noi bowed and said, It is good to see you Michael. Please sit. To Le he said, You are doing well thus far chau tria. The three of them sat down. The texture of the rice paper was fragile. With hands that shook, Ong noi dipped his brush into the water and then bushed it across the block. Despite the tremor, the brush stroke he placed on the paper was true. He looked at the boys and said, Now, you try. By the way Le held the bamboo brush it was obvious he had done this before. In Munchs hand the brush felt too big and clumsy. Still he did as he was instructed. Stroke by stroke they covered the page. It was not a painting, it was a lesson in learning how to manipulate the ink and brush on the paper. Munch glanced at Les work. He was only six, but his strokes were steady and fluid. When the lesson was finally over, Munch felt like he had been running the whole time. He took in a slow breath of air. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Ong noi held up the paper he had covered with strokes. He placed it beside the boys work. He told them, You both have done well. Practice what we have learned today Michael. He handed Munch a memo graphed sheet of paper with the strokes on it. Little arrows on the paper showed him the directions to make each stroke. Ong noi said, When you have mastered these strokes, we will have another lesson. This was a tall order. The technique was harder than Munch had thought it would be. Thank you Sir. I will. With a pent up burst of energy, Le hopped off his chair and grabbed his rice paper. Im gonna ask Mama to put this on the refrigerator. When the studio door closed behind him, Ong noi sighed. He asked Munch, Please could you fetch my cane. I fear my knees have locked up from sitting in one position too long. Munch got the cane and handed it to him. When Ong noi stood, Munch realize he was the same height as he was. It was the first time he had met a full grown man of his stature. Slowly, he walked with Ong noi into the house. He saw Mitzi and Thahn Ho setting the table. She cast a shy glance in his direction and smiled. He nodded, fearful that if he smiled it would be big goofy and OH SO OBVIOUS. He sniffed the air. It smelled peculiar. What were they having to eat? Mrs. Duong brought in a metal tray with bowls and ramekins. She placed it in the center of the table. In the bowls were cooked white rice, chicken, some kind of vegetables, broth, and grilled tofu. Beside each plate were chopsticks, except for where Munch and Mitzi would be sitting. There were chopsticks and a spoon and fork. They sat down. Le was across from Munch. Mrs. Duong was on one side of him and Mitzi was on the other. He did notice that Puccini was not with her. At one end of the table sat Mr. Duong. At the other end was Ong noi.Thahn Ho was beside him. She looked so beautiful in the light that was falling though the window. Aware of Mr. Duongs gaze, Munch had to work very hard to contain himself. The meal was eaten in quiet absorption. Munch tried his hand at chopsticks. Of course Mitzi got the handle of them before he did. She mostly just at rice. To his relief she did not ask questions about the food or make comments about its flavor. From time to time, Munch cast what he prayed were covert glances at Thahn Ho. It was so hard to keep his eyes off of her. She was eating rice, broth and chicken. When the meal was finished, Le hopped off his chair and said, LEGO time! He rushed around the table grabbed Munch and Mitzis hands and drug them to his room. To Munch''s delight, Thahn Ho followed them into her brother''s room. Mitzi placed her hands on her hips and studied the room. Ca Sau, the toy alligator, sat at the foot of Les bed. Beside him was Puccini. All the Cheeto dust had been wiped off of him. She asked, How come you dont have more toys? I have LEGOs and Ca Sau, what more do I need? Mitzi made a little humph, in her throat and joined them at the table. All the buildings were precise and color coded. Mitzi grabbed a fist full of LEGOS and began to build a random colorfed house. Munch worked on a lego car. Beside him, almost close enough to touch, was Thahn Ho. She was building a small wagon with wheels. Munch breathed in her scent. She smelled of orange blossoms and soap. There was a slight blueness beneath her lovely eyes from being so sick and she had lost a bit of weight. All was going well, until, Mitzi tried to attach her colorful house into Les orderly world. Bluntly he told her, That house is ugly. Is not. Thahn Ho warned, Le, be nice. They are our guests. Yeah, I know but her house dont match. Firmly, Thahn Ho said, Everything does not have to match. She cast a glance in Munchs direction. Was she referring to more than LEGO houses? Le argued, Yes it does. At least in MY town. Mitzi stood up from the table and said, YOUR TOWN IS DUMB. To Munch she said, I want to go home. No! Munch was not ready to go home. Come on Le, let her put her house in your town. If she goes, I have to go. For a moment, Le considered this, then he said to Mitzi, You can put your house in my town. The question was, would Mitzi agree. As always she stood weighing her options. Finally she said, Okay. She put her house along a blued street with yellow stripes. When Thahn Ho leaned over to set her wagon on the street, her arm brushed against Munchs. She lifted her dark eyes to him. Something like electricity seemed to jump between them. The door bell rang. Munch heard Mamas voice in the living room. Dammit, he wasnt anywhere ready to go home. Mrs. Duong called to them. Mitzi with Puccini in her arms shot out of the room. Le was close behind. Thahn Ho hesitated a moment, in that moment Munch managed to say, The card you made me was beautiful Thank you so much. The smile she gave him, started in her eyes and traveled to her lips. You are welcome. Never in all his life had he wanted to kiss someone so badly. He was lost in her eyes. He was lost in her. She headed for the door and said, "I will be in the art room before school starts tomorrow." "I will see you there." Chapter 28. There Are Moments There are moments in life where everything changes. As Munch stood before his mirror making sure he looked just right, he knew he was approaching one of those moments. Today he was dressed in a burgundy corduroy jacket with matching trousers. He wore a dark blue and teal paisley shirt. On his feet were black wingtips. On the outside he looked sharp. Inside he was a mess of nerves and anticipation. When he stepped into the kitchen, Mama said, My you look handsome today. Thanks. Munch knew he wasnt handsome. The most he could hope for was attractive. Maybe he pulled it off today, and maybe he didnt. He had tried and that was all he could do. After breakfast he headed for the bus stop. Lolly and Max were already there. Both had the hoods of their sweatshirts pulled up. When Lolly saw Munch she smiled. The worry that had haunted her was fading. Trevors dad was now in a regular room and mending well. As for Trevors mother, God only knew what that woman was up to. Max cut Munch a glance. It was the first time he had looked in Munchs direction since they had had words over Tina. The look Max gave him shouted, Hypocrite! Quickly, Munch looked away. Doubt began to hound him. Did Max know? Had Max figured out who he liked? There was no way of knowing. Maybe he was just being too sensitive. Maybe he wasnt. People were dumb. Max was dumb. Prejudice hurt. His life thus far had been a testament to the best and worst of what his mothers love for his birth father had created. He swallowed hard. He was a fool. One of his dark moods began to gust over him. On the bus ride to school, his entire body felt like it had gone numb. Yesterday he had been so full of hope and happiness. That one look from Max had filled him with dread, had pulled in back into the real world and not the world that only existed in his head. When the bus stopped at the junior high, he didnt see Tina anywhere. God bless his heart, why was he looking for her anyway? Had she wised up? Had Max? The bus rolled away from the junior high and headed for the high school. Munch felt his heart begin to pump hard. Lolly asked, Are you okay? Yeah. He wasnt. When Munch got off the bus, he didnt see anyone or notice anything. It was like everything had gone white. His breath was coming in strange gasps. He cut down the hall to the art room. Thahn Ho was waiting for him at the door. She saw him and smiled. Every hope that had died inside of Munch was instantly resurrected. Maybe? Maybe He watched her turn and head through the door. He was only seconds behind her, but what mattered was that they didnt enter at the same time. Inside the room she was at her art drawer gathering her supplies. He went to his and pulled it open. He grabbed his sketches and took them to their table. A couple shy glances passed between them. Munch felt flushed, he felt sick and oh so confused. All he wanted to do was ask her to be his girl, but in the world he lived in, in so many eyes and minds what he felt was taboo. He was torn. He didnt want to do anything that would hurt Thahn Ho. What had Mama said, just do the next thing. What was the next thing? Was it to accept the fact that anything between him and Thahn Ho would never be easy and they both might be better off if nothing did happen? Sadness filled Munchs soul. Why did the world have to be the way it was? He didnt know. He glanced at the clock. The bell would ring soon and he wouldnt see her again until Painting. The room started to get loud as people packed up their supplies. Thahn Ho leaned closer to Munch and asked, Can we talk? Sure. When? I will call you tonight, after Karate. Oh, okay. The bell rang. * The day passed. Things were a bit more natural between Thahn Ho and him during painting class. Despite her shyness, she made a real effort to say more and he loved the sound of her voice. She didnt have the usual Texas drawl. There was a tone to her voice that set all the words to a slightly different rhythm. Too soon the bell rang. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Last period Grace entered the room. Her eyes scanned the room and landed on Munch. There was fire in her eyes. With hard quick steps she crossed the room. Towering over him she said, Well the shit has hit the fan. Oh God, please dont let this be about Max and Tina. What? She slid into her desk and said, Jake and Lisa. This semester, he didnt have any classes with Jake or Lisa. What happened? They got into a fight in the hall and guess who it was about? Who? Me. Lisa thinks Jake likes me. Worse, that I like him back. Why would I like some pasty white boy? God. Its so dumb. Ive caught that idiot staring at me more than once. Lisa dont get it. Jake dont like me, not like Lisa thinks. So now, Lisa is pissed at me and I didnt do a damn thing. Last thing I need is an enemy. Munch said, I dont think Lisa will be your enemy. She''s just upset right now. She knows how dumb Jake is. Give it some time. I hope youre right. Me too. * That evening during Karate class, Ito-san was doing demonstrations. He had Max step forward and he showed him some moves which Max had to repeat. Max did well. He crossed the room and sat by Kevin. Kevin was not comfortable with the feud between Munch and Max, but his first loyalty was with Max. Lolly whispered, Whats up with you and Max? I dont know. It wasnt true. Ito-san called out, Michael Dutchendorph. Startled Munch stood. He took his place on the mat. Ito-san went through a more complicated series of moves than he had done with Max. He said, Now. Munch moved his left leg forward and began the series.Step by step he worked his way through. With each movement he felt new strength in his body and his mind. When he finished the series, the class erupted in applause. Munch was used to getting attention for his art, even for his dancing, but this was the first time in his entire life that he received praise for an athletic exercise. Ito-san said, You do well. Thank you. Next Ito-san put them in pairs. He did not get to be with Lolly, he had to be with Max. Great. As he and Max worked through their series of moves, it occurred to him that he and Max were the most fluid and accurate in the class. At the end of the series, Ito-san did a cool down and then dismissed the class. While Munch was putting on his shoes, Ito-san approached him. He said, Keep it up and you will become proficient at Karate. We will see. In time you may move you to an advanced class. An advanced class? Wow! Thank you Sir. He nodded to Munch and headed in Maxs direction. The ride home from Karate was lively, thanks to Mitzi. She too was doing well in her class. It seemed ballet and tap had been perfect preparatory classes for Karate. My teacher told me I was really good. Max said, My teacher said the same thing about me. Did not. Did too. Mitzi asked Munch, Did your teacher talk to you? Yup. Whatd he say? Mitzi cocked her head expectantly. He said, Im doing good. From the front seat Lolly said, Well, no one said anything to me. I kinda suck. Mitzi said, Yeah, you kinda do, but not as bad Kevin does. No. Poor Kevin, thought Munch. He was way out of his league but what did he care. Lolly was in the class and Trevor was no where to be found. That was enough for the big goof. * After Karate, Munch did his homework in the kitchen. He was having such a hard time focusing. Why hadnt she called yet? She said she would call. He glanced at the kitchen clock. Only two minutes had passed since the last time he looked. Finally the phone rang. He felt a jolt of adrenaline shoot through his body. He grabbed the phone and tried very hard to sound nonchalant, when he said, Hello. Hi Michael. It was HER! Hey. Le told me you are good at Karate. He did. There was a pause. The pause grew longer. Thahn Ho was quiet and it just felt like maybe he should fill the silence. Ito-san said, he may move me to an advanced class. That is really good. Yeah, it is thanks. More silence. Tentatively, Thahn Ho said, Uhm, Michael, can I tell you something. Of course. Her soft, sweet voice filled his ears and his heart as she said, I think you are the nicest boy I have ever met. An alarm went off in Munchs head. Was she about to tell him that she just wanted to be friends. Thank you. She continued, And, uh, I would like it if you called me sometime. You would? The question was did she like him and if she did how did she like him? Okay. My mom has your number but I dont. Do you have paper? He picked up his algebra homework and his pencil. I do now. She called out her number. He wrote it down and he asked, When would be a good time to call you? Wednesdays evenings. My mother teaches CCD. He had no idea what CCD was. And my father meets with a group that same night. I have to look after Le. Call around 6:30. So, he could call her when her parents werent home. Okay. Sounds good. I will call you then. Weird as it was, he felt her smile, if she was smiling, he just knew she was smiling. I look forward to it. Good night Michael. Good night, Thahn Ho. The phone clicked and the line went dead. For better or worse, this night, something had just begun. Chapter 29. So It Begins On Wednesday nights Mama had a Drawing 1 class, so Munch was all alone in the house. He was watching the hands on the kitchen clock move very slowly to the number 6. Five minutes, two minutes and then all the minutes were gone. He looked at the crumpled piece of paper in his hand and slowly dialed the number. The phone rang once, it rang again. What if she didnt answer? What if she wasnt home? She said she would be home. The phone rang a third time and he heard her say, Hello. Hi, its me. Hey you. Im so glad you called. Everything about her voice was inviting and kind. It had only been a few hours since he last saw her so he wasnt sure what to say. Thanks, me too. So obvious! He asked, "Do you have homework tonight? Oh, yes, I am still a little behind from when I was sick. Almost there though. How are you feeling? Seriously, he was asking her that! She responded, Better. Some foods still make me feel nauseous. I really dont like throwing up. Me either. Boy did he NOT like throwing up. There was a pause. Maybe this whole conversation thing would be better if one of them had a bit more confidence, but for whatever reason, Munch had become very shy. He had never been shy. He heard Le asked, Who you talking to? Thahn Ho said, A friend. Le asked, Lolly? Go away Le. Why? Because I said so. Le asked, Is it Crunchy? If you dont leave me a lone, Im not going to read James and the Giant Peach to you at bedtime. Okay, Im goin." Loudly he called out, Bye Crunchy. Flustered, Thahn Ho said, He is such a pain in the ass. Munch burst into giggles. He didnt know she said words like that. He heard the door close. He also heard Le shout, You cant watch me if you CANT see me! I am so sorry Michael. He is full of it tonight. I think he ate too much sugar or something. Ong noi has a chocolate stash, and Le probably found it again. I just hope he settles down before my parents get home. Munch was amazed. She had never said so many words to him at one time. She asked, Is your mom home? No, shes at work. So right now its just us. Yes. When I am fully recovered, Lolly said I could come over. When I do, will you be home? Most definitely. There was another pause in the conversation. Munch asked, what he knew he needed to know and had to ask, Will your parents be very upset if they find out about me calling you? Silence. It seemed to stretch out for an eternity before she said, Yes. They will be. Ong noi, he wont. He knows. He knows? Yes. He asked me about you and I couldnt lie to him. I told him that I liked you very much. For a quiet girl, she was sure bold. You do? Yes, I do. I like you very much too. Oh Michael, I am so glad. You have so many friends I thought maybe you were just being nice to me. He had so many friends? He knew a lot of people because hed grown up with them, but most of them were not his friends. I liked you the minute I saw you. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. That quick? Yes. That is what Ong noi suspected. He is such a romantic. Everyday he watches The Million Dollar Movie on Channel 13. If its a movie with Greer Garson in it, he is completely gone. I dont know if he loves her because shes beautiful or because she was my my b ngo?is favorite actress. Munch had no idea who Greer Garson was or who or what a b ngo?i was, but it didnt matter. Ong noi was on his side. He didnt know why, but he was. Thahn Ho said, I am so glad you called. I better let you go. Le has gotten very quiet and that is always a bad sign. He asked, Can I call you again? I would like that. I will let you know when. Okay. Bye Michael. Bye Thahn Ho. After the line went dead, he just held the phone. She liked him. She liked him It was not just his imagination. It was real. * It was after 9:30 when Mama got home. She looked beat when she came through the door. Munch asked, Have a long day? Yes. She eyed him a minute and asked, How bout you? It was a good day over all. He was not ready to say a word about Thahn Ho. It was a secret he wanted to keep for himself. Thats good. I was wondering if you could ask your friend Grace if she would be interested in sitting for my drawing class. Shed get paid for her time. Okay, sure. Mama kissed him on the top of his head and went to her room. * The next morning when he, Lolly and Trevor got to school, Grace was waiting outside. As soon as she saw them she came up to them and said, I dont know where yall are going this morning but I am not sitting in that cafeteria by myself. So who wants my company? There was this look of fear and desperation in Graces eyes. Munch knew that look and that fear. He couldnt just let her stand there. Before he could say anything though, Lolly hooked her arm through Graces and said, Come with us. Yall sure? Of course. Grace hesitated, Will Lisa be there? A look of dismay came over Lollys face. Yeah. I talked to her last night. So, so sorry that happened. Trevor said, Jake is an idiot. Grace asked, Is Lisa still mad at me? Mostly shes hurt. I know she will get over it. There was a catch in Graces voice when she said, Thanks, but no. Im not ready to see her yet. Lolly said, Okay. I get it. She looked at Munch. Would Thahn Ho understand if he showed up with Grace? She was not Jake, but he didnt know her well enough to know how she would react and this was their very first morning of them being an almost couple. Still, he said, Come with me. If you do some volunteer work for Mademoiselle Petite shell let you stay in the art room. She smiled at him and said, Thanks Munch. The two headed down the hall. Fewer eyes were following them as they walked. This morning Thahn Ho was not standing at the door. Was she there? She had to be there! Hopefully she wasnt sick. He opened the door and walked in, followed by Grace. Thahn Ho was at their table. She waved. Grace said, Hey Thahn Ho. I didnt know you were an artist too. The smile that spread across Thahn Hos face was heratfelt. Light came into her eyes. And he had seriously been worried she would be upset with him for showing up with Grace. Such a worry wart! He turned his attention to Mademoiselle Petite. She asked him, So youve brought me another volunteer, Michael? Yes Maam. This is Grace. Mademoiselle Petite got up from her desk and extended her hand to Grace. Surprised by the gesture, Grace took her hand and grinned. Mademoiselle said, Its nice to meet you Grace. Follow me. She lead her to the cluttered back corner. Munch went to the table he shared with Thahn Ho and sat down. He felt so happy and she looked so happy. She leaned over and whispered, I saw what happened to Grace yesterday. You are such a good friend. Munch beamed. Grace brought a huge stack of mixed up construction paper to their table to sort. When she saw the sketches that Munch and Thahn Ho were working on she whispered, Dang you guys can draw. She shook her head. I had no idea. Wow. I might be sitting with two someday famous people. Thahn Ho smiled and said, You might be. Munch remembered Mamas request. He asked, Hey my mama was wondering if you might be able to sit for her drawing class. Grace frowned. What do you mean sit? I mean, you sit on a stool in the middle of class and people draw you. A little too loudly she said, Hell no! Why not? Youd get paid. Uhm, is your mama crazy? "What? No!" Right. Your mama wants me to sit naked in front of a bunch of strangers and you don''t see a problem with that. As you know I am underage. Wouldnt matter if I got paid a million dollars, I am not doing it. Thahn Ho started to giggle. Grace asked, What is so funny? Munch said, Grace, my mom doesnt teach Life Drawing Class with nude models. She teaches Drawing 1. Nobody gets naked in Drawing 1. Oh. Okay. Sorry for what I said about your mom. I dont know nothing about art stuff. Its okay. So do you want the job or not? I will have to ask my daddy. Ill let you know. God I feel like such an idiot. Firmly, Thahn Ho said, You are not an idiot. My ong noi says, you cannot know, what you do not know. One must learn. Grace asked, Whats an ong noi? Ong noi is Vietnamese for Grandfather. Oh, okay. Grace grinned at them and said, Dang, Im learning an awful lot this morning and first bell hasnt even rung. When the bell did ring the three of them walked down the hall together. It was so nice to get to walk beside Thahn Ho and not have to worry about what people might think. Thahn Ho glanced up at him and smiled. His hand itched to take hers but he knew better. He had held her hand before, and he was sure he would hold it again. He returned her smile. As always Mrs. Beasley was at her door welcoming students into her class room. She said "Good morning, Thahn Ho." "Good morning." Thahn Ho waved at them and entered the class. Munch and Grace headed for Algebra. The instant they walked in the room, stupid Quack gave Munch the thumbs up sign. Grace took a quick glance around the room and glared at him. It was scary what she could do with her eyes. She flicked her wrist and flipped him off. Quacks face fell. He turned red and looked down at his desk. Was it possible, Quack took his supposed matchmaking seriously? Or did he actually care what Grace thought of him? One thing for sure was that Grace had made her point. Quack looked piss scared. Grace slid into her seat and hissed, So tired of stupid assed white boys. Munch asked, What about Trevor? She rolled her eyes at him and sighed. You know Trevors different. Yeah, he knew. Chapter 30. Of Secrets Munch was minding his own business making his way to the cafeteria when he heard some one call out, Munch. It was Jake. Cowboy Jake. He was decked out in his best cowboy boots, jeans and cowboy shirt. This was an outfit to impress with. Who was Jake trying to impress? Lisa? Those duds wouldnt work for Grace. He said, Yeah. Can I talk to you for a minute? Not that he wanted to, but he said, Okay. You know Lisa and I broke up. Common expected knowledge. Yeah. I am really sorry about the way it went down. I-I didnt mean to fall for Grace but I did. I am so sorry I hurt her. Do you think she might talk to me? There was desperation in this boys eyes. Munch wanted to say, Hell no! Instead he said, I dont know. Its probably too soon. Grace is still new and she was really hurt and embarrassed by the stunt you and Lisa pulled. Jakes eyes became pools of hopelessness. Oh, God. He looked like a puppy that had just been kicked. I know I really screwed up. Its just I cant keep my eyes off of her. She is so beautiful. She is, but that dont give you no right to gawk at her. You creeped her out. Each word Munch said, seemed to hit Jake like sledge hammer. Jake wasnt a bad guy, he was just a guy. A guy who had fallen hard for a beautiful woman. So, theres nothing I can do? I dont know Jake. Maybe, but I wouldnt do anything anytime soon. Grace could whup you if she had a mind to. The corner of Jakes lips curled into a small smile. Huh, I bet she could. Munch thought, Oh yeah, and youd get off on that. Jake didnt have a chance in hell. Ill see you later Jake. He walked away. When he reached the cafeteria Lisa was at their table. All week she had been hiding in the library before school and during lunch. She gave him a smile that was none too happy. He wondered if she would ask him what the cowboy had said, but to his relief she didnt. Grace came to the lunch table. She hesitated before she sat down. Lisa looked up at her and said, Please sit. Im not upset anymore. It has taken me a whole week, but I now know you did nothing. I am so sorry I embarrassed you like that. Can you forgive me? Graces eyes darted from Munch to Lolly. Both of them nodded. Okay, Grace said and sat down. * It was Friday afternoon and Munch was freezing his butt off! Today was Trevor and Jakes first home track meet. Lisa would have been there, but she opted out. She wasn''t ready to watch Jake run. The thing that made all this so stupid was that Lisa was literally out of Jake''s league. And yet, she was the one who got hurt and she was the one who was sad and she was the one who was missing out. Out on the track feild was chaos. So many events going on at once, he could not keep track. At least in football and basketball he knew what to watch and where to look. Here he had not idea. He also had no interest in track. AT ALL. It was too damn cold, the only reason he was here was because Lolly Thahn Ho to the track meet. Lolly thought everyone should see her man run. Everyone was as entranced with her man as she was. Still, Thahn Ho had agreed and when she agreed, track was instantly granted some merit in Munch''s mind. At the moment he was sitting right beside her in public. Grace was there too and so was Tina. Starting guns fired, boys ran, sprinted, hurdled. Munch was clueless. He cheered when Lolly cheered. Across the parking lot, Munch saw a very tall boy. It could only be Kevin. Beside him was the recently emancipated Max. His month long grounding had come to an end. Max was looking in their direction. Oh, no. He was not seriously going to try to sit with them? Grace would have a fit. He glanced over at Grace. She was focused on the field, but her sister wasnt. Tinas eyes were trailing Max. Great. Just great. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. When Kevin came up the bleachers he was alone. Grace knew who he was. She said, Hey Slim. Kevin grinned and said, Hey Grace. She asked, Wheres your boy? Poor Kevin. His eyes got wide and round. Kevin could not lie to save his soul. He burst out, Hes here somewhere. Grace said, Long as hes not right here, Im good. The way she looked at Tina was a pure warning. It was a warning that Munch sensed would not be heeded. Kevin asked, Can I sit with y''all? Lolly said, Of course. No telling what Grace would have said if she had gotten the chance. Since Kevin was so dang tall he sat behind them, more precisely, behind Lolly. The track meet continued. Tina got up. Grace asked, Where you goin? To pee. You gonna follow me? Sure am." By the look on Tinas face this was not the response she was hoping for. Munch watched the girls head down the bleachers. Lolly said, Look theres Trevor! She waved. There was also Jake. He was watching Grace descend the bleachers. Thank goodness, Lisa was not there to see him ogling Grace again. Within minutes, Grace was back up the bleachers alone, and she was pissed. She said, Tina just gave me the slip. She cast her scary gaze at Kevin and asked, Do you know where they went? Terrified, Kevin lost all his color. He shook his head. You wouldnt like to me, Grace got right in his face and asked, would you? Uhh, no Maam. Lolly said, He wouldnt. Kevin really sucks at lying. You want some help finding Tina? If you dont mind. Just as they stood, Tina appeared with a bag of pop corn. She played innocent really good. Slowly she made her way to where they were sitting. As soon as she reached them Grace asked, Where have you been? Coyly, Tina held up her popcorn and said, I was hungry. She popped a few kernels into her mouth. Grace growled, Well, dont go running off again. Tina plopped down beside Kevin. I didnt run off in the first place. I just got some popcorn. Yeah right. The next race was called. It was the 440 relay. Jake and Trevor were both in this race. The starting gun was fired. Startled, Thahn Ho grabbed a hold of Munchs arm. The eyes that looked up at him were frightened. This wasnt the first time the starting gun had been fired. What was wrong? Softly she said, I dont like the gun fire. I want to stay here, but I dont like the gunfire. Okay. You want to call your mom? Shes with Le at his piano lesson. Ong noi is home though. I will call him. If Lolly werent so focused on Trevor, she probably would have noticed Thahn Ho was upset. To be fair if Munch hadnt been so focused of being in Thahn Hos presence, he would have noticed she was upset. He said, I got a quarter. Ill show you where the pay phone is. As they made their way down the bleachers disappointment slid into Munchs happiness and completely canceled it. At the pay phone, visibly shaking, Thahn Ho dialed her number. She said, Ong noi, can you come get me? She paused. No, I am not sick. The gun fire, itI dont know Tears started sliding out of her beautiful eyes. Okay, Ong noi. Yes. No, Michael is at the meet too. He showed me the pay phone. Ong noi said something and then Thahn Ho said, Bye. She looked at Munch and said, I am really sorry. He wanted to take her in his arms so badly. You have nothing to apologize for. Softly she said, But I wanted to spend time with you. And I you. There will be other times okay? Okay. Will you wait with me until Ong noi gets here? Of course. They went to the stadium entrance to wait. People of all colors were at the meet, so they didnt stand out as they waited. An ancient Ford Falcon appeared in the parking lot. In it was Ong noi. He stopped the car and asked, Michael, do you need a ride home? He could not believe his luck! Yes! I just need to tell Lolly I''m leaving. All right, we will wait. I park over there. He pointed at the parking lot. Munch was just about to make a dash for Lolly, when Max appeared. He said, Ill tell Lolly you got a ride. It was the first time Max had spoken to him in over two weeks. Thanks. Munch did his best estimation of running as he headed for the Falcon. Thahn Ho was in the front seat. He climbed in the back seat. In the front seat, Ong noi said something to Thahn Ho in Vietnamese and headed out of the parking lot. Ong noi asked, So Michael have you mastered your strokes yet? I think so. Then, we have another lesson. Good? Yes Sir. This was very good! Thahn Ho told Ong noi where to turn. She had the route to the farm memorized. When they pulled into the drive Ong noi parked. His eyes took in the landscape around him. Munch remembered that Thahn Ho had wanted her grandfather to see the farm. He asked, Mr. Phan would you like to look around? Ah, Michael, that would be most kind. With a slight catch in his voice, he said, Please show me your land. The way Ong noi said, your land, made it sound sacred. Yes, Sir. He looked at Thahn Ho. She seemed better and her eyes were smiling at him. Chapter 31. Water Music Ong noi breathed in the cold air. His breath made a puff of white when he exhaled. He said, It is good to smell the earth. The look on his face was one of quiet exultation. With cane in hand he headed for the cow trail. Once there had been a tractor trail to the field, but it was now overgrown. Side by side, Thahn Ho and Munch followed him. The old man did not miss a thing. He saw the crow fly and the Spanish Moss in the trees. He burst into delighted laughter when a covey of quail burst into flight at his feet. He commented on all the new green leaves that were beginning to bud on the trees. Soon, he said, Spring will be upon us. And all life will be renewed again. As he walked he seemed to grow younger. It was as if Time was falling away from him. When they reached the stream, he stopped. His legs were too unstable to climb down the bank. With regret in his eyes, he looked at the bank he could not conquer. It would be good to sit by the water, but, a slight sparkle came to his eyes, I will not grieve over this. Instead I will accept this gift of water music. If you dont mind, I would like to listen in solitude. Do not go far. He nodded at them and turned back to the stream. Thahn Ho and Munch just looked at each other for a long second. Had they just been given the gift of time together? Thahn Ho said, Okay, Ong noi. Call us when you are ready to head back. I will. Now please go. Munch felt like his heart was about to explode from happiness. It was a rare gift when someone knowingly granted a persons fondest wish. Side by side, he and Thahn Ho headed across the pasture to the old cotton field. As they gained some distance away from Ong noi, they drew closer together. Once they reached the shelter of the trees, Munch took a look around him, and then reached for Thahn Hos hand. This time it was not cold and clammy. It was soft and warm. He looked down at her and she looked up at him. In one move they came together. He had her in his arms. She pressed her face against his coat. He raised a hand to stroke her beautiful hair. It did not feel the way he expected. It shone like satin, but felt like rough silk. It was coarse and luxurious. His heart beat went up a notch. They were so close. He had never been this close to a girl before. He was just a tad taller than her. It wasnt much, but for a short guy it was important. Shyly, she looked up at him. Her smile went through him, like no ones smile had ever done before. How could this be happening? The next thing she did, surprised and delighted him. She raised her lips to his and kissed him. Though the contact was brief the sweetness of it traveled through his entire body. Shyly, she hid her face against his shoulder. He pulled her closer. So many thoughts and sensations were rushing through him. He felt dizzy and excited and oddly at peace. They fit. As different as they were, they fit. He kissed the side of her head and pressed his cheek against her hair. She smelled of lavender and roses. In the distance, Munch heard the hum of the tractor. It was Old Man Jenkins. He was bringing feed out for the wild hogs that lived in the woods. Thahn Ho and Munch broke apart. Both were a little breathless. Quickly, Munch drew Thahn Ho deeper into the shade of trees. The last thing they needed was to be spotted together by that crazy old man. In silence they watched his rickety tractor and wagon head into the woods. When he had disappeared, Munch reached for Thahn Hos hand. Her fingers curled around his. He drew her close again and tilted her chin up. Gently, he kissed her. This was an evening in his life that he would not forget. When he opened his eyes, Thahn Ho was smiling up at him. Neither of them took a second of their time for granted. Who knew when they would get to be together alone again. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Too soon, Ong noi call out, This old mans bones have grown cold. Thahn Ho called out, We are on our way. Hand in hand they walked toward the stream. When they saw Ong noi, Munch released the warm hand in his. Letting it go hurt. Ong noi was still focused on the stream. He heard their steps and turned to them. He smiled. There was a bit of mischief in his smile. He asked, Is it not a beautiful evening? It is beautiful, said Thahn Ho. A slow smile spread across his wrinkled lips. Yes, it is. If you will agree Michael. We will come again. I must hear the water sing. It feeds my spirit. There would be another time. It was more than Munch had even hoped for. You are welcome any time, Sir. Good. Now, let us be on our way. He put his cane out solidly in front of him and began to move forward. His pace was slow, but neither Thahn Ho nor Munch minded. In the distance, Munch could see Grandma Toady on her porch. She was hard to miss in her poppy red coat. The sound of Mitzi tap dancing shattered the silence. So she was back to that again. When they reached the trailer, Grandma Toady was all smiles. Mitzi, thank God, stopped her dancing. The little girl saw Ong noi and rushed down the porch steps. She threw her arms around him and said, It is so good to see you Ong noi! Ong noi said, It is good to see you too. Mitzi released him. Ong nois eyes went from Mitzi to Grandma Toady. He smiled and said, You must be the famous Grandma Toady that I have heard so much about. I am. And your must be the famous Ong noi. Grandma Toady came forward and extended her hand to him. Obvious admiration shown in Ong nois eyes as he took her hand. It is a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Phelps. The hand shake lingered just a fraction of a second long. Munch wasnt sure, maybe it was just the evening sunlight, but it looked like Grandma Toady blushed. Please, call me Toady, everyone does. With a tilt of his head Ong noi asked, How did such a lovely woman come to be called Toady? I was blessed with four brothers and thats the nick name they gave me. It just stuck. Ong noi shook his head, American nicknames are very peculiar. If you do not mind, may I inquire as to your given name? Munch realized he had no idea what Grandma Toadys real name was. It is Ruby. Ong noi smiled, Now, that suits you. May I call you Ruby? Grandma Toady laughed. Its been so long since anyone called me that, Im not sure Ill know to answer to it. But, please do, it would be nice. With a slight bow, Ong noi said, And you must call me Le. So Le was named after his grandfather. Of course. With a smile, Grandma Toady asked, Would you like to come in and have a drink. Yall must be thirsty after your walk. I have water, juice, milk, soda, koolaide and iced sweet tea. A smile spread across Ong nois face. He said, Yes, that would nice. I would like some of that sweet tea, please. Good as done. Grandma Toady asked, Munch, Thahn Ho what would you like to drink? Grandma Toady made the best sweet tea. Tea for me, said Munch. Thahn Ho said, The same. With a frown on her face, Mitzi asked, What about me? Grandma Toady said, I know what you and Puccini want. Koolaide. Yup. Mitzi opened the door and they went inside. While they waited for their drinks, Ong noi took in the family photos on the wall. He whispered to Munch, I do not see a grandfather in these pictures. From across the room Mitzi said, He runned away a long time ago. I think he lives in Florida with his new better than us family. Ong noi did not know quite how to respond to this information. Fortunately, Grandma Toady came in with the tray of tea. Munch wished this evening could go on forever. Chapter 32. A Monster in the Dark Time had passed too quickly. Munch watched the old Falcon turn onto the road and, he headed for his house. Mama wasnt home yet, but she would be soon. He went up to the studio and sat down at his drawing table. If only there were a way to express what he now felt. If he was a poet or a songwriter he might be able to. Her lips, he could still feel them. Soft. Her eyes shining just for him. All time fell away from him as he traveled into his land of dreams and built castles for he and Thahn Ho. When he heard the VW in the drive, he looked around him. Through the window he saw that daylight was almost gone. Quickly, he got up, went down stairs and put his jacket on before Mama even had time to get into the house. He headed out the door, just as she was coming in. She said, Hey, you going some where? Without making eye contact he said, Just for a walk. Dont go far. I wont. Mama asked, Got your flashlight? Yup. Be careful. Mamas famous last words. He had been careful his whole life. Outside along the western horizon the last shreds of sunlight were fast disappearing. Munch retraced the steps he had shared with Thahn Ho. His mind was full of Thahn Ho. He had fled the house because he wanted more time alone to think. At the house Mama would be fixing a late dinner and she would be chatty. He didnt want chatty, he wanted silence and space without interruptions. He needed time to be all on his own with his own thoughts. He reached the stream. When he headed down the bank he saw Max. Oh, great. When had he gotten home? Munch couldnt remember hearing Grandma Toadys truck leave. Max glanced up at him, but he didnt speak or move. Munch decided to head further down stream. It was getting really dark. He turned on his flash light. Its beam shot through the trees. At the barbed wire fence line, he had to carefully duck and crawl through, lest he snag his clothes on one of the barbs. He was now on Old Man Jenkins property. Old Man Jenkins was a bit on the touched side, but he and Mr. Jenkins were on friendly terms. Well, as friendly of terms as Mr. Jenkins allowed. The beam of the flash light skittered across the surface of the stream. The bank was steeper here. Munchs shoe slipped and he went sliding toward the water. He managed to grab a low hanging oak branch before he hit the cold water. Carefully he raised himself to a sitting position. That was close. The wind sent murmurs through the trees. He turned off his flash light and looked up at the stars. They seemed so far away and yet so close. Even though Thahn Ho wasnt with him, she was with him. It was such a strange sensation. At the beginning of the school year he never even imagined a girl might like him. It hadnt happened before, so he had no expectation of it happening at all. But, now, now there was her. Every detail of the evening came to mind again. It had been so wonderful and so brief. Some how, some way it would happen again. He didnt understand what Ong noi was up to, but he was grateful. Munch let out a slow sigh. Beneath his hands he felt the first new blades of grass. The moon began to rise, casting silver light. It touched the small leaf buds on the oak trees. It skittered across the surface of the stream. Moonlight had always held magic for him. If only he could share this moment with Thahn Ho. There was the crunch of leaves behind him. Quickly, he turned. A flash light beam hit him square in the eyes, blinding him. Was it Old Man Jenkins? Maxs voice asked, Mind if I join you? Maybe their feud was over, or perhaps Max was calling a truce. Either way, Munch had missed Max and if he wanted to talk to him, it would be welcome. No, but be careful, its pretty steep. His warning came too late. Max lost his footing. His flash light sailed into the air and spiraled into the stream with a loud splash. Just barely, Munch managed to snag Maxs sweatshirt before he slid into the water. Dazed, Max said, Thanks. Munch let go of his sweatshirt. Cautiously Max settled himself onto the bank. The flash light was at the bottom of the stream, a good five feet below the water. It made a lovely orb of light. He looked down at his flash light and shrugged. Munch noticed his eyes were red rimmed. He had either been crying or smoking. Munch didnt smell any cigarette smoke. His first impulse was to ask Max if he was okay, but he held back. If Max was okay, he wouldnt look like he looked and he sure as hell wouldnt have sought him out. Something was up. If Max wanted to tell him, he could tell him, but Munch refused to go fishing for information. Max was thirteen and he could change moods in a heart beat. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. In silence they sat. From time to time Max tossed a rock or an acorn into the water. Munch watched the ripples spread out before they were swept away. All at once Max blurted out, Im moving in with my dad. Boy, Aunt Jessie was gonna love that. Munch asked, When? I turn fourteen at the end of the month and I am gonna be solid gone. I want my old room back full time and to be in one place. This moving around all the time isnt good for me or Mitzi. At the thought of Mitzi, Munchs stomach hurt. That little girl needed her big brother. Have you talked to your dad? Yeah. I just have to talk to my mom and we both know how thats gonna go. He tossed another acorn into the orb light. I hate this whole stupid thing. Mom is so stubborn and Dad, well, lets just say Mom plays him. Anything she wants, she gets, but not this time. No. Not. This. Time. The anger and confusion in Maxs voice was palpable. Munch said, It really does suck. Yup. Have you told Grandma Toady? You know I have. She reads me better than either of my parents. Whatd she say? That I should do whats best for me. He picked up another acorn and tossed it. Munch said, I get it, but I will miss having you around. You realize that when you go Im gonna be stuck on this farm with whole passel of female kinfolks. Max actually chuckled, Sucks for you. Yeah, it does. A loud snort sounded just above them. The boys turned. Up on the rim of the bank an ominous silhouette. A monster in the dark! There was no such thing. The creature turned slightly. It wasnt a monster it was the biggest wild boar he had ever seen. The moon cast it in silver and danced across its long white tusks. Wild boars were vicious, unpredictable and fast. Getting caught out like this was not good. Max and Munch stood frozen. What now? Munch whispered, No sudden movements. Just stay calm, we are gonna climb this tree. Follow me, slowly. Munch took a slow step toward the oak tree and pulled himself onto the lowest branch. Max was right behind him. The boar let out a terrible snarl. It was blood stopping. Panicked, Munch pulled himself from one branch to another. The boar hit the tree hard. Max screamed. Terrified, Munch looked down. Max was just below him out of the boars reach. That sucker was tall. He had his split hooves braced against the tree. Frantic, Max whispered, Are we stuck up here? It would appear so. Howd you know what to do? Munch said, My daddy taught me. Thank God, that thing could have killed us. Yeah, he really could. The boar dropped to the ground and rooted around the tree for acorns. He was in no hurry to leave. In the distance, Munch heard the clang of Mamas cow bell calling him home. Oh great. he and Max were about to be in trouble again. Mama had told him not to go far, and he had gone far. She would break into a panic any second now. The bell sounded again. Mama would be going over to Grandma Toadys and find out that Max was missing too. Below, the boar went to the waters edge and took in a big slurping drink. He shook his entire body and stared up at the tree. Max said, I cant believe this is happening. I just got ungrounded! The cow bell sounded again. This time it was harder and longer. Mama was in a state now. It was gonna be hard to find them and dangerous in the dark. That boar would charge on anything that moved. Max said, I wish we had communicators like they do on Star Trek, or better yet a Transporter. What I wouldnt give to have Scotty beam me up. In the stillness of the night, Munch heard truck doors open and slam. Mama was half crazy by now. A couple of hounds started baying at the moon. This was fast becoming a nightmare. The baying turned to barking. Munch heard the dogs running. They had caught a scent. Munch prayed it was the scent of that damned boar. Sure enough, the dogs crested the bank. The boar took one look at the pack and charged up the bank. A shot rang out and the boar fell over dead. Someone chuckled. In the silver light Munch saw Old Man Jenkins. In his hands was a rifle. He went the boar and prodded it with the butt of his rifle. You rank old bastard. Not even worth your weight in bacon. Least now the sows and young boars will be safe. He turned his flash light to the trees and saw Munch and Max. You idiots can come down now. Max hit the ground and made his way to the dead boar. Munch, vegetarian that he was, had no desire to see the dead animal, still, he needed to thank Mr. Jenkins. He reached the ground, turned on his flash light and climbed up the bank. When he reached Max and Old Man Jenkins he said, Thank you so much Mr. Jenkins. You saved our lives. We best get home. The old man narrowed his eyes, Yeah, you best. Course, I see Toadys truck lights coming. Hop to it and you just might reach the fence line before she does. The boys took off running. Chapter 33. Scarier Than a Wild Boar At the fence line, Grandma Toadys truck was parked. The head lights were on, the doors were open and a flash light beam was scanning the area. Another flash light beam bobbed along the cow trail. Mama was already through the barbed wire fence. The flash light illumined her face. There were tear tracks on her cheeks and wild fear in her eyes. Munch waved his flash light and called out, Were over here Mama. Were okay. She stuttered, I-I heard a gun shot. The next instant, Munch was in her arms and she was sobbing against his shoulder. He whispered, Mama, its okay. Mr. Jenkins shot a boar. Thats all. Im fine. If anything happened to you, I dont know what I would do. This was the thing. Once you lost someone you loved very much a fierce fear was born and Mama clung to him literally and figuratively too hard. He hated that he scared her, but truth be told the whole boar thing was the MOST exciting and scary thing that had every happened to him. He and Max would be talking about it when they were old men. Grandma Toady, wasnt emotional at all. She had raised six kids, four of which had been boys. When Max reached the truck she hugged him and told him, Well, I guess you and me are going to be spending some more time together. If you want to hang out with me, you dont have to get yourself grounded. Max like Munch was way too excited to care about being grounded. They would both care once the adrenaline rush leveled out, but right now they felt like MEN. They had survived the attack of a wild animal. Yeah, they climbed a tree and Mr. Jenkins was the one who shot the boar, but stillstill it was AMAZING. Gently, but firmly, Munch pulled away from Mama. She was embarrassing him. Munch noted that Lolly and Mitzi hadnt come along. They were probably waiting at the trailer. He hoped they werent worried.. Grandma Toady said, Okay, everybody in the truck! Munch helped Mama climb through the barbed wire fence. She was a bit wobbly. At the truck, he opened the door for her and she scooted inside. She left room for him, but he told her he was riding in back with Max. He needed to put some space between him and Mamas hysterics. At this moment he just wanted to hold on to the excitement of the adventure and not feel the guilt of scaring Mama. He climbed into the truck bed and sat down beside Max. Max gave him a high five that he hoped Mama didnt see. The truck bumped along the pasture. Both boys were still in the land of adrenaline high and it felt good! When they reached the trailers, Mitzi and Lolly were on the front porch. As soon as the truck stopped, Munch and Max hopped out. Mitzi ran to her brother and sobbed, You aint dead, you aint dead. I thought you got shot! For all her theatrics Mitzi had yet to shed a single tear. Max rolled his eyes, but he still hugged his little sister. He said, Im okay Mitzi. Me and Munch got chased up a tree by a wild boar. Mitzi pulled away from him and asked, A wild BEAR. Aunt Estelle said there werent no bears here. No, a boar is a boy pig. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Oh. Yeah I saw them before. Aunt Estelle told me to never go near them. How come you and Munch was so dumb? All concern real and fake for Max seemed to have drained right out of Mitzi. Lolly hugged Max and then Munch. She whispered in his ear, Glad youre okay. The instant she let go of him, Mama jerked his arm and said, Home, now. The walk to the house was a quiet one. Mama didnt say a thing, but Munch could feel her anger. She had gone from my son might be dead to, that little piece of crap scared the daylights out of me. Once they were inside, she said, Go get cleaned up and then go to your room. He did as he was told. In the bathroom mirror he saw a huge gash on his face. He must have gotten that when he was scrambling up the tree. It might leave a scar. Now that would be cool. Gently, he cleaned it off with a cotton ball and some peroxide. It didnt look deep enough to leave a scar, but it might. He took off his muddy clothes. He hadnt been this dirty since he was a kid. Wow! After his shower he went to his room. He was still so hyped up he couldnt sit still. What he wanted to do more than anything was call Thahn Ho and tell her about the boar, but that wasnt going to happen. At least not tonight. Finally, he turned on his record player and listened to BB King wail the blues. The music helped. Funny how the blues worked. They could sit with you and keep you company in a bad mood, or they could commiserate with you about the unfairness of life. They always made him feel less alone. * Mama didnt talk to him until the next morning. She was calmer and she didnt seem to be so pissed at him. He was shoveling oatmeal in his mouth when she sat down at the kitchen table with him. The first thing she said, surprised him, Michael, I over reacted last night. My brothers ran hog wild over this farm when they were your age and my Mama didnt get hysterical when they broke a bone or needed stitches from their stupidity out in the woods. I am sorry if I embarrassed you. Stunned, Munch stared at her for a moment before he said, Its okay Mama. She gave him a smile and he felt better. He didnt like it when they were at odds with each other. Not a single word was said about being grounded, so he didnt ask. This was really too good to be true. His mother glanced at the kitchen calendar. On the square that had the number 21 on it were the words Birthday Boy. Munch was the birthday boy, well he would be on the 21st of March. Mama turned back to him and asked, Have you signed up for Drivers Ed yet? Lolly has. Seriously, not this again. He wished Mama would get off his back about that stupid class. He was never gonna take it. Evasively he said, Uh, no not yet. Michael that class is going to be full. I have signed all the paper work. What is the hold up? The hold up was that ever since he and Max had gone on that stupid joy ride back in the fall, he had been afraid to drive. He honestly didnt know why people called something so stupid a joy ride, from his experience it was no joy at all. The fact he got into a car and let a thirteen year old boy drive him anywhere was crazy stupid, but it had seemed like fun at the time. Max was actually a pretty good driver until he swerved to miss a rabbit and they plowed into the deep ditch on the side of the road. The trip to the hospital had not been fun at all. Last night he had faced a wild boar, but that boar had not been as scary as careening across the road, falling into a big ditch and smacking his head hard against the dash board. Munch shrugged and said, You know Im planning on moving to New York after I graduate college and no body drives there. Mama frowned. It will be six or seven years before you can move to New York and I am not driving your sorry ass around for that long. His mouth dropped open. Mama didnt t talk like that. She was so pleased with her racy talk she was about to start giggling. He promised, or maybe he lied, I will talk to the counselor Monday. You better. I dont want to pay for lessons for you, when the school offers Drivers Ed for free. She gave him a sideways glance before she said, I was talking to Huong and she told me Thahn Ho has signed up. This he did not know. What period? I dont. Youll have to ask her. Okay. Drivers Ed was ON. Chapter 34. On the Line The crisp poplin fabric was smooth beneath Munchs fingers. His scissors followed the line of the pattern he had made. He was cutting out a vest to wear to the Art Clubs visit to the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. On that day he wanted to look good. Real good. The field trip was in ten more days. He was counting down not just the days but the hours. On that day he and Thahn ho would be on a field trip all day together. He figured that since they sat at the same table in art it would only make sense that they would share a seat on the bus, and eat together at Herman Park. It was something he was really looking forward to. He couldnt wait to travel the hallowed floors of the museum with her. He would get to see his favorite painting, The Herd Boy by Frederic Remington. He wondered what Thahn Hos favorite art work would be. Down stairs he heard a knock on the back door and then Lolly called out, Hey Estelle. Munch here? Mama said, Hes in the studio. Lolly came upstairs. She had Fluff in her arms. The fat cat leapt down and went straight to what he believed was HIS bed. Lolly said, I just got off the phone with Thahn Ho. Looking up from the fabric Munch asked, What? Why didnt you tell me you were calling her? Lolly raised her eyebrows at him. Uh, shes my friend too ya know. Besides, she called me. Oh. You didnt tell her about the boar did you? Why are you embarrassed you got chased up a tree by a pig? He frowned at her. Did you just come over here to harass me? Yup. Why? She grinned and said, Because its so easy. Shut up! He turned his attention back to his cutting. Lolly asked, What are you making? A vest. Nice. She made this weird noise in her throat and then said, Thahn Hos gonna think you are so hot in that. Secretly pleased but unwilling to show it, Munch put his scissors down and said, You know, I really dont have time for this. Ya dont. Mmm. A spark of mischief came into her eyes. She asked, Do you have time for a message from Thahn Ho? Obviously, but he wasnt about to show it. He asked,Lolly why you playin with my head? She sat down on her bed beside Fluff and said again, Because its so easy. For a moment, Munch was perturbed and then he realized, this was the happiest Lolly had been in a while. All the drama with Trevor and his family had taken the spark right out of her, but it was back. Something good must have happened. He asked, Are you gonna tell me the message or what? What. You are being way too cute! Stop it. She giggled. When was the last time he had heard her giggle. She teased, You should see your face right now. You look like a grumpy old bear. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. I am not playing this game. He turned his attention back to his cutting. Okay, she wanted you to know she wont be at church tomorrow. Some friends of her parents are having their baby christened and they will be in Houston all day. Munchs heart fell. He was really looking forward to seeing her in church. Monday seemed even farther away. Lolly began to swing her legs back and forth on the edge of the bed. She added, Oh, I almost forgot, she also told me she is going to try to call you between 1:00 and 2:00 tomorrow. You did not almost forget that. Nope, I didnt. Lolly smiled and stood. Munch asked, What are you so happy about? I am happy because, Trevors dad came home from the hospital this morning and they arent moving. Lolly was positively beaming. What about his mom? She frowned a little at that question. Amber seems to think its only a matter of time before their mom leaves their dad. But, Im not going to dwell on that. She turned to Fluff and said, Time to go home. The cat hissed at her. Munch had never seen him hiss before. Lolly feigned dismay, well maybe it was real. She said, Okay, Mr. Man, you can stay. Just what Munch need, more cat hair. He said, No he cant. Well, then you pick him up. I dare you. The look in Fluffs eyes was sinister. He was NOT ready to leave what he considered HIS bed. Munch said, I guess I will let him stay. Lolly tried again, Come on Fluff. I will give you some tuna when we get home. Fluff didnt budge and he gave her a dirty look. Lolly threw up her hands in surrender. Hes staying and I dont blame him. Munch asked, Why? With a roll of her eyes, Lolly told him, Mitzi has been singing Verdis Rigoletto all afternoon. Yikes, that sounds awful. Oh, it is. * Since Thahn Ho wasnt at Mass, Munch wasnt either. Mama had taken Mitzi to late Mass with her. The house was all his. This happened so rarely these days. The sewing machine hummed as he put the final touches on the vest. The lines of it were sharp and the rust brown color matched his eyes. He glanced at the clock Mama had on her drafting table. It was 12:30 p.m. He finished his last stitch, turned off his machine and went downstairs. There was no way he was going to miss this call. He took a seat at the kitchen table to wait. It was amazing how slow a clock could go when one watched it. Even though he was doing some baste work on a pair of pants, sewing by hand never made time go faster. Too soon Mama returned from church. He heard her park the little red Volkswagen. The doors slammed. Mama was headed over to Grandma Toadys. He sent up a desperate prayer that Thahn Ho would hurry up and call him. Mama could be so nosy. Maybe it was just a coincidence and maybe it wasnt, but the phone actually rang. He leapt up so fast to answer it that he almost knocked his chair over. He grabbed the phone. White stuff seemed to drift across his brain. His voice broke, when he said, Hello. The sweet voice of Thahn Ho whispered, Michael. Yeah, where are you? Im in a closet. The phone cord just reaches. There was something kind of sexy about talking to a girl who was hiding in the closet. He asked, So hows the party? The foods good. Le is having a blast. I am the oldest kid here. So Im having so much fun. Her sarcasm tickled him. Also it was good to know there were no boys her age there. He didnt know how long she would be able to talk to him so he got right to the point, Uhm, Mama told me youre taking Drivers Ed. What period do you have it? Second period. Are you in my class? I hope to be. Im signing up tomorrow. With relief in her voice she said, I am so glad. Im afraid of driving. I cant figure out why everyone wants to drive. He felt the same way, but he didnt say so. Instead he said, You will do fine. I will be cheering you on. God, that sounded so lame, but it was true. Thanks Michael. Have you ever driven before? I havent. For a moment Munch felt foolish. Every guy he knew including Max had driven a car before. He never had. Still, he admitted, Me either. He hoped she didnt think he was dumb or scared. Well, he was scared. Oh, that makes me feel so much better. I hope we get the same instructor and the same car. I am terrified of driving in front of other people and possibly killing them. This struck Munch as funny. He laughed and said, Thats not going to happen. I hope not. There was a rustling sound and then he heard some once call out her name. It sounded like her mom. Thahn Ho said, Shoot. I gotta go. It sure was nice talking to you. You too, see you tomorrow. Bye. The phone clicked. For several seconds he just held the phone in his hand. He hadnt gotten to tell her about the boar or anything. Dammit. Just his luck. Still there was tomorrow. He felt another goofy grin slide across his face. Chapter 35. Quack Monday morning when Munch got off the bus, he fell behind Lolly and Trevor. The ease they had together always made him feel a little jealous. In the past the jealousy felt like being left out, at this moment, he just wanted to be able to publicly treat Thahn Ho the way Trevor could treat Lolly. He swallowed hard and forced himself not to go down that rabbit hole. In less than minutes he would be breathing the same air as Thahn Ho. Swiftly he made his way to the art room. He was almost there when Lisa stopped him. She wore a turquoise dress made of this filmy stuff that made her look like an angel, except for her eyes. They were red rimmed. The girl had been crying again. Jake was an okay guy but it seemed Lisa was not done with him yet. He really hoped she got over that doofus soon. In a wavering voice she said, Grace told me Mademoiselle Petite let her do some volunteer work in the art room. Yeah. He knew where this was headed. Where is Grace? She had to go in early to take a make up test in Algebra. Lisas voice broke, Sitting with Lolly and Trevor in the libraryI-I uhm, cant face that this morning. Munch knew the feeling. Those two had their own world and while they were far from exclusive, they still had what others wished they had. It could be down right depressing. He asked, You want me to see if she needs a volunteer this morning? Lisa nodded her head. Okay, come on. This was NOT what he wanted, but he couldnt leave Lisa standing there alone. He knew all too well what that felt like. Thank you Munch. You are the best! That I am. Lisa walked with him down the hall. Thahn Ho was waiting for him outside the door. She saw Lisa and she too looked a bit disappointed. Still, she gave Lisa a welcoming smile and asked, Will you be volunteering this morning? Lisa said, Yes, if Mademoiselle Petite will have me. Oh, she will. Inside the art room, Mademoiselle Petite was thrilled to have another volunteer. She said, Oh Michael, if you keep recruiting volunteers for me, we might just bring some order to this chaos. Munch smiled. He joined Thahn Ho at their table. They only had minutes before Lisa came to sit with them. Shyly Munch and Thahn Ho looked at each other. His eyes traveled to her lips and he thought, Ive been there and by the grace of God, I will be there again. Such thoughts left him utterly tongue tied. He glanced at Lisa, so did Thahn Ho. Mademoiselle had put Lisa to work taking down an out dated bulletin board. That thing was covered in faded construction paper. Lisa was not coming back to the table. Thank you Jesus! Munch and Thahn Ho turned to each other and smiled. The table was theirs. From their backpacks they pulled out their sketch books. Thanh Ho asked, Have your signed up for Drivers Ed yet? In his hurry to see her he had forgotten all about stopping by the counselors office. Inwardly he chided himself, Dummy! Aloud he said, Uh, not yet, guess I better go do that. The disappointment in her eyes was obvious. She didnt want him to leave. He didnt want to leave either. He told her, I can do it after Algebra. Her eyes brightened and she smiled. Dont forget. I wont. As they worked on their sketches, Munch launched into his story of the Wild Boar. He could hear himself talking but he felt oddly like he was disconnected to himself. That critter was huge! Almost as big as a hippopotamus! Not quite. And he had these beady eyes that looked death. It was too dark to see the boars eyes. His tusks were this long. He held out his hands over eight inches apart. Not even close. He had Thahn Hos full attention. She shivered. Oh Michael you are so brave! When you have your next lesson with Ong noi, you must tell him. He will enjoy that story. Pure pleasure coursed through Munch. His girl thought he was brave! He had never thought of himself as brave, but wow, Thahn Ho did. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The first bell rang. Munch and Thahn Ho gathered up their sketch books and pencil boxes and put them in their back packs. At the bulletin board Lisa was talking to Quack. A body would never know Lisa was that sad little girl hed brought into the art room. Her eyes were bright and she looked interested. Surely, she couldnt be so desperate that shed consider going out with Quack. As for Quack, he was totally lit. A girl like Lisa just didnt talk to him on purpose. Munch and Thanh Ho exchanged glances. Neither of them thought this was a good idea. He and Thahn Ho headed for the door. Lisa saw them and told Quack. I better go. Quack smiled and said, Im headed the same way Munch is. He walked with her to the door. Thahn Ho was not entirely comfortable with Quack. Lisa was totally absorbed. They headed down the hall. Quack and Lisa were side by side and they were still talking. Munch left Thahn Ho at the door of her lit class and continued on down the hall. Quack and Lisa had slowed down and were walking behind him. Why did Lisa have to be so stupid? In the math room, poor Grace was hunkered over her make up test. Time was quickly running out. She wrote down an answer. Erased it and tried again. Mr. Flynn said, Grace, its time. She wrote down another answer and took her test to Mr. Flynns desk. She said, I sure hope I pass this one. Mr. Flynn gave her a sympathetic smile. He told her, If youd like I could set up a morning tutor for you. Ruefully Grace said, I hope thats not necessary, but if it is, it is. My daddy dont believe in failure. Well, Grace, I think failure is just a necessary step toward success. You are a bright girl and I am sure you will pass. Thanks. I wish I had your faith. When she turned to go back to her desk, something in the hall caught her attention. Munch could guess what it was. With more speed than was necessary, Grace returned to her seat, leaned forward and said, Tell me I did not just see Lisa with Quack. Sorry, You did. Grace shook her head. That girls got no standards. Munch wouldnt go that far, but Quack really was out of his range with Lisa and Lisa would discover that in the not too distant future. . Just before the bell rang, Quack strutted into the room. He gave a nod to Munch and took his seat. The boy was happier than Munch had seen him in the entire ten years they had known each other. Poor Quack. For a moment, Munch actually felt sorry for him. * After Algebra, true to his word, Munch went to see his counselor, Mrs. Renfro. Before Grace arrived, Mrs. Renfro had been the only other black person in the school. She smiled at him. She had the most gorgeous smile with a tiny diamond chip in her tooth. It was not tacky at all, it was just right. This woman had class. Her green suit was impeccable as was her hair and make up. She smiled at him and asked, What can I do for you Michael. I need to sign up for Drivers Ed for next semester. My mom has completed all the paper work. He pulled the papers out of his back pack and handed them to her. She got up, went through her filing cabinet and pulled out two folders. Once was for Drivers Ed and the other was his. She laid them out on her desk and said, Well, it looks like there are just two openings left. Dammit! He prayed he hadnt waited too long. One is in fourth period and the other is in second period. The only class you can drop is PE and you have that seventh period. I think we should be able to move your English class to seventh period and that would free you up to be in Drivers Ed second period. Will that work for you? Indeed it would. No PE and Drivers Ed with Thahn Ho! Score! Aloud he said, Yes Maam that will work. Good. I will get this done for you. Have a nice day. You too. His day had just got a whole lot nicer. It got even better when he saw Thahn Ho coming down the hall toward him. Briefly she stopped and asked, Howd it go? I am in. The smile she gave him made him feel taller, smarter and better than any smile he had ever received. She said, I am so glad. See you in painting. See ya. He watched her walk away. * At lunch Lisa had the audacity to bring Quack to their table. The girl was even holding his freaking hand. If the smile on Quacks face got any bigger the bottom of his face was going to literally fall off. When they sat down, Grace gave Munch an eye roll, she was none too pleased. Lolly reached the table and hesitated, momentarily confused by Quacks presence. She said, Hey, and sat down. She glanced in Munchs direction and raised her eyebrows. He shrugged. If Quack noticed the table was less than enthusiastic about his presence he didnt seem to care. Really it looked like he was so mystified by Lisas interest nothing else could get inside his thick head. Munch was pretty mystified too. Was Lisa genuinely interest in this art freak Neanderthal? At the moment, it seemed she was. Without any finesse at all, Quack flopped his sketch book onto the table. He asked Lisa, You want to see my drawings? Lisa made this shrill, OOO sound and said, Yes, I would. This was going to be interesting. First of all, the women in Quacks comic had boobs beyond the laws of physics. Secondly, there was a good bit of violence and dismembered body parts. Lisa could be squeamish. Munch watched as Lisa turned to the first page. Her eyes grew round. Hopeful, she might be totally offended, Munch waited for her full reaction. Oh, Jordon, these are so good. Who the hell was Jordon? Was Quacks real name Jordon? A deep shade of red flushed Quacks fair skin. He said, Thanks Babe. BABE! Surely, Lisa would react to this. She just batted her eyelashes at him. Beside Munch Grace mumbled, I think I am going to be sick. Lolly didnt say a word, but her face said it all. This was going to be a disaster. Chapter 36. ?ng n?i Aunt Jessie wasnt feeling well, Munch suspected lady troubles, but he didnt comment on this. Since Aunt Jessie couldnt take them to Karate, the burden of this naturally fell on Grandma Toady. Now, Grandma Toady had a bit of a lead foot and Munch did not much like going anywhere with her, but sometimes he had to, like tonight. Still, it might not be all bad. The evening sky was cloudless and a ride in the back of a truck might be nice. When he got over to the trailer, Max was in a mood. Mitzi was too. Only Grandma Toady was her usual even self. Or was she? Munch sensed a slight difference. He couldnt put his finger on it but he knew it was there. Grandma Toady was a bit on the scrawny side, but in Munchs eyes she was lovely. He still remembered the first time he knew she loved him. It was at his failed sixth birthday party. She had been so kind and so interesting. Even back in the day, Munch was very aware of her sense of color and clothing choices. Grandma Toady had style. Tonight she was wearing pale green overalls with tiny strawberries embroidered on the cuff. In her hair was a matching bandana made of the same fabric as he soft pink blouse. She gave him a smile and said, Come on in. We will be ready in a sec. Petulantly Mitzi said, But I wanted Mama to see me fight. She will, another day. With a scowl Mitzi said, You know, you say that a lot. Tell me, just when is this nother day gonna happen? There was a nod of agreement from Max. Grandma Toady didnt try to smooth things over, she just jumped right passed the question and asked, Are you ready? Sullenly, Mitzi nodded. Grandma Toady asked, Where is Puccini? Hes on my bed. Someone hurt his feelings last week and he refuses to go with me. Okay. This was a first, Puccini never refused to go anywhere. He always went with Mitzi. Munch abruptly stopped his train of thought. Puccini was not real. He did not have thoughts. Sheesh. How could he forget that Puccini was a toy? Lolly came out of her room and they were all ready to go. Outside, Grandma Toady did not get into her truck. She crossed the drive to Aunt Jessies little Pinto. Max shouted, Shot gun. Lolly didnt challenge his call. She put Mitzi in the middle of the back seat and strapped her seat belt and then she got in and closed the door. Munch got in on his side. The ride to the studio was pretty quiet due to Mitzi sulking and Maxs mood. Had Max talked to his mom yet about moving out? Once they reached the studio, Munch saw Ong nois old Falcon. Hope instantly sprang up in him. Would the old man remember to offer him another lesson? Please God. They got out of the car. The night air was fragrant with the smell of exhaust and freshly cut grass. Inside the studio, Mitzi broke away from Grandma Toady and hugged Ong noi. He smiled down at her and said, Hello c? b. Mitzi smiled up at him. That means little girl. See, I remembered. You did indeed. He touch her lightly on the head. Mitzi gave him another smile and rushed off to her side of the room. The old mans eyes then went to Grandma Toady. He bowed slightly and said, Good evening Ruby. Grandma Toady actually looked a little flustered and Grandma Toady almost never looked flustered. She said, Good evening Le. Max nor Lolly seemed to notice the exchange. They headed to their class and Munch followed. During class, Munch noticed, Ong noi and Grandma Toady sat together and talked. What did old people talk about? They really seemed to enjoy each others company. Was it possible they might like each other? Did old people have feelings like that? Nah. As far as Munch knew Grandma Toady had not even dated since her husband left her years ago. He never understood why anyone would want to leave her. More than once he had heard Grandma Toady say, One man was one too many for me. But, what if he was a nice man, a gentleman like Ong noi? What the heck, seriously, he was thinking about this? Ito-san said, Michael, you are distracted. Focus.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Yes, Ito-san. After class was over, Ong noi brought Le over to where Munch was putting on his shoes. Mitzi had tagged along with Le. Before Ong noi could say anything, Le said, On Wednesday we are gonna have ink brush painting class! Munch took a glance in Mitzis direction. He waited and sure enough she asked, Can I be in that painting class. I color real good. I can show you if you dont believe me. A gentle smile came to Ong noi. He said, If your Grandma agrees we will try one lesson c? b. All right? Okay. Thank you Ong noi. You are most welcome. Ong noi had such a calming effect on Mitzi. It seemed he was the only one in the universe who did. Le protested, I dont want no girl in me and Crunchys class. Ong noi said, I am the teacher. If you do not wish to participate in a class run as I see fit, you can stop. Do you want to stop? Le hung his head. No Ong noi. Poor little guy. Munch honestly didnt want Mitzi in the class either. To Munch, Ong noi said, Class will begin at 5:45. Le and I will be waiting for you both in the studio. See you then. Mitzi said, See you then. She gave Le a look of triumph. Le glanced up at his grandfather and then quickly flicked his tongue out at Mitzi. Since she had gotten her way, she just smiled at him. Munch saw Ong noi cast a glance in Grandma Toadys direction before he said, Come along Le. Beside Munch, Lolly said, Gees, I wish I was artistic. Mitzi asked, Have you ever tried to be? Lolly shook her head, No. I seem to lack the interest. On the ride home, Grandma Toady was humming under her breath. She seemed happy. It was good to see her happy. Grandma Toady carried the entire family on her shoulders and despite her steady personality, sometimes it wore on her. Mama thought Grandma Toady needed to let her kids grow up, and yet Mama had installed half the clan on their property. Adults, go figure. * Wednesday evening, Grandma Toady took Mitzi and Munch to the Duong residence in her truck. She had a little lipstick on and had put on a fresh dress with pansies on it. Mitzi asked her, Are you gonna learn Ink brush painting too? No Sweetie, Im gonna stop by the church and change the sheets in the nursery while yall are in class. Mitzi asked, Then why are you dressed up for? At this question, Munch detected the slightest bit of a blush. Good God! Was Grandma Toady interested in Ong noi? She didnt answer the question. She pulled the truck into the drive way and got out. Munch got out and then helped Mitzi out. It was then that he noticed she did not have Puccini. He wanted to ask where the bear was, but thought better of it. Was it possible Mitzi was out growing the bear? Thahn Ho came out of the house. She said, Hello, please follow me, Ong noi is in his studio with Le. Though she smiled at everyone Munch felt like the smile was just for him. Grandma Toady hesitated, I guess I will head for the church. Thahn Ho said, Mrs. Phelps, Ong noi had prepared tea. Please, join us. A nervous smile spread across Grandma Toadys lips. All right. Thahn Ho lead them through the back gate. Grandma Toady was quite impressed with the yard. So was Munch. Since the last time he had been there all the flowers and plants had been planted. There was a sea of flowers in different shades of purple set off by white cosmos. It was beautiful. Inside the studio Ong noi greeted them. As usual Mitzi gave him a hug that nearly toppled him. The tea was Ginseng. It had a slightly bitter flavor. Mitzi ladled so much sugar into hers it was syrup, but she drank it without complaining. Munch and Thahn Ho cast covert glances at each other. How was it possible to know some one you never got tired of being around. Munch got tired of everyone, including himself. Too soon, the tea was drunk and Grandma Toady said her good byes. Munch didnt know if it was his imagination, and he honestly hoped it was, but Grandma Toady was reluctant to go. Thahn Ho went with her. Like everything Mitzi touched, she excelled at. Her lines were straighter and more fluid than Munchs. They were almost as good as Les, but not quite. Le was aware he had competition and he was being extra careful this evening. When the class was over, Ong noi was pleased with their progress. He told Mitzi, C? b you have done well. Thank you, Ong noi. Will we get to paint trees next week? Mitzi was fascinated by the paintings of trees on the wall. Not yet. How much longer? A month or more. Mitzi cocked her head to the side and said, I dont think I can wait that long. You will, if you want to be in this class. She let out a huff of air and said, Well, I will try. That is the most any of us can do. He rose from the table and they stood up too. Outside it was dark. Little lanterns lit the yard. Thahn Ho was in the yard swing holding a cat. This was the first time Munch had seen her cat, Hoa. This was an old cat, older than Fluff. Why did she draw pictures of this cat as a kitten? Mitzi asked, Can I pet her? Gently. With a careful hand, Mitzi stroked Hoa. The cat didnt seem to mind. One thing Munch did notice was that with each stroke of Mitzis hand cat hair flew like dandelion fluff. In the drive was the crunch of truck tires. Grandma Toady came through the gate. In this soft light she looked younger than her years. Ong noi said, Hello Ruby. Come, join us. Curious, Munch glanced at Ong noi, the old man was smitten, and why wouldnt he be? Grandma Toady was one of the best people in Munchs world. Pleasantries were exchanged. Thahn Ho stood up. Good byes came far too quickly. To Munch she said, See you tomorrow. See you. Once they were inside the truck. Mitzi asked Grandma Toady, Is Ong noi your boyfriend? Flustered, Grandma Toady said, Heavens no. Well, hes really nice and Id like a Grandpa, so I think you should tell him hes your boyfriend. Sweetie, you dont just tell someone theyre your boyfriend. Mitzi gave Grandma Toady a knowing smile. I do and it works. Chapter 37. “The Private Darkness of Light” Thursday night, Munch was in the studio altering a pair of slacks for his mom, when Lolly came upstairs with Fluff in her arms. She had small suitcase slung over her shoulder. She said, Just thought Id bring some of my stuff over early. At first Munchs brain went, What? And, then he remembered. THAT MAN was coming home tomorrow. How in the world had he forgotten! He had been so wrapped up in Thahn Ho, his brain had skipped right over basically everything. Fluff hopped on Lollys bed which he regarded as HIS bed. Munch wasnt sure bringing the cat over was such a good idea. What if Fluff decided to spend the night? Lolly unpacked her suitcase and hung her clothes up on the clothes rack. There was something off with her. Munch asked, Are you okay? I guess. I just talked to Amber, her parents are making plans to go to Corpus Christi for the summer. Munch asked, For the entire summer? Right now, its just for two weeks. That doesnt sound so bad. Yeah, but according to Amber her mom has been super agreeable since Trevors dad got home from the hospital. She doesnt trust it. I dont like Mrs. Long, but geez, Amber hates her own mother. I cant even imagine what that feels like. Amber said her mom keeps saying things like, the beach will be soothing, and the sun and salt air are so invigorating. According to Amber, the two weeks will stretch into a month and then the entire summer and then forever. Her dad is being patiently agreeable and Amber is worried, he may just give in to moving. I dont want them fighting anymore its not good for Amber or Trevor but I sure as hell dont want them to move. I just have such a bad feeling about this. She sat down on the bed beside Fluff and absently stroked his head. Munch said, Trevor wont leave here. He told me so. Yeah, me too, but that was when he thought his dad might die. Now, I think he would consider it and really, her voice broke, as much as I hate to say it, he should be with his dad. Ive seen Mr. Long and he doesnt look good. I dont think Trevor would do anything to upset his dad or want to miss whatever time they have left. I just hate that his mom is so manipulative. Huge tears rolled down her cheeks. Munch put down his sewing and sat beside her. I dont know what to say except what Grandma Toady says, All you have is now. Now Trevor is still here. Now its Spring not Summer. Dont get ahead of yourself. I am thinking a man who had major heart surgery wont be able to leave his doctors. A sob shuddered through Lolly. Munch hugged her tight. Dont get sucked into Ambers drama. No one knows whats gonna happen. I know. Still, I sure wish I did know. Do you really? Usually we arent ready for the future until it gets here. Lolly pulled back from Munch and looked him right in the eyes. She asked, So when did you become a philosopher? He smiled at her. Didnt ya know, Ive always been one. Yeah, right. She buried her head in his shoulder. Why do some people have to suck so hard? I dont know. Downstairs, Munch could hear his mother humming. It was what she did when she was happy. And of course she was happy since that man was coming home. Of all the mothers in the world he had gotten her. He was lucky. He could have been stuck with a mom like Mrs. Long. Lolly pulled away from him. I got some homework. I best be getting back. She didnt asked Fluff if he wanted to go, she just picked him up. He looked some pissed but he didnt hiss. Lolly headed for the stairs and said, See you in the morning. Yeah. He watched her go down the steps. He heard Mama wish Lolly a good night and then the back door opened and closed. Life was never easy. Lolly and Trevor were such a great couple but they had their problems too. Poor Trevor. To have such a selfish mother must be terrible. Down stairs Mama was still humming. It was good to hear her happy. The questions, Am I going to keep begrudging her her happiness? Why cant I just accept that this is what has happened to my life and my family? Some marriages werent happy or good and maybe it was too soon to tell, but what Mama and that man had seemed to be working so far. Plus that man was Lollys Pa. If the two people he loved most in the world loved the same man maybe it was time for him to stop acting like a spoiled brat. He didnt have to be best buds with Trace Phelps, but maybe he could stop being overtly hostile.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. * Friday morning was tough. Mama was fairly dancing on air, so great was her happiness that, that man was coming home. Munch did his absolute best not to be an ass hole but gosh it was hard. Several times he had to stop an eye roll before it took off. It was a relief to have his lunch packed and his books together. He gave her a peck on the cheek and went out the door. The morning was cold, but bright. All the new leaves were fresher and bright with dew. Spring was in full force. The earth smelled clean. All around them cotton farmers and maize farmers had turned the soil of their fields. The time for growing had come. For some weird reason he wondered if it hurt when seeds opened and broke through their shells. Oh God, the places his head went sometimes. Lolly and Max were already at the bus stop. Lolly looked happier than she had last night becausehe knew why. Her pa was coming home. If his daddy could come home for even an hour he would be happy. He must not begrudge her, her happiness. All at once he felt so odd. Not so long ago the only happiness he really thought about was his own. As for Max, he stood beside the road lost in his own thoughts. If he noticed Munchs arrival, he gave no indication. The rumble of the bus sounded down the road. It was strange how the bus would just suddenly appear bright and orange yellow in the mornings. It stopped on the road beside them and they climbed on. In moments they reached Trevors stop, but he wasnt there. He must have a track meet or something. That meant that Lolly would go to the library alone today. One characteristic that he and Lolly shared was that they both liked being alone. She could be with her precious books in her favorite space without the distraction of Trevor and all his family woes. As for Munch, when they reached the school, he was off the bus first and headed for the art room. He so wanted to see Thahn Ho. The dash down the hall was swift. His heart picked up a beat or two as his hand grasped the door know and swung open the door. She was already at the table. She looked up at him and smiled. The smile went straight through him. For just a second he felt like he just might cry. Good gravy, his emotions were a pain in the ass. He went to their table and sat down. The first thing she did was ask, Michael, are you all right? How did she know? He lowered his voice, Its just Lollys dad is coming in today and I He had no idea what to say next. The last thing he wanted to do was come off as some weirdo who hated his best friends dad. She finished the sentence for him. It is hard to let others into your life. He nodded. Quietly he admitted, I have been a real jerk to him and Im not sure Im done being a jerk. At this confession she smiled. You are trying to not be a jerk. That is the beginning. I will keep you in my thoughts. Oh how he liked being kept there! He felt a huge grin spread over his entire face. Thank you. That helps. Her lack of judgement and encouragement made him feel like he just might get through the week with Trace Phelps. Too soon the first bell rang. It was then that he noticed Quack was not in the art room. Where was the big dummy? He and Thahn Ho stepped into the crowded hall. Side by side they walked to Thahn Hos lit class. It was hard to leave her at the door. Still, there was painting class. He would see her then. One by one his classes came and went. The day was racing too quickly to its conclusion, a conclusion that lead to the situation he really wanted to avoid. The last bell rang. Chaos erupted as everyone poured into the hall. In the sea of bodies swirling toward the doors and freedom, Munch saw Thahn Ho. She saw him and slowed her pace. People rushed passed her but she kept at her steady rate. When Munch reached her, she said, I wanted to wish you courage and tolerance. Her eyes shone bright for him. She pulled a piece of paper from he coat pocket and slipped it into his hand. Briefly her fingers touched his palm. For an instant time seemed to just stop. He looked down at his hand. It was a note, carefully folded. Did it have words or a picture? Her gentle smile curved her lips. She bowed to him and rushed down the hall. Munch put the note in his jacket pocket and then counted to sixty before he headed for the front doors. He made it outside in time to see the green Volvo pass by the main entrance. Thahn Ho raised her hand to him. He held up his hand for her. Le was in the back seat and he made a goofy face at Munch. Crazy kid. Dark clouds suddenly appeared on his inner horizon. Other couples were parting on the sidewalk. They hugged or smooched or just lingered together. It hurt to watch. He turned away and headed for the oak tree that had burst into tiny green leaves. The wind moved through them. He pulled the note from his pocket and unfolded it. It was typed. She must have done it in her typing class. He read: A daydream takes me; I go into the private darkness of light. The darkness differs significantly from reality, but it is still the reality of a cow chewing the sunset; on one side is the yellow sunrise, on the other the darkness of sunset C the faint border between reunion, separation, reunion. From A Journey by by Thahn Thao Munch was not a literary guy but he knew Thahn Ho was sharing something precious to her. Sometimes he didnt have to understand. Sometimes the gift of sharing ones devotions was enough. He had talked to her a little about his issues with that man. She was aware of his struggle. She cared about his well being. That meant something. In this moment it meant everything. He put the note back in his pocket. Chapter 38. Fun Time? As soon as Munch headed for the bus, he felt the clouds in his brain return. When the bus ride ended that man would be there and Mama would be giddy happy. It turned his stomach. Would his resolve hold when he saw that man? Would his resolve dissolve when he saw that man look at Mama with his big stupid goo goo eyes? His stomach turned again. He was never gonna make it through the next few hours, much less days without being pissy. He told himself, One step at time, just one. He couldnt wrap up the week ahead of him in a single move. It was going to be a supreme exercise of tolerance for that man. He saw Lolly waiting in line. She smiled at him but the smile was not as bright as hed like it to be, as it usually was when her Pa was coming home. He knew what the trouble was and it was just weird how Trevors mom could infect so many people with her selfishness. This thought gave Munch pause. He didnt want his selfishness to dampen any aspect of that mans week at home. For three weeks the two people Munch loved most in the world, Lolly and Mama, had to live without that man. Munch doubled down on his determination to make a real effort to at least be civil to Trace Phelps. He might fail, but still he was going to try. When he reached Lolly, she slid her arm through his and said, Hey bud. Hey yourself. He knew, that she knew, how hard this was for him. Also, he suspected she was bracing herself for what might happen when they arrived home. Specifically, Munch knew she was worried about his behavior toward her pa. He and Lolly had gotten into a really bad fight when their parents were just dating. He had been horrible to Lolly, avoiding her and not talking to her at all, like it was her fault their parents had fallen in love. It had never been her fault. He had been such a dick, and it could have ended their friendship, if Lolly werent Lolly. She was fierce and had such a big heart. It was a heart he did not want to do damage to ever again, but he would. It was one of the cold hard realities of being stuffed in a human body with a human brain and a human heart. They got onto the bus. It pulled out and headed for the Junior High. The bus stopped and Mrs. Anderson opened the door. Junior High kids filed on. Kevin was last, he took one look at Lolly and burst into sunshine and stars. Man that kid had it bad. Lolly was her usual kind self and waved at him. The way Kevin smiled back a body would have thought hed just won the lottery, that is if they had a lottery in Texas, which they didnt because of the Baptists. The bus pulled away without Max. Munch asked, Is Max sick or something? No, said Lolly. Its his weekend with his dad. Oh. Since Max and Mitzi were with their dad, Grandma Toady would be at the house too and Munch would be stuck in the female love fest for Trace Phelps. He felt his shoulders slump in dread. Just before they reached their stop, Lolly said, Guess whose coming over tomorrow? Munch felt his heart leap in side his chest so hard it felt like hed sprained it. Desperately, he tried to tamp it down. If she didnt say the name he wanted to hear, he was going to be SO DISAPPOINTED. Purposefully, Lolly drew out a long pause. She was killing him! A mischievous smile quirked her lips. The same mischief danced in her eyes. Slowly she said, Grace. Dammit. He tried to shake off the disappointment, but it was not shake able. And, Tina. Good thing Max wasnt going to be there. Munch managed to say, Thats cool His gaze drifted to the floor. Anduh, whats that girls name? Lolly took in a slow breath like she was actually trying to remember Lisas name. What a little turd. Oh, yeah, her name is Thanh Ho. Munch nearly gave himself whiplash he turned his head so fast to look at Lolly. Her eyes were filled with such merriment that she had surprised him. He asked, Really? Yeah. Oh, yeah, I almost forgot, Lisa is coming over too. This was really odd. Munch said, But your pa is home. You dont ever have anyone over when your pa is home.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. I know. But, things are real different now. I have to share him with more than Grandma Toady and ya know how that is. Besides, I want my friends to meet Pa. I want Pa to know my friends. The only ones hes ever met is Trevor and hes known you forever so you dont really count. She gave him the goofiest smile and then she punched him in the arm. It hurt. He grabbed his arm and asked, What was that for? It was for not saying Thank You oh most Holy Goddess of Friendship for granting me my wish. He frowned at her and said, Well, it took you long enough. Again she punched him. Her voice was stern, but her eyes were still filled with light You are an ungrateful little turd. Indeed I am my Sister! Really, he just wanted to hug her so hard. A huge smile spread across his face. Lolly raised her fist again. She really didnt know her own strength. He grabbed hold of it and said, Dont, and thank you. She pulled her fist free of his hand and said, That is better. And you are welcome. The bus pulled up to their stop. As they got off Mrs. Anderson said, Yall have a good weekend. Lolly said, Thanks and you too. Munch echoed her words. It might just be a good weekend after all. He followed Lolly down the steps. The doors closed behind them and the bus roared off. Outside the air had grown heavy. Storm clouds were forming in the west. Munch looked down the drive and saw Lollys pas truck. Lolly was walking so fast he couldnt keep up wit her. As soon that man steeped out onto the porch, she took off at a run. That mans entire face lit up when he saw her running. The gap between them closed and then she was in his arms. For a second he rocked her back and forth. A memory of being hugged by his daddy surfaced in Munchs mind. He had always felt so safe in his daddys arms. By the time Munch reached the porch, the two broke apart. Over Lollys shoulder, that mans eyes met Munchs. This was the moment. Though it was hard, Munch managed to say, Hello, without sounding hostile. By the expression on that mans face, a body would have thought someone had just given him a Noble Prize. He said, Hey Munch, and smiled. This made Munch feel a little guilty. Before that man had started dating Mama, Munch had always liked him. Would he like him again? Maybe, maybe not. The important thing was that he had passed the first test of the week. There were gonna be so many tests in the days ahead. They went inside. Fluff was perched on the counter watching Mama cook something that smelled like stew. It was really hard for Mama to abide raw meat, much less cook it. The things people did for love. She turned from the stove. The grin on her face was so complete and so happy. Mama got to be happy. She deserved to be happy. As these thoughts flitted through his brain, he was amazed at himself. Maybe he wasnt such a spoiled brat after all. Maybe he might just survive this week. * Grandma Toady came over for supper with her famous Mac and Cheese. That man apparently loved Mac and Cheese. Everyone at the table who ate meat had struggled through Mamas beef stew. By the way Grandma Toady, Lolly and that man chewed, the meat must be tough, real tough. Mama seemed a bit flustered and embarrassed, but she didnt comment. Fortunately nobody lied and said it was good because it obviously wasnt. Talk swirled around the table. Munch mostly listened. It was hard to get a word in when the three female worshipers of Trace Phelps were entertaining him with stories of all that had happened during his absence. It was rather nauseating, no it was totally nauseating. If not for Thahn Hos note in his pocket he may have given into a fit of rudeness or at least a snide remark, but he kept it together. Finally the meal was over. Grandma Toady, Lolly and that man all went into the living room to watch their Friday night shows. Mama and Munch headed upstairs. Once they were in the studio, Mama burst into tears. Though Munch suspected these tears had something to do with the failed stew, he asked anyway, Mama what is it? She burst out into full out snot crying. He took her in his arms and she pressed her snotty nose against his jacket. It was so gross. Now what was the remedy for removing bodily fluid from tweed? Again he asked, What is it? Its, itsIm upset because he just got here and all I can think about is how awful its gonna be when he leaves again. Mama was taking a real risk at this moment. The words, Well you should have thought about that before you married him, hung in Munchs mind but he did not say them. Instead he said, Its okay Mama. Hes here now. Remember what Grandma Toady says about now. She nodded her head against his jacket. Can you just think about now? With a shake of her head she said, I dont think I can. Maybe if I go watch some TV it will get my mind off the stupid track its on. Okay. Munch looked at Mamas face. It was going to be SO obvious that she had been crying. It was also SO obvious that what she wanted most was to be as close to that man as she could. Grandma Toady wouldnt mind the company, but Lolly might. She was having her own struggles with sharing her dad. Mama let go of him and gave him a peck on the cheek. As soon as she was down stairs, he yanked off his jacket and held it to the light. Oh GOD! Mama was wearing makeup and now it was smeared on the shoulder of his jacket. He pulled a book on stain removers from his book shelf. To remove a stain from tweed, he needed a damp sponge or a soft brush and mild soap. He took the jacket downstairs. As he passed the living room he saw all Mama and Lolly on the couch with THAT MAN squeezed between them. Grandma Toady, who was in the rocking chair looked highly amused, but Mama didnt, she still looked sad. As for Lolly, she looked slightly pissed. Fun time with Trace Phelps! Yuck. Munch headed for the kitchen. Chapter 39. Before Fishing Munch was in the zone sketching at his drafting table. Mademoiselle Petite had given him a challenge for the Spring Art Show. On the drafting table were three yards of cotton batik. This fabric was expensive and Mademoiselle had bought it for him. He knew how blessed he was to have her. They talked often of the portfolio he would put together to submit to design schools. The batik was in shades of dark yellow ochre shot through with turquoise and strings of burgundy. For a moment he studied the sketch on his table. The lines of the fabric flowed well along the lines of the tall figure he had drawn. There were some tucks and draping that he hoped the fabric could accommodate. Grace had been his inspiration for this dress, and he prayed she would agree to let him make it for her. Worry filled him. What would Grace think when he showed her the sketch? Would she think he was a creep? Maybe. It happened way too often. Still, tomorrow when she came over, he hoped to have an opportunity to show this to her. If she didnt agree, he was going to have to get someone else. Who? Tina? Max would love that, but he was pretty sure Grace would be dead set against it. There was a stomping up the stairs. Lolly stood on the landing. She was not a happy camper. She hissed, Why does your mom have to be so damn clingy? Oddly, the sound of helicopter blades went off in Munchs brain. He thought of all the times his daddy left and the one time he never came back. Munch said, Shes scared. A change came over Lollys face as she seemed to understand. But an off shore oil rig isnt as dangerous as Vietnam. No, but its still dangerous and its still away from here. Lolly entered the room and came to his drafting table. She asked, Do you think shell get over it? All Munch could do was shrug. Lolly looked down at his drawing on the table and asked, Are you making that for Grace? Im gonna ask her tomorrow if she will be my model. Do you think she might agree? Once she sees that drawing, I bet she will. She thinks you are so talented. And of course you are. She grinned at him. He grinned back. He sure hoped she was right about Grace. Running her hand across the batik, Lolly said, This fabric is gorgeous. Grace will be beautiful in it, of course, she is beautiful all the time. Yeah. Her family has some gene pool. They sure do. Her dad is one of the most handsome men I have ever met. And her mom, OH MY GOD. She looks like a model. Grace told me her grandpa is a preacher and he wouldnt let her be a model even though an agency wanted her. Wow, that really sucks. Yup. Lolly wandered away from the drafting table and went to the window. The moon was on the rise. Munch went back to his drawing. He heard Lolly flop on the bed and Fluff grumble his protest. The fat cat had been sleeping. He heard Lolly rummage through her back pack and then came the sound of pages turning. When she pulled out a book, the conversation was over. * The thought that Thahn Ho was coming over was keeping Munch awake. If he would just go to sleep, she would get there a lot sooner, but oh no, BRAIN was fast at work. Sleep was holding back. He got out his transistor radio and put in the ear piece. Soft jazz floated in his head. It carried him on waves of gentle chaos into a sea of oblivion. The sound of Mama frying eggs woke him. She was scraping her spatula across the big old iron skillet she used. He could hear that mans voice, but couldnt make out what he was saying. The oddest sensation came over him as he listened to the voices. When he was a child his parents would be in the kitchen talking. Like now he wouldnt be able to make out what they were saying, but the sound of their voices had been comforting.This morning to his surprise he found comfort in the partially heard conversation. Mamas voice sounded better. He sure hoped she had calmed down. There was a clumping down the stairs. Lolly was making as much noise as possible to avoid walking into something she didnt want to see. Two voices greeted her. They sounded happy. Lollys voice sounded less hostile, but not happy. Odd, now that Munch had decided to be civil, Lolly was having trouble with the marriage thing. Mama and Lolly had always been close so he hoped she didnt start referring to Mama as THAT WOMAN in her head. Weird, that he would feel offended by the possibility Lolly might be doing that. Had she known he referred to her pa as THAT MAN?Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Munchs stomach growled and he rolled out of bed. His ear piece was still in his ear. One look at his transistor radio told him, he had run down the batteries again. Great. He hoped they had more batteries. At the foot of his bed was his navy silk robe. It was gorgeous with gold trim. He slipped it on. It always made him feel like a rich dude. When he walked into the kitchen, all eyes turned on him. Mama greeted him. For the moment, she had returned to a state of bliss. That was good. As for Lolly, she looked a bit grouchy. That man, seemed uneasy. He should be. Trace Phelps was a rather shy man, and Munch suspected the prospect of taking a bunch of girls fishing was not one he was looking forward to. As they all sat down to eat, that man asked Munch, Mind joining me for the fishing shin dig? Im afraid Im gonna be outa my league with all those female folk. Lolly protested, Pa! Munchs brain shouted, YOU GET TO GO FISHING WITH THAHN HO. Next, suspicion crept in. Had Mama told that man about Thahn Ho. Probably, but what difference did it make? He had just been invited to go fishing with her. As casually as he could, he said, Sure. Thanks, buddy. I owe you. The smile that man gave him was tentative. Munch was too happy to not return the smile. The response on that mans face once again made him feel guilty. His eyes held light and gratitude and hope. Good grief! If he was hoping that theyd become best buds, he best get over it. * At 1:00 p.m. the girls arrived all packed into Lisas little red Pinto. Grace and Tina were out of the car first. Tinas eyes strayed to Aunt Jessies trailer. Munch was pretty sure she knew Max was not home. Lisa climbed out next. She gave Munch a big smile. Thahn Ho did not get out of the car. Where was she? Lolly asked, Wheres Thahn Ho? Lisa said, Shes gonna be a bit late. Her piano lesson ran long. Her grandpa is bringing her. So Ong noi was coming. This pleased Munch. For reasons he didnt understand,Ong noi was an ally. The girls all went over to Grandma Toadys to wait for Thahn Ho. Munch decided to do some weeding in the flower bed that surrounded the house. It might earn him some points with Ong noi. As he pulled the weeds up, dirt smeared his fingers and got under his nails. The smell of damp earth filled his nostrils. At times like this he felt the farmer blood of his ancestors rise inside of him. It was strange to be on land that had been in the family for four generations. He barely knew his grandparents. His uncles had never had much use for him. In his own family he had always been the odd man out, and yet, he was the one who still lived on the land. He was the one whose hands were dirty with the earth of his ancestors. There was a rumble on the drive and he turned. The little gray Falcon was making its way toward the house. Munch stood up and quickly went to the spigot to wash his hands. When he finished the Falcon was parking. It took everything inside of him not to run up to the car. The instant Thahn Ho stepped out of the car, Munch felt a sense of promise steal through him. Today, some how, some way, they would wrangle a few moments alone together. The afternoon sun caught in her dark hair and sent a shimmer of light across it. She looked almost magic. The back door of the car swung open and Le jumped out. He yelled, HeLLLO Crunchy! The next instant the little boy had plowed into him. He looked up and said, Can I hang out with you today? Panic seized Munch. What was he going to say? He couldnt very well say no. Not with those bright eyes looking up at him. If its okay with Ong noi. Le released Munch and turned to Ong noi, Can I stay? Ong noi told him, You must ask Mrs. Phelps. It still felt so weird hearing Mama called Mrs. Phelps. Okey Dokey! Le ran up to the house and through the door without knocking, Munch sure hoped Mama and that man werent being lovey dovey. Five seconds later the door banged open and Le yelled, She said yes! Oh great. Munchs vision of finding some alone time with Thahn Ho had just been shattered. He looked at her. If she felt any disappointment it did not show. That man came out onto the porch. He asked, Ong noi, If youre not busy would you like to go fishing with us, Sir? A slow smile spread across Ong noi face. Indeed I would Sir. That man came down the porch steps and extend his hand. Im Trace Phelps, Mr. Phan. Ong noi bowed and then took the extended hand. Pleased to meet you Mr. Phelps. The next moment, the trailer door opened. All the girls burst out of the trailer squealing. Munch never understood this behavior. In a clump they came to Thahn Ho and hugged her, like they hadnt seen her in years. Behind the girls, was Grandma Toady. She was wearing a cream colored dress with orange pansies on it. She was a bit dressed up for a Saturday morning. Her eyes went to where that man and Ong noi stood. A secret smile tugged at her lips. Ong noi saw her and smiled. He called out, Good morning, Ruby. I have been invited to go fishing. Grandma Toady smiled at him. She jabbed her thumb in the direction of the chattering girls and said, Dont know how many fish youll catch with that bunch. It was a worry Munch shared. Ong noi said, I will fish down stream. The way they were looking at each other made Munch slightly uncomfortable. Was Grandma Toady going to go fishing with them too? Grandma Toady said, Stop by for a cup of tea before you go. I will. Munch glanced at that man. The look on his face was incredible. He looked just like Munch felt every time that man made goo goo eyes at Mama. Ha! It was a moment of sweet revenge. Chapter 40. A Rabbit in the Woods Everyone piled in to the back of that mans truck except for Ong noi. He got in the cab. Le thought it was great fun to be riding in the back of the truck. He was so excited, Munch had to keep a firm grip on him. Thahn Ho was on the other side of Le, holding on too. They exchanged a smile. The truck stopped half way through the old cotton field. Le was the first one to hit the ground and he took of running. From the open window of the truck cab Ong noi said, You stop now or we go home. Instantly, Le stopped. He turned and said meekly, Yes Sir. Still, while he waited every part of his body was jiggling with impatience. Grace climbed out of the bed. She had brought her own pole and her own tackle. She walked with such elegance as she made her way to were Le was waiting. Tina did not have a pole or tackle. Munch noticed for the first time, that she was dressed rather nicely for a fishing trip. Only her shoes were old. Her outfit was pink shorts with a lace edged white top. Her eyes darted in the direction of the trailer. Something was up. That man helped, Lisa down. Munch jumped down quick to help Thahn Ho. For an instant her hand was in his. Just before she let go she gave his hand a quick squeeze. Instant bliss hit Munch. Despite the crowd, this day did hold possibilities. Lolly climbed down herself. Her eyes were narrow as she watched her pa pull the tackle and poles out of the truck bed. Ong noi got out with cane in hand. His face beamed as he looked at the gentle rows of the old field. The crumbling cotton rows were covered with new grass and bright green clover. For a moment, Ong noi stooped over and touch the earth. He closed his eyes. It looked like he was praying. Slowly, he stood up right. Thahn Ho took a hold of his elbow to help him. In that moment occurred to Munch that Ong noi would never be able to get down the steep bank to the stream. How was he going to fish? That man said, Munch would you get the lawn chairs. Lolly, help him please. There were only four lawn chairs, and some blankets. Lolly took the lawn chairs and Munch grabbed the blankets. When they all reached the streams upper bank, Grace had a hold of Les shirt. Her grip was so tight the kid wasnt going anywhere. For several moments, that man studied the stream bank. Munch could guess what he was thinking. Would he come up with a solution? A slight smile tugged at his lips as he said, Mr. Phan, i think if you dont mind riding piggy back, I can get you down by the water. Joy radiated in Ong nois smile. What a wonderful solution! Yes, indeed, I can ride piggy back. Le immediately jumped up and down and said, I want Crunchy to take me down piggy back. Ong noi scolded, Your legs are fine. You walk on them. He handed Le his cane. Le bowed to his grandfather and said, Yes Sir. A strange feeling swept through Munch as he watched that man kneel down on the ground so Ong noi could wrap his arms around his neck and climb on. With ease that man stood. He was much stronger than he looked. Slowly, steadily he made his way down the steep bank behind the girls and Le. By the stream, he knelt down again and Ong noi got off. The old mans eyes went to the stream. The afternoon light flashed across the water. A few fish were visible. From where Munch stood, he could feel Ong nois deep gratitude. Beside Munch, Thahn Ho said, Mr. Phelps is a good man. Ong noi likes him. Begrudgingly, Munch agreed. After the blankets were spread out and the chairs were set up, Ong noi was stationed down stream with Grace. It seemed Grace was a very serious fisherwoman. On the blanket Le sat wedged between Munch and Lolly. To Munchs relief Lolly had taken charge of Le. All her experience with Mitzi had prepared her to deal with him. Thahn Ho was on the other side of Munch. She was so close he could smell her sweet clean smell. So close, but not close enough to touch. A little further upstream Lisa and Tina stood. Neither used the lawn chair beside them. Neither of them were the least bit interested in fishing, but they listened politely as that man showed them how to cast their poles. That man was doing his best to be a host, but it was costing him. It wasnt even that hot and he was drenched in sweat. He handed the girls their poles, made some small talk, and it was VERY small. It honestly was starting to look like Lolly had chosen taking her friends fishing to torture her pa and it was working.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Too soon, Lee got bored with fishing. Thahn Ho pulled matchbox cars out of her jacket pocket. Le asked, Crunchy, will you play cars with me? Only if you dont call me Crunchy. Okay Michael. Le gave him the most mischievous grin. Honestly making roads in the soft earth was more entertaining than fishing. In fact it was what Munch used to do when his daddy took him fishing. The sun was bright on the water and the air was sweet and warm. A gentle wind caught Thahn Hos hair and blew it softly across Munchs face. She said, Sorry. He wasnt the least bit sorry. Vividly he remembered their first and only kiss. How he longed to be that close to her again. She pulled a pony tail holder from her pocket and bound up her hair. For half a second, Munch saw Lolly eye Thahn Hos hair. It was then that the sunlight fell through the trees and landed on Lollys bald head. Quickly, she looked away. The shape of her head was something Munch found beautiful and unique and yet, he knew though she accepted the terms of alopecia, it didnt mean she was completely reconciled to the losses. Was she wishing for hair at this moment? It was a question he would not ask. There was a movement in the trees across the stream. Probably a rabbit. Munch didnt pay it any mind until he saw Tina glance up and then stare. Munch zeroed in and studied the trees across the stream. Were those the tips of black flip flops? He prayed not. Tina said, I need to go to the bathroom and I dont pee outside. That man asked, Would you like me to drive you up to the house? Tina cut her eyes down stream to Grace. Grace had a fish on her line and was slowly reeling it in. Uh, thanks but no. Ill walk. Silently, she climbed up the bank and Munch could swear she took off at a run when she reached the crest. Almost simultaneously the rabbit took off too. It had to be Max. His dads house was a good distance from the farm. How the hell had he gotten out here? Whatever time he and Tina stole was going to be brief. As soon as Grace saw that her sister was missing it was literally gonna hit the fan. When it did, this day was officially going to be over. Dammit Max! That man asked Lisa, So you think you got a handle on it? Yes, thank you. She cast a furtive glance in Graces direction. Grace now had her fish in the net. Lisa looked away. While Lisa and Grace were on civil terms, the air between them remained laced with tension. Big dummy that he was, Jake still had a crush on Grace. Lisa did not blame Grace for the break up, but it didnt mean she was over Jake. Or was she? Munch had no idea. Once Grace got her fish out of the water, removed the hook, and put it on the string, she sat back down in her lawn chair with a smile on her face. A good ten minutes passed before Grace looked upstream. The smile left her face. Her eyes made a quick assessment of the group. When it registered her sister was not among them, she stood and asked, Where is Tina? That man said, She went up to the house. The doofus blushed and didnt add anything about her going to the bathroom. The next question Grace asked was purely rhetorical, Did she say she was going to the restroom? That man nodded. I better go check on her. Without another word, Graces long legs raced up the steep bank. The sound of her swift feet pounding on the earth was like muted thunder. A storm was about to blow in, that was for sure. That man asked, Should I be concerned? Lolly said, Only if you are Tina. That man stood there looking confused. Lolly told him, Dont worry Pa. Its a sister thing. Just let it be. Munch could tell he wasnt convinced, but he also looked like he had no desire to get in the middle of whatever was going on between the sisters. Thahn Ho leaned a little closer to Munch. They looked at each other. Both knew their day was about to be ruined. All of them, even that man waited in silence. The only one who went on with his fishing was Ong noi. After about five tense minutes Graces voice rose loud and clear, Tina Marie you best show yourself or Im calling Daddy! Sound carried in the country. There was not any traffic noise to mute it. It was hard to tell how close or how far away Grace was. Tina shouted, Im right here! Grace yelled, Where? Tinas response could not be heard. All the sudden the sound of a loud clap or slap rang in the air. In a hurt voice, Tina said, You Bitch! The horn of the Mamas Volkswagen started beeping loud and long. The girls were yelling. That man took off at a run. Lolly and Lisa followed. Munch, Ong noi, Thahn Ho and Le remained. Ong noi said, Come, sit. Let the trouble sort itself out. In this situation there is nothing any of us can add or help. Le protested, But, I want to see the fight! You, chu trai, will have plenty of opportunities to see fights. Now sit, or we will leave. It did not occur to Le, but it did to Munch, that the only way for Ong noi to leave was if that man carried him up the bank. The horn honking had stopped but there was more yelling in the distance. Grace and Tina both had amazing lungs. Beside Munch, a tremble went through Thahn Hos body. Her hand reached for his. He laced his fingers through hers. Softly she whispered, I dont like it when people fight. Munch could feel her fear. Le climbed into Ong nois lap, the angry noise seemed to upset him too. Ong noi acted as if nothing was going on beyond their sight. Calmly, he told Le how to hold the pole. Thahn Ho leaned her head against Munchs shoulder. He breathed in the smell of her oat and honey shampoo. The shouting continued for quite awhile, but Le, Munch and Thahn Ho sat quietly in the circle of serenity Ong noi had created around them. Chapter 41. We Can’t Lose Us Le had fallen asleep in Ong nois lap. All around them silence reigned. Whatever had happened with Tina and Grace had for the moment quieted down. Ong noi said, Would you two please go tell Mr. Phelps, I am ready to go home. Munch and Thahn Ho both leapt to their feet. Time alone was within their grasp. Thanh Ho said, Yes, Ong noi. For a long moment the old man looked at them and then he said, Opportunity will present itself if you are patient. It will be a gift and not something stolen that can be sullied. Munch didnt know what the hell he was talking about, but Thahn Ho bowed to Ong noi and said, Thank you. For what? They walked up the steep bank. Once they crested it, Thahn Ho reached for his hand. Instead of taking her hand, Munch put an arm around her shoulder and drew her closer. Nervousness and the desire to kiss her jangled his brain. This spot was too out in the open, and they were way too close to Ong noi. They made their way up the dirt road. Once they reached the junipers that stood along the fence line, Munch drew Thahn Ho into their shadows. He had no idea who reached for who first all he knew is that she was in his arms and she tasted and felt so very good. He could have kissed her forever, but she pulled away. He looked down at her. Her face was flushed and her eyes were bright. I think we best get to the house. Ong noi is waiting. She held out her hand to him and he took it. The interlude had been too brief and he wanted more, but he knew she was right, Ong noi was waiting. Side by side they walked. Thahn Ho said, Ong noi is right. If we are patient opportunity will present itself. Munch asked, What is that supposed to mean? He doesnt want us sneaking around. She paused and said, I dont want us sneaking around. Isnt that what were doing now? No. Ong noi is not stupid. He has gifted us with this time. He believes you are an honorable young man. It is a trust you dont want to break. Munch began to protest. Thahn Ho held up her hand. Michael, I am not a fool. I know the risk I am taking in my care for you. If what I can offer is not enough, then you should look else where. Her words were so abrupt, Munch felt stung. For a moment he just stared at her. Frustration boiled up inside of him. I just want you, its just not fair. She gave him a faint smile and then look away.No, its not. Life is not fair, ever. She turned back to him and added, I think what we have is precious and worth protecting. Do you agree? He did, but dammit, his brain was so fixated on her lips and holding her again he was just about torn in two with desire. All he could get out of his mouth was the word, Yes. Softly she said, This hard. I want the same things you do. I want to hold your hand in public. I want to tell the world I like you. Thahn Ho rested her head agains his chest. He kissed her hair. She looked up at him and her eyes were full of tears. We cant lose us, just because the world doesnt understand. He pressed her close. No, we cant. She pulled away from him and took his hand. Ong noi is waiting. We best get Mr. Phelps. Munch did not want to get that man, he just wanted to stand here with Thahn Ho forever. She tugged on his hand and propelled him forward. * It was dark, Munch sat at his drafting table. In front of him was the drawing of Grace he had not had the opportunity of sharing with her, thanks to Max. Not that Max ever made an appearance. Where had the little dumb ass gone? Grace had been in a royal rage when Munch and Thahn Ho had reached the house that afternoon. Tina was crying and muttering about Grace not trusting her. Grace called their daddy and he came and got them. Munch had never seen their father before. He looked like a military man. He was tall and fit. The girls got their long legs from him. Briefly he had questioned the girls and gained absolutely no information outside of the fact that each sister thought the other was stupid. His voice had been sharp as he told the girls, We will sort this out at home. When their navy blue Lincoln Continental had pulled out of the drive, Munch had the feeling that Max was some where watching. Stupid Max.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Munch flipped on the light of his drafting table and set aside the drawing of Grace. On a fresh sheet of watercolor paper he began to lightly sketch of Ao Dai, the traditional dress of Vietnamese women. When he reached for his watercolors to lay down the first faint layer of paint, he couldnt make up his mind about the colors. What would look good on Thahn Ho? On a scrap of watercolor paper he began to make blurs of different colors. As he worked his mind roamed over the events of the day. Everything he wanted most had happened. He had time alone with Thahn He, he held her hand, he held her in his arms and he kissed her. Still her words haunted him. She had said life was not fair ever, and she was right. If he had been born Vietnamese they could be a public couple, unless of course her parents cared about the status of his birth. Maybe even a Vietnamese Bastard wouldnt be good enough. He shook his head hard. Thoughts like these were pointless. Downstairs he could hear the TV. Lolly had invited Trevor over. She was certainly building a wall around herself, first her friends now Trevor. Her pa hadnt had a single minute of her undivided attention. The back door opened and closed. Mama came upstairs followed by Fluff. She sat down at her drafting table and flipped on the light. Fluff jumped onto Lollys bed and snuggled down into the blankets. Through the window, Munch saw the silhouette of that man. The tip of his cigarette glowed as he took in a long slow draw. Even in the dark, Munch could tell his hand was shaking. Mama asked, So do you know what the girls were fighting about? I couldnt make heads or tails of it. He lied and said, No. Seeing the way they went at each other made me really glad I only had brothers. Mama sighed. Today didnt turn out the way I hoped it would. She sounded tired and down. This was Munchs cue to say something encouraging or funny. He was empty. Mama asked, How did your day go? She was fishing and he hated when she fished for information. Same. Oh, Im sorry. He didnt respond. He washed out his brush and said, Im going for a walk. Okay. Mamas voice sounded hurt. Munch grabbed his hooded sweatshirt and went down the stairs. When he passed by the door to the living room, Trevor and Lolly were on the couch, sucking major face. Abruptly, Munch turned away from them and headed for the door. Outside he was met by the spicy smell of cigarette smoke. That man turned toward him and said, Hey. Hey. Munch continued walking away from the house. He passed the chicken coop. The hens were all sleeping. Above, the sky was filled with stars. Star light always soothed whatever was rumbling around inside of him. Right now he just wished, Lolly, that man and Trevor were elsewhere. Unexpectedly tears blurred his vision. Anger and longing merged inside of him. Why couldnt he be on his own couch with Thahn Ho sucking major face? Did he want to suck face more than he wanted to be Thahn Hos boyfriend? No, not unless it was her face, her lips. Plus, he was assuming. As of yet he hadnt asked her to be his girlfriend. Why hadnt he asked her? First of all there hadnt been a time or place to do so. No that wasnt true. He could have done it today, but he was so thrown by what she said that he didnt even think about asking her, all he thought about was losing her. He was thinking about it now. The if onlys hammered in his brain. There were so many of them. His skin wasnt going to change and neither was hers. Why did this happen? Why? And what if he had never met Thahn Ho? That would have been a tragedy. Instinctively, his feet carried him to the barn. When he opened the door he couldnt see a damn thing. He flipped on the light. In a pile of hay, Max stretched and opened one eye. Munch asked, What the hell are you doing here? Maxs eyes grew wide and he looked around him. What time is it? After seven. SHIT! My dads coming to pick me up from Kevins at 8:00. I better hurry. Seriously, you are gonna walk all the way to the trailer park by yourself. Sure. No. Its too dark and too dangerous. You know that. Angrily Max stood. You are such a wuss. I will be fine. King Trevor used to run all the way to the trailer park when we lived there. Munch glared at Max. You arent King Trevor and you dont run as fast as he does. Whats gonna happen if your dad sees you running along the side of the road? The anger left Max and was replaced by fear. I cant get grounded again. Well maybe if you stopped being such a dumbass. Please help me Munch. How? His voice broke when he said, I dont know. Kevin and his family arent even home. I was just going to wait on the front porch for my dad to pick me up. Munch just shook his head. I will call your dad. Its better he find out than your mom. True. So, do I call him? For a second Maxs eyes rolled back in his head as he thought. I got a better idea. I will call my dad from our trailer and tell him, we came to hang out with you. Thats a lot of lies. Max just grinned at him. The grin turned into a smirk. I saw somebody kissing somebody under the junipers. Munchs heart froze. Max laughed and said, Bro, your secret is safe with me. Was it? Chapter 42. Driver’s Ed Unable to sleep, Munch got out of bed and went to the kitchen. He noticed the back door was slightly ajar. He peeked through. Lolly was wrapped in a blanket sitting on the first step. Her head was tilted back as she looked at the stars. Should he join her, stay inside? He didnt know. Without turning to look at him, Lolly said, I want some company. Munch went onto the porch. The air was chilly. He should have put on his robe. He sat down beside her. She asked, You cold? Yeah. With one hard tug, she disentangled herself from the blanket and draped it over both of them. It was warm. Lolly slipped her arm through his and sighed. Munch asked, You okay? No. Whats up? A long slow sigh escaped her. Tonight I just wanted Pa to catch Trevor kissing me, so he would know how it feels every time we walk in on THEM. Uhm, yall werent just kissing. I know. For a while Trevor was so excited he didnt know what I was up to, and then he figured it out and called me on it. Im so embarrassed and disappointed in myself. Her voice broke and she said, I think I opened a door Im not ready for. What do you mean? Its private. I just wish things could go back to the way they were before Trevors dad got so sick. She let out another sigh. Munchs brain was spinning. What had Lolly done with Trevor? She was pretty straight laced and something trivial might seem horrible to her. He hoped that was all it was. Lolly asked, Why arent you sleeping? He wasnt ready to talk about what Thahn Ho had said. Gosh, she was pretty straight laced too, maybe more so than Lolly. Life really sucked right now. I found Max in the barn. I figured that was where that little shit was hiding. Lolly usually didnt talk like this. He ruined my whole day. I should never have invited Tina. Its just she hasnt made many friends, if any at school. Junior High is tough. Grace is worried about her. I am too. Its terrible to no have friends. I dont know what I would have done without you all these years. She leaned her head on his shoulder. Ditto. How did Max get home? He snuck into his trailer and called his dad. Made up some really lame excuse and then waited for him to pick him up by the side of the road. Wow. Max used to go through girls so fast. I never thought he would get so hung up on just one. She asked, Did Max ruin your day too? Not really, I thought he was going to, but him being there actually worked to mine and Thahn Hos advantage. By the way you looked when yall came up the house I thought you were mad. I wasnt mad as much as I was upset. I think Ong noi saw Max. I think he figured out what was going on with Max and Tina His voice trailed off. Lolly said, Probably, he so wise and so different. Max really messed up things for Grandma Toady. She was really looking forward to having tea with Ong noi. Do you think she likes him? No. Grandma Toady swore off men years ago. She just likes to make friends.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Though Munch had his doubts, he didnt argue the point. For a while they sat in silence. Both were thinking their separate thoughts. Once upon a time they told each other everything. It wasnt like that anymore and sometimes Munch missed that. Right now he missed that, but he also wanted what he and Thahn Ho shared to just be for them. Softly Lolly said, I dont think I like growing up. Me either. * Sunday morning at church had been weird. Thahn Ho had been quieter than usual and she had stayed close to her mother, so she hadnt really talked to Munch outside of saying, hi, and bye. When the bus let them off at the school Monday morning, Munch was nervous. Would the weirdness continue? He hoped not. A head of him, Lolly and Trevor were walking into the school. As usual, they were holding hands, but there was tension between them. They didnt go to the library but turned into the cafeteria. Lisa was at their table with Quack, Grace was there and so was Thahn Ho. She was between Grace and Lisa. This morning shewasnt meeting him in the art room and he couldnt even sit by her. Not a good sign at all. Anger and hurt rose inside of him. So was this how it was going to be? Okay. When he reached the table, Thahn Ho smiled at him. It was friendly, but wary. Munch took the seat beside Grace. In his back pack was the drawing of the outfit he wanted her to model. What the hell, he might as well show her, all she could do was say, No. It wasnt like he hadnt heard that before. To Grace he said, I got something to show you. She turned to him and said, Okay. One look at her eyes told him, she was not in a good place either. In fact, with the exception of Quack and Lisa, no one at the table was in a good place. Usually, when Munch showed one of his drawings, he did so with a flourish, but his fear of Grace and her rejection, caused him to just open his sketch book and show it to her. She looked at it for a second and then did a double take. Is that me? Yeah. Id like to make this for you and have you wear it at the Art Clubs Spring show in April. She picked up the drawing. Her eyes were big and round. Wow. I heard you were good, but I had no idea. Grace was actually impressed and that was very rare. She asked, Can I have this drawing when youre done? Uh huh. You get to keep the outfit too. Wow! Really? Yes. She sure sounded like she was interested. Hope began to grow inside of him. She asked, Okay, Im in. Is there anything I need to do? Munch had learned his lesson about measuring girls. Yeah, just one. If you could come by the art room, Mademoiselle Petite can take your measurements, so I can get the right fit for you. Sure. When? Munch didnt know what got into him, but he said, We could do it now. Okay fine. She stood. He stood. The difference in their heights was always so obvious when they stood. Munch waved a general, Bye at everyone without making eye contact with Thahn Ho. * After Algebra, it was Drivers Ed. On Friday, Munch had been looking forward to this class for only one reason, Thahn Ho. Now, as he walked through the hall, he felt very uneasy. He wasnt sure what would happen when he walked through the door. Would she be in a desk surrounded by others with no space for him? When he did step through the door, she wasnt in class yet. The temptation to take a seat where she wouldnt be able to sit near him, did flit through his mind, but he thought, no. Thahn Ho was a quiet girl. Maybe Grace sat down beside her or clueless Lisa did. Still, she hadnt gone to the art room. Conflicted he took a seat. She could sit behind him or in front of him or no where near him. As the bell rang, Thahn Ho stepped through the door. She glanced at Munch, ducked her head and walked to the desk in front of him. When she sat down, she didnt look at him or speak. Still, she was there. She was close. Coach Smith handed out booklets to the class that had a traffic light on it. Inside the book were all the rules for driving. Many in this class, drove already, many were excited. Munch was not. Mama had used his interest in Thahn Ho to get him to take this freaking class. Seated at his desk Coach Smith began to drone on and on and on. Boring, boring, boring, until he read the part about car accidents. With glee in his eyes he launched into gruesome, gory, details of young driver car accidents. It turned Munchs stomach. The way Coach Smith was smiling it was obvious he got a kick out of trying to scare the crap out of kids. Not cool. In front of him, Thahn Ho sat rigid with her shoulders hunched. He leaned forward and asked, Are you okay? She shook her head. When the bell rang, everyone stood, eager to get out of that class. Thahn Ho turned to him. Her eyes were wide and frightened. She whispered, I dont think I want to drive. Me either. The smile she tried to give him didnt make it. She looked up at him and asked, Its out of your way, but could you walk me to my next class? Sure. Silence hung between them as they made their way down the hall. All around them bodies moved and shoved. More than once Munch was jostled into Thahn Ho. At the door of her class, she said, Thank you, Michael. See you in painting. He smiled and said, Yeah, see you then. This time she managed a smile. It wasnt full blown or ecstatic, but it was there, it was real and it was for him. Chapter 43. Night Lily It was Wednesday evening. Since Mama had a class, Munch, that man and Lolly had gone over to the trailer to have supper with Grandma Toady. Max was at a basketball game. In the porch light they could see Mitzi on the bottom step with Puccini snuggled in her arms. As soon as she saw Lolly, she jumped up and ran right into Lollys arms. She pouted, I miss you when youre not here. Lolly hugged her and said, I miss you too. Ill be home tomorrow night. Really? Yup. Mitzi held out her stuffed bear and asked, Do you miss him? Very much. He misses you very much too. But he dont miss Fluff. He hates Fluff. He wants Fluff to live with them. She jabbed her little thumb in Munchs direction. When they got inside, the kitchen table was already set with chicken quesadillas and chips. Grandma Toady was at the stove dressed in her best jeans and a big shirt with tiny red stripes. Her hair was done up carefully. Munch wondered, had she done that just for church or did it have something to do with the fact, she would be dropping him off for his ink brush lesson? They sat down at the table. Mitzi said the prayer, Dear God thank you for this food. Thank you for my family. Please help Grandma Toady know that I should go to Ong nois cause he really misses me. Amen. That man looked at Grandma Toady and said, Seems like you arent the only female taken with that man, Ma. Munch couldnt help but notice that, that man called Ong noi, that man. Slightly flustered, Grandma Toady said, I am not TAKEN with anyone Trace, so stop teasing me. He grinned and said, Whatever you say Ma. Mitzi asked, Can I go? Grandma Toady said, You havent been invited. Yes, I have. When? Ong noi told me I was welcome anytime. And now is anytime. Grandma Toady shook her head. Sweetie, he will be teaching Munch and its not fair for Thahn Ho to have to watch you and Le. Munch thought, that is WAY not fair. Putting those two brats together was inviting trouble. The face Mitzi made to wind up for her next fit was a warning sign. Grandma Toady took one look at her and said, Remember who you are dealing with. Mitzi dropped her eyes and said, Yes Maam. After supper, Munch, Grandma Toady, Mitzi and Puccini got into Grandma Toadys truck and headed for Thahn Hos house. Grandma Toadywas humming under her breath as she drove. When they pulled into the drive, Grandma Toady didnt get out of the truck and she kept a firm grip on Mitzis arm. Munch got out with his painting supplies. Mitzi shouted, Ong noi were here! The garden gate opened and Ong noi stepped out. He was wearing a long brown shirt with white trousers. Mitzi jerked free of Grandma Toady and leapt out of the truck. She reached Ong noi before Munch did. She threw her little arms around him and gave him a big hug. She tilted her head back and said, Ong noi can I stay here with you? Ong noi laughed. From the truck cab, Grandma Toady scolded, Mitzi! You know what I said. Certain she would get her way, Mitzi grinned. She turned her gaze back to Ong noi. He said, If it is alright with your Grandma, you can stay. Can I? Though Grandma Toady shook her head, she replied, Yes. Yippee! Mitzi did a little dance with Puccini and headed for the back yard. Ong noi walked to Grandma Toadys window. He placed his hands on the frame and asked, Would you like to have tea when you return? That sounds lovely. The smile Grandma Toady gave Ong noi was different from any smile Munch had ever seen her smile. Feeling like an intruder, Munch ducked into the back yard.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. In the yard the light of day was fading. Perched in the yard swing sat Thahn Ho. She glanced up at Munch and gave him a smile that made is toes curl in the best way possible. Behind her, Mitzi was hopping from one paving stone to the next. She stopped long enough to ask, Wheres Le? Thahn Ho said, With my parents. Oh. Mitzi didnt look disappointed. Ong noi came through the gate. He asked Mitzi, Would you like to paint? She shook her head. Id rather play out here. Very well. Michael, follow me please. Munch was secretly relieved Mitzi would NOT be part of the lesson. When they entered the studio it was set up differently. In the center of the room was what looked like a coffee table with a cushion on either side of it. On the table were two ink blocks, cups of water, bamboo brushes and rice paper. Munch liked the texture of rice paper, but it was tricky because it was a delicate paper that absorbed water and ink quickly. An entire page could be ruined with one bad stroke. Rice paper was not forgiving. Ong noi said, This evening we will practice suiboku-ga. This style of painting was developed in China around 960 A.D. during the Sung Dynasty. Observe as I paint. This was what Munch had been waiting for. They were going to do more than letters. He watched Ong noi dip his brush in water and then pass it over the ink block with delicate precision. The magic began when the inked brush touched the paper. With a few strokes the ink bled into a sky and mountains appeared. It was magic. Again, Ong noi dipped and inked his brush. This time a lake appeared that reflected clouds. He painted delicate trees along the banks of the lake. Dimension was created by using more of less ink. Not once did he make a false stroke. Munch had no idea how much time passed as he watched. One day he hoped to be as good as Ong noi. Ong noi lifted his brush and stopped painting. He looked up and said, Now Michael, your turn. Go slow. Trust yourself and trust the paper and the brush. They will teach you. Though fear tried to get a hold of him, Munch pushed it back. He dipped his brush in the water and then pulled it across the ink block. The ink was sucked up into the bristles. With a slow stroke he put ink to rice paper. He watched the ink bleed into the paper and spread out forming a gray sky with white clouds. It was incredible. As he worked he forgot everything. All that existed was the landscape he was creating. Too soon, Ong noi said, Michael, I am afraid our time is up. Munch didnt want his time to be up. He didnt want to stop. Ong noi smiled at him and said, We will continue this lesson next week. Continue to practice your letters, but also feel free to paint. Thank you Sir. Ong noi attempted to get up. Frustrated, he said, I need a bit of help standing. Munch went to him and extended his hand. Ong noi grabbed hold of it and levered himself up. He laughed and said, My knees are unhappy. They have lost the skill to sit on the floor. They went to the sink and washed out the brushes with cold water and placed them in a glass with the bristles pointed up to dry. Before they left the studio, Ong noi said, I trust you to be good to my granddaughter. When I was a young man I cared for a girl whose family were servants. My father was the magistrate of our village. He tried to beat my affection for her out of me. When that did not work, he had her father beaten and they left our village. People can be very cruel. I will not ask you to not care, because I know from my own experience it is not possible, but I do ask you to always give respect. Ong nois words explained a lot. With a lump in his throat, Munch said, Yes Sir, I will. He laid a hand on Munchs shoulder. I believe you. Now it is time for me to make tea. They went outside. The sky had filled with stars. Munchs eyes strayed to the yard swing.Thahn Hos eyes met his.The gardens hanging lanterns cast her in an other worldly light. She looked like princess placed in a secret garden. Zooming around behind the swing, Mitzi wore a pair of fairy wings. She called out, Ong noi, look at me! Ong noi said, Ah, a magic person. Come magic person, help me make some tea. Sure! After they went inside Munch made his way to Thahn Ho. In her lap was her decrepit cat, Hoa. Why girls liked cats was beyond Munch. If he ever had an animal it would be a dog, a small dog that did not shed. He didnt want a pit bull giant like Max had. He started to sit in one of the chairs, but she patted the space beside her on the swing. Sit here. When he did she reached out her hand and took his. There was excitement in hr voice when she said, Tomorrow we go to The Museum of Fine Arts. Have you ever been there? Yes, a few times. You are so lucky. I have never been to a real art museum before. She squeezed his hand and said, Tomorrow we will have a good day. He liked it when she said, we. Yes, we will. Head lights flashed though the gate. That will be my parents. Munch started to get up and move, but she said, Stay. Still she released his hand and scooted away from him. The gate opened. It wasnt Mr. and Mrs. Duong, it was Grandma Toady. She waved and asked, Is Mr. Phan inside? Thahn Ho said, Yes Maam. Grandma Toady went through the back door. Thahn Ho stood and put Hoa down. The cat was so old she staggered a bit. Thahn Ho said, Come see Ong nois night lilies. They should be opened by now. She held out her hand and he took it. They went to the far corner of the yard. The lilies were like delicate cups in shades of yellow, orange, white and red. Thahn Ho told him, I am going to paint them for my next class project. Thats cool. Munch drew her to him and asked, Will you be my girlfriend? With bright eyes she said, Of course. Briefly they clung to each other. He leaned in and gave her one gentle kiss. Head lights flashed from the garden gate. Thahn Ho pulled away from him. That is my parents for sure. They made their way back to the swing. Car doors opened and closed. The garden gate burst open and Le came flying through. He saw Munch and shouted, OH CRUNCHY Im so glad you are still here! I didnt want to go to church I wanted to have class with you. Having never had a sibling, Les continued admiration of him, and even his teasing meant more to Munch than he was willing to admit. He said, Yeah, I missed you in class too. Mr. and Mrs. Duong entered the yard and waved at Munch before they made their way inside. The back door opened Mitzi ran outside. She asked. Where is Le? Munch saw the little boy hiding behind a crepe myrtle tree. As soon as Mitzi and Puccini reached them, Le jumped from behind the tree and shouted, Boo! Startled, Mitzi squealed. Le burst into giggles. I scared you! Fear that Mitzi and Le were about to get in a roaring argument rushed through Munch. The winged little girl, grinned and said, Yeah, you did. Crisis averted. THANK GOD! Chapter 44. On a Big Yellow Bus Munch didnt even need his alarm on Thursday morning. He was dressed and ready. Waking up early meant the numbers on his digital clock were flipping very slowly. In his full length mirror he studied his reflection. He was wearing a red Groucho Marx t-shirt with gray Levis and purple chucks. His hoodie was dark purple. Slowly he spun around. He nodded to himself and thought, yup, the right clothes can even make scrawny look good. When he went into the kitchen, Mama was at the stove flipping pancakes. Tears were sliding down her cheeks. That man was leaving tonight, and as usual, she had started mourning, in the morning. Silly woman, she was going to have such a long day. At the table, that man was hidden behind his newspaper. Much couldnt see his face but his knuckles were white where he held the paper. Lolly came down stairs in her robe. She took one look at Mama and said, I forgot something at the trailer, I will just eat there and get dressed. The newspaper came down. That man said, Whoa, this is our last morning. Flatly Lolly said, Yeah. There will be others. Wow. That man actually flinched when she said that. Munchs eyes traveled from Lollys glare to his mothers tears. Poor Trace Phelps. He was having a hell of a morning. That man asked Lolly, What did you forget? Now Lolly was not a good liar. She lacked motivation and skill. Uhm, a book. Which book? Up a Road Slowly. Munch waited for that mans response. He did not disappoint. You finished that one during the holidays. The look in Lollys eyes veiled panic as she searched for a reply. Uh, Lisa wants to borrow it. Something hard and angry came into that mans eyes. He asked, Really? Munch swung his head back to Lolly. It was like watching a ping pong match. This time Lolly didnt speak, she just nodded her head. Okay. That man picked up the paper and disappeared behind it once more. Mama started to say something, but one look from Lolly silenced her. As Lolly opened the door, that man asked, You taking your cat with you? Uh, yeah I guess so. Lolly glanced at Munch. She looked disappointed. Had she been gunning for a fight? It looked like it, but that man had not obliged. Loudly she stomped up the stairs to retrieve Fluff and then stomped back down. Fluff was obviously pissed about being jerked out of his nice warm bed. Without so much as a look in her Pas direction, Lolly went out the back door. Mama burst into tears. That man put his paper down. Oh great! Munch said, Im gonna head on over to Grandma Toadys too. This made Mama pause her crying. Have you fixed your lunch? I did that last night. He had also packed his backpack and it was sitting by the back door. He opened the fridge, got out his lunch kit. Gave Mama a peck on the cheek and headed out the door. Actually, he had no intention of going over to Grandma Toadys. He wanted some time alone to think and day dream and plan. From his lunch kit, he grabbed his chocolate chip cookies. Breakfast! Too soon Lolly and Max joined him. Lolly looked glum, but Max was smiling. No telling what he was so happy about. The bus came. Lolly remained completely silent. When Trevor got on the bus, she barely waved. Trevors eye brows shot up and he looked at Munch. Munch just shrugged. No one, not even Lolly was going to ruin this day for him. * The bus for the Museum of Fine Arts wouldnt leave until 9:00 a.m. so Munch had to go to first period Algebra. Quack gave him a nod when he came into the room. He took his seat. Grace glided into the room. She was wearing jeans with a top that had turquoise butterfly sleeves. Damn, she looked good. She gave him a smile when she sat down behind him. Trevor came in and took his seat. He leaned turned and asked, What the hell is wrong with Lolly?A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Munch rolled his eyes. Her dads leaving today. They havent been getting along. Trevor just grunted. Whatever that meant. Munch had no desire to know anything. All through class, Munch could barely focus. The hands of the wall clock were moving so damn slow. Finally the bell rang. He headed into the hall with Quack close behind him. He increased his speed. Quack called after him, Dude, wait! Munch pretended not to hear. Down the hall he saw Thahn Ho. She was waiting for him. She wore a pink sweater with a pink ribbon in her sleek black hair. When she saw him she smiled. His heart did that thing in his chest. He spanned the distance between them. Thahn Ho looked up at him and asked, Are you ready? Yup! He was so ready. Quack caught up with them. To Munch he said, Damn, your little legs move fast. This was not a compliment, but Munch let it slide. Inside the art room Mademoiselle Petite checked everyone in and then she had them open their lunch boxes, purses and backpacks to check for drugs, cigarettes and booze. Everyone was clean, at least thats how it looked. Outside the sky was overcast. The big yellow bus was waiting for them. On the sidewalk stood Mrs. Duong. What was she doing there? Munch glanced at Thahn Ho. Did she know about this? Mrs. Petite walked up to Mrs. Duong and said, Thanks so much for helping out at the last minute. Thanh Ho and Munch turned to each other. What! How had this happened? Mademoiselle Petite turned to the students and said, This is Mrs. Duong. She is our parent chaperone today. With a big smile on her face, Mrs. Duong bowed to the class. Automatically, everyone including Mademoiselle Petite bowed to her. She was wearing a bottle green suit with a butterfly scarf tied around her neck. Actually, she was quite a lovely woman, but Munch wished with all his heart she was being lovely somewhere else today. They got onto the bus. Mrs. Anderson was their driver and their school chaperon. Munch gave her a nod as he passed her. He had planned to sit in the center of the bus and he kept to the plan. Thahn Ho entered the seat first so she could sit by the window. Munch sat down beside her. The bus roared to life. With a slight jerk it took off. Thahn Ho whispered, Im sorry Michael. My mom didnt even mention it to me. He whispered back, Its okay. It wasnt but what else was he supposed to say. In his head he heard Grandma Toady say, Make the best of every situation. This was not what he wanted, but if he got all sulky and mad, he could ruin the day, not only for himself but for Thahn Ho. She had never been to an art museum before. Besides only a few inches lay between the two of them. He almost never got to be this close to her. For the next few hours, if he was lucky he could be just a few inches away from her. The bus pulled out of he parking lot and headed for Highway 288. Up in front Mademoiselle Petite and Mrs. Duong were talking. In the big rear view mirror, Mrs. Anderson caught Munchs eye and smiled. She was such a nice lady. Beside him, Thahn Ho said, I wonder who the parent chaperone was supposed to be? Before Munch could say a word, Quack shoved his big old head over the back of their seat and said, My dad was supposed to come, but the plant called and he had to go in for somebody. Quack actually looked disappointed. He added, This always happens. If Mama hadnt had class she would have come on this field trip. Fortunately she had had class. Quack told Thahn Ho, Your mom is hot. Thahn Ho blushed and looked uncomfortable. Good gravy! Did Quack actually say that? Munch took another look at Mrs. Duong. Was she hot? Not to him, no. Quack grinned at Thahn Ho, and said, Sorry, just stating the obvious. I can see you take after your mom. Thahn Ho squirmed in her seat and turned a deeper shade of red. Stupid Quack turned back to Munch, leaned even further over the seat and said, I need to talk to you. Irritated Munch asked, About what? Quack ducked his head and quietly said, Lisa. Do you think I have a chance? I mean her last boyfriend was a jock and smart. Im just an art freak in special classes. Oh, God, as bad as Munch wanted to tell him to just shut the f up, he couldnt do it. Did Quack have a chance with Lisa? God only knew. He said, You wont know until you try. Thats not what I asked. I need to know what you think. What did he think. He thought that Lisa was on the rebound. She liked the attention she got from Quack, but would she go out with him? He had no idea. Honestly he said, I dont know. You might have a chance. A cautious grin quirked at the corners of Quacks lips. Really you think so. Munch nodded. Quack slapped him on the shoulder and said, Thanks, Buddy. He slid back in his seat. Wow, he was now Quacks buddy. Could life get any weirder?He looked at Thahn Ho. Her color had returned to normal. There was a glint in her eye. He and asked, What? She shook her head. Chances were she knew Lisas thoughts concerning Quack. Munch leaned a little closer to her and whispered, Do you think he has a chance? Maybe. Maybe? She nodded. Wow!Unbelievable. In the distance the skyscrapers of Houston appeared.He said, Look, and pointed. Thahn Ho looked. She pressed her hand against the window and bounced a little in her seat. She glanced back at him, her eyes were filled with light. In an awed voice she said, It is so pretty. He had never thought of Houston as pretty, but in the morning light, it did look kind of magical. Maybe it was magical. Maybe it would grant a little of its Magic to him and Thahn Ho today. Chapter 45. The Power of Art The closer they got to Houston, the more excited everyone on the bus became. When they entered the city, a hush fell over the entire art club. This was an alien world for a bunch of rural kids. Hundreds of cars of all makes and models zoomed passed the bus. Quack called out, Look at the spaghetti bowl! Munch hated spaghetti bowls which were freeways that formed loops and snarls far above the ground. The turns were sharp and fast. It was terrifying. How Mrs. Anderson drove so calmly was beyond him. Anxiety began to tingle inside of him. It was one thing to come to Houston in Mamas little red VW, it was another thing to be on a bus zinging along at 60+ miles an hour. He closed his eyes. Someday was when he moved to New York, the subway would take him anywhere he needed to go, under ground. Thahn Ho whispered, Are you okay? Through clenched teeth he said, I will be once we are no longer airborne. He felt her shoulder bump his ever so slightly. By the feel of the pavement, Munch could tell they were finally on stable ground. He opened his eyes as the bus drove between high rises. The tall buildings cast long deep shadows. Looking up made Munch dizzy. What was it like to work so far up in the sky. The glass buildings glittered with reflected sunlight. It made him feel like they were entering Oz. His fear left him. For Munch being in the heart of Houston was enchanting. All his dreams lead him to New York. Houston was not New York, but it was a city, the biggest city in Texas. He craned his neck and stared up at the sky scrapers on either side of the bus. They did indeed scrape the sky. Mrs. Anderson pulled into a parking lot. She parked the bus under some oak trees near a huge church. Everyone stood. Thahn Ho gave Munchs arm a quick squeeze. He could feel her excitement. He turned to her and grinned. Her smile was so big. The light in her eyes was dancing. Mademoiselle Petite told them, Leave your backpacks on the bus. It will be locked. Once we are inside DO NOT touch anything, especially the art. I dont want us to get kicked out. Also, NO ROUGH HOUSING. Keep your hands to yourself. There will be NO public displays of affection of any kind. I dont want to have to embarrass anyone but I will if need be. Now, stay together and most importantly behave. Remember you are young adults not kids. She smiled and said, Now lets go enjoy some art. Mademoiselle Petite got off the bus first, followed by Mrs. Duong. Everyone else followed. Mrs. Anderson was the last one off. She locked the bus and grinned.All around them, sunlight spangled through the new oak leaves.The air smelled of crepe myrtle and exhaust fumes.They crossed the parking lot. Through the trees they could see the big white block building that was the Museum of Fine Arts. It looked so regal. Thahn Ho let out an awestruck, Oh. He glanced at her. She was completely focused on the building. Her beautiful lips were moving as if she was praying. What was she thinking about? What was she dreaming about? What were her dreams? The Crossing Guard held up her stop sign to the traffic and waved for the group to cross over. Fancy cars were stopped on either side of the street. What would it be like to have enough money to own a car like that? He didnt want the car, but gosh he hoped his designs for The House of Munch would make that kind of money some day. Two men in dark blazers stood at the huge glass front doors. They opened the doors for people to enter. The students filed inside. Everything shone inside this building, the floors the stair rails, the glass, and the frames around the art. The feeling he got when he went into church settled over him. He felt as if he had stepped into a holy space. Art from ancient times to modern times was contained in this Museum. This was timeless place. Munch and all the art students were part of an ancient fraternity. The spirit of the creators was still being communicated by the work their hands had made. In a daze Munch traveled through the museum. The last time he had been in at the MFAH he had been in seventh grade. That was a long time ago. What he felt now was nothing like he felt as a jumpy little twelve year old. He was almost sixteen now. He was only a little more than two years away from going to design school. Time seemed to be moving faster. On this visit, he noticed things like the brush strokes on a painting or the quality of color and light. Inside of him was a hunger to know more and do more. When he had imagined this field trip all his thoughts had been focused on spending the time with Thahn Ho. He was unprepared for how looking at the works of the masters would make him feel. A portal had opened before him that was a kind of time travel. When they went downstairs to see the exhibit of Africa and Indigenous Pacific Islands Munch was awestruck. The names of the artists were not listed in this area. No date of birth was listed either. Only a time period was listed on the plaques with an estimated time of creation. He wondered whose hands had formed these small clay figures with exaggerated features. No one knew or would ever know and yet what they made still endured, was still seen, and was still admired to this day.Stolen story; please report. As they walked through the galleries, a hush had settle over the students. Mademoiselle Petite took time to explain some of the works, but mostly she just let them absorb what they were seeing and Munch was grateful for that. From time to time he and Thahn Ho would exchange a look. They were visually connected even if they werent physically connected. He sensed she was experiencing some of the same feelings he was. If anyone had told him at the beginning of his Sophomore year that he would be in the Museum of Fine Arts with his beautiful girlfriend, he would never have believed it. When they stopped in front of the Mary Cassatts oil painting titled, Susan Comforting the Baby, Thahn Ho got very still. In the painting was a young woman and a little girl with dark hair. The little girls features were blurred, but her eyes were so blue. Her tiny hand was pressed against her forehead. Mademoiselle Petite told them, This painting style is French Impressionism. Mary Cassatt, the artist, was one of the few women involved in the movement. She looked at all the female students and said, Mary Cassatt had a difficult time in her life and yet she painted. After Mademoiselle Petite finished her brief summary of the painting and the artist, she and the rest of the students moved to the next painting. Thahn Ho remained where she was. Mrs. Duong cast a glance in her daughters direction and then broke off from the group. Munch thought she was coming towards Thahn Ho, but she headed for the main gallery. Where was she going? Thahn Ho didnt notice her mother leaving. Silent and immobile her eyes traveled over the painting. Munch whispered, Are you okay? She nodded and a single tear slipped down her cheek. Quickly, she wiped it away. She turned to him and softly said, Mary Cassatt wanted children, she could not have them, but she often painted mothers and their children. I can see the mother love she poured into this. All that Munch could see was a slightly blurry child with a young woman only partially painted. Still, Thahn Hos words did reach him and he did see the connection between the woman and the child. He did feel the bond. Thahn Ho glanced up at him and said, I read she wanted to be a mother more than she wanted to be an artist. It is selfish of me, but I am thankful she did become an artist and I get see her work. Her eyes strayed around the gallery. The walls were covered by the work of men. This small space where Munch stood with Thahn Ho represented a womans view, a womans work and a womans impact on the world of art and the world at large. After they had roamed the entire MFAH Mademoiselle took then across the street to the Contemporary Arts Museum. It was very different looking than the MFAH. It was covered in shiny metal that looked like a new tin barn roof. Inside it was very different too. The focal point art piece was made out of spray foam. It was a golden brown. It looked like mushroom tops. Quack muttered, What the hell? Other works of art were jarring. There was even a regular toilet with stuff painted on it. Munch didnt get it. Mademoiselle Petite told the group, I can see some of you are quite confused by this art. It is conceptual and representational. Quack asked, Of what? With a slight smile, Mademoiselle Petite said, Conceptual means it deals with abstract or original thought. Representational means it can symbolize something. A toilet is more than just a toilet. Think about what it might symbolize. Quack said, A place to take a dump. Some people giggled. Mrs. Duong looked severe. Not put off, Mademoiselle Petite persisted in her explanation. That is not representational. This could symbolize releasing what is toxic and sending it away. Quack didnt look convinced. For Munch it was like a door opened in his head. One thing could mean something else if he thought about it from a different perspective. Symbols and thoughts were necessary elements to creativity. The last stop they made was the Museums gift shop. Quack found a stack of flip books and said, Hey Munch come look at this. The flip book Quack held was one with a womans naked body moving around. Munch felt his face flush. If Mrs. Duong caught him looking at that, or even Thahn Ho there might be hell to pay. Quack said, Pretty cool huh? Munch didnt respond, he just walked away. Thahn Ho stood by a display of painted wooden animals. They were in bright colors of blue, yellow and red. A little cat had caught her attention. He could tell she wanted it. He would get it for her. After she left the display he went and picked up the cat. It was $45.00. He didnt have $45.00. Dammit. Was there anything else she liked? He saw her pick up a tiny sketch pad with a pencil attached. She didnt look at it for as long as she had looked at the cat, but she I did like it. He just wanted to get her something so bad. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mrs. Duong pick up the cat. Would she buy it for Thahn Ho? She put it back down. Quack came toward Munch with a bag in his hand. He grinned and whispered, I got the book. Munch started to make a snide remark, but thought better of it. He asked, How much cash do you have on you? Curiosity danced in Quacks brown eyes. I got about forty bucks, why? Of course Quack would be carrying that much cash. Munch said, I want to get my mom something but I only have $20.00. Could you loan me $25.00? For a second, Quack frowned, then he said, Sure. He handed the money over. While Thahn Ho was talking to her mom, Munch went and bought the cat. Chapter 46. A Friend in Quack After they left the Contemporary Museum of Art, Mrs. Anderson drove them to Herman Park. Munch pretended like it was Central Park. Beside him, Thahn Ho kept her eyes focused out the window. In Munchs sweatshirt pocket was the cat. He wanted to give it to her now, but he didnt want to interrupt her view. The sunlight fell through the bus window capturing her in a halo of light. It was a picture he wanted to paint, but he knew he wasnt good enough to to do so yet. Maybe someday. The bus pulled into the parking lot. Everyone piled out with their lunches in hand. Mrs. Duong stopped Thahn Ho and quietly asked, Are you have a good time? Thahn Ho nodded. Im glad. She turned to Munch and said, I hear you plan to go to Design School in New York. Who had told her? Mama? Probably. Yes, I hope to. That is a fine dream. May it come true. She gave him a smile that unsettled him. Thank you. He did he best to smile back at her, but something ate at him. Was she hoping he would go as far away from Thahn Ho as he could? Had Mama also told Mrs. Duong that he wouldnt be going to Design School until after he got his BA? He didnt know, but he suspected that Mrs. Duong might suspect he liked Thahn Ho more than a little. He said, If you will excuse me, and headed for the restroom. His heart had started beating funny and he felt a little sick to his stomach. Was he over reacting? Probably, he was really good at that. In the mens room, he splashed cold water on his face and tried to catch his breath. Anxiety was ripping through him. The door banged opened and Quack walked in. He saw Munch face in the mirror and asked, Whats up little buddy? Nothing. Quack leaned against the wall and said, Could it be that you think Mrs. Duong is on to you? Good grief! Quacks brain was a thick as a wooden post. If he had caught on, surely Mrs. Duong had too. Munch didnt say anything because he didnt trust his voice. It would crack for sure. Outside he took in a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves. Thahn Ho was seated at the table with her mom and Mademoiselle Petite. What to do? If he didnt sit with her would that cancel out whatever suspicions Mrs. Duong had or would it make it worse. Gosh, he wished Ong noi had been their chaperone instead of her. As he approached the table he heard Mademoiselle talking in earnest about colleges and their art programs. Thahn Ho was listening intently. Dejected Munch went and sat down at a table far from the rest of the group. If he couldnt be with Thahn Ho, he wanted to be alone. He wasnt alone for long because Quack joined him. The doofuss didnt have a lunch bag or a lunch kit. His food was packed in a cooler. When he opened it, Munch saw a two big hoagie sandwichs Quack asked him if he wanted one. Thanks, but no, Im a vegetarian. Really. Why did I not know that? That it explains why youre so scrawny. Wow, that made Munch feel so much better. He pulled out his peanut butter sandwich and started eating. Quack asked, What kind of bread it that? Seriously, he had never seen whole grain bread before. Munch swallowed and said, Its home made. Can your mama even cook? Seriously, Mama couldnt, but he didnt say that. Instead he asked, Want a bite? No thank you. Quack took a big chomp out of his hoagie. Munch ate as fast as he could, but he still finished long after Quack had downed to Hoagies. The boy was an eating Machine! Quack downed his canned soda in one gulp and let out a big old belch. Lunch was a miserable mess. After everyone finished eating, the Art Club road the little train that ran through the park. Munch had imagined riding it with Thahn Ho, but she was sitting with her mom. When the ride was over, they headed for the bus. Munch made sure he got on the bus before Thahn Ho did. It would be her choice to sit with him. He sat down and waited. Mademoiselle Petite, Mrs. Duong and Thahn Ho were the last people to get on. Thahn Ho locked eyes with Munch. Her expression told him, she could not sit with him. She took a seat besidea girl named Sally who was quiet like Thahn Ho.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. On the ride home it was hard to not steal glances at Thahn Ho, but he didnt want her mother catching him gawking. It was all so stupid. He had been as careful as he possibly could. When they got back to the school only last period remained. He watched Thahn Ho get off the bus and head inside without him. In his pocket was the cat he had bought her. Maybe he could catch her after school. Maybe. * As soon as the bell rang, Munch was out the door and headed for Thahn Hos locker. He saw her getting her books out. Almost there. When he reached her, she looked at him and said, I think my mom knows. Me too. Munch pulled the bag with the cat out of his pocket and handed it to her. She opened the bag and gave a little squeal of delight. Oh Michael, you shouldnt have but I am so glad you did! Thank you! All the awfulness of the day melted in her shining eyes. Munch felt himself blush. To his surprise she gave him a quick hug. You are the best. She put the cat in the bag in her backpack and said, I will see you tomorrow. She didnt say, its best you dont walk me out, but he knew he shouldnt, so he just watched her go. * The late afternoon air was crisp and cold. Munch sat on a stump by the chicken coop watching the hens scratch the dirt looking for bugs and worms. He heard the jingle of tiny bells. The jingle stopped right behind him. Tiny arms wrapped around his neck. Mitzi gave him a squeeze and asked, You guarding the chickens? No. The jingling started up again as she walked around and climbed up into his lap. She had silver bells on her sneakers. In her pink baby carrier was Puccini. That sad little bear needed a bath. Mitzi leaned her head against his chest and asked, Is Aunt Estelle crying? Yup. Is Lolly mad? I dunno. Lolly was mad, but Munch didnt say so. She had not said a single word on the bus or asked him how his day went, not that he wanted to talk about that. Mitzi sighed and said, I wish Uncle Trace didnt have to leave all the time. It wasnt so bad before he married Aunt Estelle. Your mama gets too upset. Yup. Plus, when he comes home, the chickens babies are NOT safe. You mean eggs? Mitzi didnt answer. Instead she asked, How much longer until he leaves? About and hour. You want to come and hide at my house. I wont tell anyone youre there. The only one who will know is Bruno. Thank you Mitzi. The thought of hiding out with that drooling pit bull was honestly more appealing than enduring the waterworks of Mama. She really needed to get a grip. Mitzi asked, How was your visit to the museum? This question surprised Munch. Mama hadnt asked about the museums and neither had Lolly. It was good mostly. I want to be an artist like you and your mama. She turned and looked up at him. He told her, Mitzi you are already and artist. I am? Yes. Impulsively she hugged him. I am so glad you are my cousin. Me too. Mitzi let go of him and hopped onto the ground, she went to the chicken coop and laced her fingers through the wiring. She said, I am asking for a my very own chicken for my birthday. She will have her own coop and she will sleep with me at night. Munch doubted very seriously that that would happen. And Aunt Estelle will never be allowed to steal her babies! * The time had come. That man was packed. Grandma Toady was the only calm female in the house. Lolly was either angry or upset, Munch wasnt sure which. Mama was in full out grief. She wasnt sobbing but her eyes were leaking like a bucket. Munch watched Trace Phelps pick up his duffle bag. His eyes sought out Lolly. Would she hug him? Lolly stepped forward and hugged her pa. She said, Take care. That man gave her a tentative smile. I will. Ill call you on Wednesday. Okay. He released her and Lolly stepped back. Next was Grandma Toady. She was wearing a big smile as if all was right with the world. She hugged her son and said, Love you. Be careful. I will Ma. His arms tightened around her and then he let her go. The good byes he would say to Mama would not be public. He reached for Mamas hand and they went out the back door. Lolly headed for the front door, but Grandma Toady said, Wait. Lolly turned and asked, Why? Because I said so. Munch hated it when adults played the because I said so card. It was NEVER a good thing. In a huff Lolly sat down on the sofa and stared into space. Munch asked Grandma Toady, Is it okay if I go up stairs. The smile she gave him was kind, still she said, I want you to wait too. After what seemed like an eternity, they heard the truck pull away. More time passed and Mama finally came inside. Her face was a wreck. Grandma Toady went to her and took her in her arms. Gently she said, Sweetie, you gotta figure out a better way to do this. I know. Maybe talk to your priest? Yeah. I think maybe that would be a good idea. Grandma Toady let got of her and Mama went to her room. Once her door was closed, Grandma Toady said, I know this last week has been tough for both of you. Just remember one thing, your parents are human beings and they dont understand everything. Both your parents have been alone a long time and, her voice lowered, they got married way too fast. So try to be patient with them, but also be honest with them. They are good and they love you. Munch nodded, but Lolly just sighed. She asked, Can we go now? Yes. Grandma Toady came over to Munch and gave him a hug. She said, You will be in my prayers tonight. Munch watched them walk out the front door. Mamas muffled sobs filled the house. It was a sound he didnt want to hear. He went to the studio and put on Etta James album, At Last. Then, he got out the painting he was doing of Thahn Ho in a traditional ao dai. As he painted she felt very near to him. She would look so pretty in this. Fear and sadness fell on him hard. What if her mother didnt let her wear it? What if her mother kept them apart like Ong nois father had kept him away from the girl he loved. Ong nois father was a brute, Mrs. Duongwasnt a brute, but still, she just might ruin everything. Chapter 47. Break Up? Friday and all day Saturday, Munch went through all his sketches and finished paintings and drawings of clothes designs. He also had a stack of photos and negatives to sort through. He wanted to submit good quality photos of his clothes actually on people. The photos he had sucked. What he needed was a good photographer to shoot everything from his January fashion show and his theater costumes models. Unfortunately he had given the clothes he made for the fashion show to his models and the theater clothes were in bad shape after so many performances. Still, he knew Lolly, Mama, Lisa, and Grandma Toady had taken care of their ensembles, but the boys Most likely the suits and vests he had made were wadded up under their beds. It hurt to find out his work had not been well cared for, but heck, that was just part of the biz. Once a body gave something away it was gone. Besides, maybe it would be best to focus just on female fashion. He honestly didnt know. Another kicker was that every painting and drawing he submitted had to be matted. He sucked at matting. The process eluded him. Though he could cut a straight line, and sew a straight line, the mat cutter refused to yield a clean line for him. Munch leaned his elbows on his drafting table and put his face in his hands. He still had so much to do. How was he ever going to get it all done? Down stairs he heard a knock on the door. With Etta James singing he couldnt hear who it was. Familiar steps sounded on the staircase. Lolly appeared. He read her face. She was troubled about something, he could tell. For a moment she looked around the room and then went and flopped down on her bed. With a sigh she said, I need to talk to you. Great. Munch had so much to do. Even though he was not in the mood discuss the latest family drama, he asked, About what? Max. Munch narrowed his eyes. What had Max done now? He asked, Is he in trouble? No, but he is about to get his heart broken. How do you know? Tina got a call from a boy. Grace listened in and it was not Max. Its some eighth grade basketball player. Lolly paused, Grace wished it was Max because despite being a dumbass, at least hes not a jerk. This guy is a jerk. Grace has seen him talking to Tina after her basketball practice a few times. He is cocky and arrogant and gorgeous. Lolly sighed. Max has never liked any one as much as he likes Tina. Hes gonna be crushed. No one should have their heart crushed, but it happened. He asked, Is Grace worried about Tina? Yup, big time. I am so thankful I wasnt born boy crazy. It seems like a dangerous burden to me. She closed her eyes and crossed her arms over her face. Munch asked, Did you get much sleep last night? What do you think? Nope. Lolly flung her arms away from her face and sat up. We also had visitors last night. Thank God Lisas dad is deep sleeper. Who showed up? Quack and Trevor. Munch asked, Are they even friends? No, but Quack has a truck and Trevor knows where Lisa lives. Around 2:00 a.m. little pebbles start hitting the window. I swear Lisa tipped them off, because she was so excited when she saw them standing in her yard she squealed. I on the other hand was annoyed. Trevor and I are going through a rough patch. She slid her knees close to her body and wrapped her arms around them. I just wanted a night of peace away from our issues and there he was all smiles. For several moments Lolly was very quiet. Are you okay? No, not really. I feel like Im a bit lost right now. Munch got up and went and sat down on the bed beside her. Why do you feel lost?Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. She scrunched up her nose, let out sigh and said, I just want to be me, just me. ITrevor is such a good guy and hes trustworthy. I just want my own space. I dont want to have my hand constantly held or have to kiss someone every time we part. Does that sound weird? Her eyes were wide and shining with unshed tears. Munch had never been in a relationship until recently, so he didnt really know if it was weird or not. Lollys voice broke a little when she said, You do think its weird. I liked Trevor the moment I saw him. My crush was instant but I never expected it to come true. Now that it has, and weve been together for awhile, I just miss myself. I miss life the way it used to be before, well you know. Munch did know. We cant go back Lollipop. Do you want to break up with Trevor? She shook her head. I just want liking him to not hurt so much. Caring about someone did hurt. No words of comfort came to Munch so he hugged Lolly. When he let go of her, she said, Thanks Bud. I can always count on you. Back at you. Lolly got up and went to his drafting table. Her eyes scanned the clutter. She asked, What are you doing? Though he was a bit afraid to say it out loud he told her, Mademoiselle Petite wants me to apply to the Houston School of Visual and Performing arts. She squealed. Oh Munch that is fantastic! I probably wont get in. But you might. If there is anything I can do to help, just tell me. Well, could you see if you could collect the ensembles I made for the art fashion show, I would appreciate it. Also, do you know any one who is a good photographer? Lolly smiled, Graces mom does free lance photography for a news letter. Her moms photos are on the walls of their house and they are awesome. Call Grace, she will hook you up. After Lolly left, Munch called Grace. Her dad answered the phone. Instantly sweat burst out of every pore Munch had. His voice quavered when he asked, May I talk to Grace, Sir. The voice on the other end of the line asked, Who is this? Michael Dutchendorph. Oh, hey! Sure, Ill get Grace. The change Graces dads tone struck Munch as a bit strange. Like maybe he was thankful Munch was black or maybe he was thankful the boy calling didnt have a chance in hell with Grace. Grace answered the phone, Hey Munch, whats up? Do you think your mom could take some photos of models wearing the clothes Ive made? I need them for a portfolio. Also, how much are her rates? Grace didnt answer, instead she pulled the phone away from her mouth and called out, Mom, Munch wants to talk to you about some art stuff. There was a muffled exchange of the phone and then Graces mom asked, Hello Munch, how can I help you? Mrs. Thibodauxs voice was honey smooth. He imagined she was gorgeous too. How one family could win the gene pool lottery was a mystery to him. Uh, I need photos to submit for an art portfolio. How much are your rates? She asked, This is for school right? Yes, Maam. Okay, Ill give you a discount. Can you manage $50.00? The price was way lower than he thought. Yes, thank you so much. No problem. When do you want to meet? It had to be done soon, but first the clothes would need to be washed and pressed. He said, Thursday or Friday at the latest. I will see what I can do and get back to you okay? Thanks Mrs. Thibodaux. Youre welcome Munch. It was nice talking to you. You too Mrs. Thibodaux. She called out, Grace! Grace got back on the phone. So Mama cut you a deal. Hows the outfit going that you are making for me? I ordered the fabric and I have started drawing the pattern. Cool. Im looking forward to wearing the House of Munch. Her comment actually made Munch blush. It always felt good when someone took his art seriously. Thanks Grace. Abruptly Grace changed the subject, Did Lolly tell you who showed up last night? Yeah. That dumb butt Quack. What an idiot. I cant believe Lisa is encouraging him. And Trevor looked like a little whipped puppy. Lolly was not happy with him at all. Are they gonna break up? Oh great, getting into the middle of girl gossip was NOT something Munch wanted to do, at least not right now. She said they arent. She said that last night too, but I dont believe her. Munch didnt asked Grace why she thought that, he just let her statement hang in the air. Until recently Munch was sure Trevor and Lolly had staying power, but tonight he wasnt so sure. Maybe it was more than a rough patch. * On Monday morning when Trevor got on the bus, he gave Lolly a timid smile. Lolly smiled but it wasnt even close to the smiles she normally gave him. Later when Munch went to his math class, Trevor was already there and he did not look good at all. Munch slipped into his desk. Trevor turned around and whispered, Did Lolly tell you what happened Friday night? Munch nodded. Is Lolly gonna break up with me? No. Trevors eyes got wide. He asked, She actually said that? Yeah. Okay, thanks. The light in Trevors eyes was dim, but at least it was there. I just wanted to see her so bad, but she didnt want to see me. Thats never happened before. When Trevor said it had never happened before, Munch suspected it wasnt just about Lolly but it was also about the other girls Trevor had liked in the past. What was it like to have a history with girls? Munch didnt know, and deep down he didnt want a history with his. He wanted Thahn Ho to be his forever girl. Chapter 48. Max’s Heart Monday afternoon Munch stood at the cursed mat cutter looking at his latest fail. Thanh Ho came up and asked, Need some help? Yes, please. She took the measurements and scored the mat precicely. It was perfect. The edges were beveled. He wanted to hug her! Thank you so much. Shyly she smiled, I can help you with the rest. I dont mind. That would be great. Side by side they worked. He placed his drawings and watercolor painting in the mats while she cut them. The rhythm between them was good. Munchs brain took a trip into the future. How awesome would it be to live life with someone who loved and understood art like he did. When they were just about finished, Thahn Ho asked, Are you matting these for a reason? Munch had not yet told her. He didnt know why he hadnt but he hadnt. A sudden fear clutched in his stomach. Uh, yeah, Mademoiselle Petite wants me to apply to Houstons school of Visual and Performing arts. Thahn Hos eyes got bright. She wants me to do the same. Really? That is wonderful! Inside Munchs heart was dancing fast. Maybe they would both get accepted! That would be so very cool. Afear shot up in Munchs brain. What if only one of them got accepted? * The bush was ready and loaded except for Lolly. Where was she? What was she doing? He sure hoped her and Trevor were not having WORDS. They just couldnt break up. If they did Munch would lose some of his faith in humanity. Lolly came flying through the front doors. It had been a while since he had seen her run. She had this weird kind of stutter step run that always cracked him up when they were kids. On her face was a smile. She actually looked happy. The instant she got on she gave him a big grin. Good news would be a change of pace for her. Munch smiled back. Lolly flopped down beside him and the bus pulled off. As soon as the bus roared away from the curb, Lolly leaned close and said, Quack asked Lisa out. Dramatic Pause. Munch waited a few seconds before he asked, So? She freaking said, YES. I guess that stunt he pulled with Trevor worked. I have no idea what she sees in him. I just dont get it. Actually, Munch did get it, but he didnt say so. Deep down Quack could be decent and sometimes even kind. His biggest obstacle at the moment was the fact he was a teenage boy. That in itself caused all kinds of stupid. Did Munch think this thing with Lisa and Quack would last? Nope, but he might be wrong. One never knew what was going to work or not work. Lolly asked, Did you hear me? What do you think she sees in that doofus? I heard you. I dont know what she sees in him, but Quack is really good at his art. Hes dedicated too. There are kids in our classes that are good at painting or drawing, but its not vital. For Quack, its like breathing. Its necessary. Lolly leaned back in her seat and stared at him. Another smile tugged at her lips. What in the world has come over you Michael Dutchendorph? Could it be you have an new best friend? Aggravated, Munch said, No. Hes not as bad as you think he is, thats all. I dont think hes bad. I just dont think hes not Lisas type or yours. Munch leveled his eyes at her and said, You dont know everything Lollipop. The bus stopped in front of the junior high and Max and Kevin got on with the rest of the junior high kids. Max had his head ducked down. When he passed Lolly and Munch he didnt look at them, but they sure looked at him. He had a black eye and a blood stained bandaid on his chin. Lolly whispered to Munch, Hes been in a fight and I can guess with who.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. When the bus stopped at their stop, Mrs. Anderson gave Max a curious look, but she didnt ask any questions. Once they were all off the bus, Max shot passed them. Lolly tried to grab hold of Maxs sweat shirt, but she wasnt quick enough. Her eyes followed Max to the trailers. Munch said, Let him be. Give him some time to cool off. That would probably be best. Together, they walked down the drive and parted at the trailers. Munch made his way up the porch steps. A peculiar odor was emanating from the kitchen. Mama was at the stove cooking something that smelled like stew. She turned from the stove. The grin on her face was so complete and so happy, Munch knew she must have heard from that man. Shouting erupted outside. It sounded like Aunt Jessie. Munch and Mama rushed out into the yard. Aunt Jessie stood on her trailer porch yelling, Come back here now and tell me why you got in a fight! Did the principal call your dad because he sure didnt call me? Max was half way down the cow trail that lead to the abandoned cotton fields. The boy was running fast. Mama said, I think we best let them handle it. Munch nodded, but he was worried. He was also sympathetic. If he had a choice between calling Aunt Jessie or Luke, Maxs dad, when he was in trouble, hed choose Luke. Aunt Jessie had a fiery temper and a heavy hand. Plus, she had no idea how hard it was to be a teenage boy. Without looking at any of them, Aunt Jessie went back into the trailer and slammed the door. It was then that Munch saw Mitzi, standing by the porch watching her brother run. Tears were rolling down her face. Clutched in her arms was Puccini. Lolly and Grandma Toady were standing on their porch. Grandma Toady went to Mitzi and held out her arms. Mitzi ran into them. The little girl began to sob. Seeing Mitzi cry made Munchs heart hurt. Quietly, he and Mama went back inside. * From his bedroom window, Munch could see the trailers. As far as he could tell Max hadnt returned and Aunt Jessie hadnt gone after him. Was Max okay? Not wanting to disturb his mothers foray into the cooking world, he slipped out his bedroom window and headed for the stream. He went as quickly and as quietly as he could. He didnt want to walk up on Max unexpectedly. His plan was to call out when he got close enough to hear if Max was around. His other plan was just to get close enough to check on him and then if he seemed okay, he would head back home. In the distance he heard the sound of someone, most likely Max, skimming stones across the surface of the stream. Munch crept as close as he could and hid behind a tree. He felt kind of ridiculous, but he also knew if he wasnt careful, Max might unleash his unholy temper on him. He did not want that. As he stood weighing his options on what to do, Munch felt like such a girl. God. Why was he out here? Maxs back pack had been dumped at the top of the steep bank. His back was to Munch. A pile of flat stones were beside him on the ground. One by one he skipped them across the water. The stones touched one, two, three times before they sunk. The tension in Maxs body was clearly visible. Silently Munch turned. His foot snagged on a vine with thorns. The vine whipped up and the thorns went straight through the leg of his pants. Before he could stop himself he said, Dammit! Stupid vine! The stones stopped skipping. Munch clutched his punctured shin. The pain did not effect him as much as the small tears in his pants. Hed only worn them once. Again he said, Dammit, in hopes that Max might invite his company. Nothing. If Max wanted to be left alone, he would leave him alone, but even though he started to go, he couldnt, he couldnt just go. He called out, Hey Max, and waved like an idiot. Slowly Max turned. He asked, What are you doing out here? Munch shrugged and said, I had to get out to the house, Mamas cooking. You know how good she is at that. Yeah. Max turned back to the stream. Against his better judgement, Munch made his way down the steep bank and stood beside Max. Max closed his eyes. In a low voice he said, Guess you want to know what happened. Only if you want to tell me. He sighed and said, After lunch I was walking down the hall and I saw Tina talking to Tim Nelson. If they had just been talking I would have been okay, but he had his hand on her shoulder and the way she was looking up at him, well, something just went off inside of me and I slugged him right there. Munch saw Maxs right fist, it was bruised. He continued, He took a swing at me and he hit solid. Ive never been hit that hard before. He smashed my face into the floor and said, Shes my girl now, loser. Max ducked his head, tears clung to his lashes. His voice broke when he said, When I looked at Tina, she was looking at him and not me. Thats when I knew it was true. A single tear slid down his cheek. Why would she choose him over me? Anger surged through Munch. Max could be an ass, but he had a good heart and he was a good friend. Munch said, I dont know. Shes and idiot. For a second Max chewed on his lip and said, Trouble is, Grace might hear about what happened. She told me that if I did anything to hurt her sister she would kick my ass. Do you think she will kick Tims ass if he hurts Tina? For sure. He best watch his ass. Maxs shoulders drew up and a slight grin twisted his lips. Huh, Tim has no idea how scary Grace Thibodaux is. Yup, Grace was scary beautiful. Tim Nelson had no idea what he had just signed up for. Chapter 49. Gifts Friday evening was the photo shoot. Munch, Lolly, Mitzi, Puccini, Grandma Toady and Mama were squashed inside the little red Volkswagen. Fortunately Maxs dad was dropping him and Kevin off at the Thibodauxs. There simply wasnt any room for them. When they pulled into the Thibodaux drive, Munch stared at the two story Tudor house. What did Mr. Thibodaux do, to afford a house like that? Mr. Thibodaux answered the door. He was so tall. it hurt Munchs neck just to look up at him. He smiled at Munch and said, Nice to meet you. When he offered his hand, Munch was surprised. He did his best to give a good handshake. It was honestly the first time he had ever shaken a black mans hand. A sense of awe and reverence stole over him. Inside the house there were framed photos on the walls. The light captured in them was so specific and the faces of the people could break your heart or make you smile. Mrs. Thibodaux was definitely a good photographer. She stepped out of her studio. She was wearing a deep coral swing dress with matching sandals. When she smiled at Munch, he felt like he was going to melt. She too extended her hand to him and said, It is nice to finally meet you in person Munch. Grace has told me a lot about you. Grace talked about him? Really? It is nice to meet you too Maam. Thanks for doing this for me. Youre welcome. The doorbell rang and Mr. Thibodaux answered it. Max and Kevin walked inside. Maxs eyes were large and frightened. His bruises from the fight had mostly faded. Mitzi went flying into her brothers arms. Stunned, he hugged her tight. Mitzi said, Me and Puccini are so happy to see you. We miss you! Max mumbled, I miss yall too. The poor kid looked miserable. He cast a wary glance around the room. Tina was no where to be seen. Once everyone arrived, Mrs. Thibodaux began the photo shoot. Munch realized at once what a deal he was getting. The studio was completely professional, lights, cameras, back drops and props. Grace helped her mom move stuff around. She was enjoying the process. Her mom even let her take a few shots. It was interesting to see Grace in her home environment. She helped her mom with the sets and straightened the models clothes or brushed their hair. Jake was there, of course, drinking in every moment. Grace totally ignored him, while, Lisa looked at Jake with sad eyes. No, the girl was not over him yet. And then there was Kevin, all smiles. The only thing he needed in his little universe was Lolly. He was so happy he looked like he was about to burst and sprinkle glitter everywhere. Trevor and Lolly seemed close to okay, but they still werent there. After the shoot, there was a barbecue in the back yard. Tina didnt come out until the food was served. She did not look at Max at all. After she grabbed a plate, she went back inside. Visibly Max began to wilt. He could have called his dad to come get him, but he didnt. Apparently he was in it until the bitter end. Was he hoping he would see her again? Most likely. While Mr. Thibodaux flipped burgers, Munch caught himself staring at him. Over the course of his life, Munch had been around very few black men. Graces dad made him wonder about his own dad. Where was he? What was he doing? Did he ever think of Mama? Mrs. Thibodaux brought a portable record player outside and put on some music. The next thing Munch knew, James Brown was singing, Get up offa that Thing. It was so catchy, Munchs feet began to move. Mitzi grabbed his hand and they started to boogie. The little girl could dance. She was smiling and keeping perfect time. Grace and Mrs. Thibodaux started dancing too. They were smooth. Soon everyone was on their feet. Mr. Thibodaux had this cool slide step. He reached for Mrs. Thibodaux and spun her around. By the way they danced it was obvious they still loved each other very much. It must be a nice feeling to spend so many years with some one and come to love them more. Munchs thoughts traveled from this noisy backyard to the quiet garden where Thahn Ho might be sitting with her beloved cat.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. * The sun was up and it had arrived. It was March 21st. It was Sunday. They were going to late Mass. Sixteen years ago today, he had been born in Dayton Texas, delivered by a doctor named, Dr. Richter. The attending nurse had been Mabel Ritchie. Munch often wondered what those two white people thought when a a little brown baby popped out of his fair skinned, freckled Mama. Had it been a shock? Had they known? Mama in her situation, could have given him up for adoption, only she didnt. Even though her parents had disowned her, Mama kept him. He was so thankful she did. Though Grandma and Grandpa had eventually come around, he had never felt particularly wanted or welcome in their presence. At least he had Grandma Toady. She loved him no matter what. Munch crawled out of bed and went to the window. His eyes strayed to Aunt Jessies trailer. Max wasnt there. He was still with his dad. Mitzi had been going around like a listless puppy dog. Her usual spark and spunk were gone. Aunt Jessie was even worse off. It must be awful hard to grasp that your kid might not ever live with you again. Aunt Jessies car wasnt in the drive. She was pulling a double shift. The smell of breakfast wafted into the bedroom. Suddenly hungry, Munch went into the kitchen. At the counter, Mama was making waffles in the waffle maker. It was one of the foods she made well. At the table were Mitzi, Puccini and Grandma Toady. Mitzi said, Happy Birthday OLD MAN. Sit by me please. The little imp smiled at him. It was good to see her smile. He sat down and noticed the scroll tied with a red ribbon next to her plate. Across from him was Grandma Toady. Next to her plate was a small box with a blue ribbon. Both these gifts were for him. Mitzis was probably a drawing, but what had Grandma Toady gotten him? The back door burst open and Lolly entered. Sorry Im late. Mama gave her a smile, Thats okay. Take a seat. Lolly took the chair on the other side of Munch. She slid her gift onto the table. It was a shirt box. Oh, no. Lolly did not have the greatest taste in clothes. She smiled at him. He smiled back, and prayed he could managed a good reaction when he opened the box. Mama sat down at the head of the table and served the waffles with maple syrup. Mitzi cast a suspicious glance at the waffles, she started to open her mouth, but Grandma Toady shot her a look. For a tense moment, Mama and Munch waited for Mitzi to balk, but she didnt. She said, One please. Relieved, Mama put a waffle on her plate and gave Grandma Toady two waffles and did the same for Munch, Lolly and herself. The tradition stood that Munchs waffles would have a birthday candle in them.Mama lit the candle and they all sang Happy Birthday to him. Mitzis sweet piping voice was a good way to start the day. He dug into his waffles. They were so delicious! Better than birthday cake. As soon as Munch put his fork down, Mitzi began bouncing up and down in her seat. She said, Open mine first please. Munch picked up the scroll, undid the ribbon and unrolled picture. It was a portrait of him with Mitzi and Puccini. He knew what an honor it was to be included in a portrait of Puccini. It was so cute and so good. Mitzi had the gift. He told her, This is beautiful. I am going to frame it and put it on my wall. Mitzi turned pink with pleasure. You really like it? He leaned over and gave her a hug. I do! She smiled up at him and said, Im so glad! He let go of Mitzi and reached for Lollys present. Mitzi announced, Dont worry. I helped her pick it out. Lolly grinned at Munch and said, She did. Feeling a little bit better about what might be in the box, he unwrapped it and pulled out a white dress shirt with tiny pink stripes. It was gorgeous and it would go so well with his black suit. He looked up at Lolly and said, I love it. Pleased, Lolly smiled. Mitzi said to her, See, I told you hed like it. You did. Grandma Toady slid her gift across the table. When Munch opened it, he was surprised. It was a brand new turquoise Bulova Super Six Mini Transistor Radio. It was BEAUTIFUL! He got up from the table and hugged Grandma Toady. She said, Its supposed to get really good reception. There was a twinkle in her eyes. It was so bright, Munch suspected Ong noi was the root cause of that spark Though neither of them had spoken about her Sunday date, in that moment, Munch got the feeling that Grandma Toady had added a new happiness to her life. Chapter 50. The Fear of Driving Wednesday was the day, Munch and Thahn Ho would have to really drive. No simulators, no films, but real live in a car driving. Slowly, Thahn Ho walked beside him to class. She was pale and her breathing was not great. He longed to take her hand and reassure her, but the only thing he could do was walk with her. When they entered the room, she went to her desk and sat down. Her eyes were wide. She had a death grip on the strap of her purse. While Munch didnt like driving and he had his fears, what registered on Thanh Hos face was terror. Had something happened to make her so afraid? After the role was called, the students were divided up into groups. By some miracle Thahn Ho and Munch were put in the same group. The third person in their group was Sally from Art Club. The girl never talked. Her brown hair was pulled back in a pony tail. She had an excited glint in her eyes. She was the only one. Coach Smith was their instructor for their first drive. They followed him outside to the red drivers ed car. Confidently, Sally said, I would like to drive first. Coach Smith said, Okay, climb in everybody. To be beside Thahn Ho in the back seat, was something Munch had been looking forward to until this moment. She was starting to look a little green. Would she puke in the drivers ed car? Seeing people puke could prove disastrous. It always made him gag. Last semester, a kid named Joey Wilkins had got car sick and people still talked about it. Thahn Ho would be mortified if she lost control like that. If only there was some way he could just touch her. Sally was an excellent driver. Every direction Coach Smith told her to go, she went. She stopped when she was supposed to and went when she was supposed to. Not once did she forget to turn on her turn signal or stop at a stop sign. Coach Smith told her to pull into the Dairy Queen parking lot so they could switch drivers. She did just that. When she turned off the car, Coach Smith said, You did very well. Sally smiled and said, My grandpas been helping me. It was the longest sentence Munch had heard the girl say in all the years he had known her. He got out and traded places with her. The instant he sat down in the drivers seat white noise filled his head. This would never do. He asked, Can we turn on the radio? Coach Smith said, Sure, but you need to start the engine first. Munch did and Coach asked, What station? Kool Jazz, please. Coach Smith found it, but he turned it down so low, Munch could barely hear it. Coach said, Go forward and turn left on the next street. Munch put the car in drive and pushed the gas petal. The car lurched forward. It was not a good beginning. He made his way across the parking lot and waited at the light. Gently, he eased up on the break and turned left. Though the start had been rough, the longer he drove the more at ease he felt. When Coach Smith told him to turn into a gas station to switch drivers. Munch did as he was told. It hadnt been as hard as he imagined. In fact he almost liked it. From the back seat, Sally said, Coach, Thahn Ho dont look so good. Munch turned to look at her. Her brow glistened with sweat and her breathing was jagged. Her trembling hand reached for the door handle. She opened the door, and got out. Munch got out as well. He hesitated ever so briefly before he got in the back seat. He fingers brushed against Thanh Hos and he whispered, You got this. If she heard him, she didnt act like it. She climbed into the drivers seat. From the back seat Munch saw how tightly she was gripping the steering wheel. When she started the car, it lurched bad. Aware of her nervousness, Coach didnt force her to go on the street. He said, Just go over to the Kroger parking lot and drive. She nodded and headed for the parking lot. They circled it once, then twice after the third round, Coach Smith said, Go ahead and park. The car came to an abrupt and jarring halt. Kindly, Coach Smith said, I could tell that was hard for you, but you did it any way. I am proud of you, Miss Duong. Before our next driving lesson, get an adult in your family to take you to drive in a parking lot. Work on that until you become more confident.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Just above a whisper she said, Thank you Coach. I will try. Visibly shaking she got out. She and Coach traded places and he drove back to the school. The second Coach Smith turned off the engine, Thahn Ho was out the door and running down the sidewalk. Sally said, I think shes gonna hurl. Ill go after her. Munch watched Sally run after Thahn Ho. Her pony tail was swinging. At a slower pace Munch followed behind. The bells rang. In the hall way he saw Sally go into the first girls restroom. Munch waited outside, he had to know if Thahn Ho was all right. The bell rang again and they still hadnt come out. Coach Smith saw Munch. You best get to class. Im gonna send the nurse down to check on her. The last thing he wanted to do was leave, but he didnt have a choice. Reluctantly, he walked toward his next class. He most likely wouldnt see Than Ho until painting class sixth period. That seemed like a really long time from now. * The bell ending fifth period rang. As quickly as he could, Munch made his way to his painting class. He was so afraid, Thahn Ho had gone home sick. To his relief she was sitting at their table. Her head was down and she was working on a sketch. When he got to the table he took his seat and asked, Are you okay? She looked up at him. There were dark smudges under her eyes. She nodded. He lowered his voice and asked, Is there a reason you are so scared of driving? Again she nodded. She leaned close to him and whispered, My ba? n??i (grandmother) was killed in a car accident when I was eight. I was with her. Munch honestly didnt know what to say. He reached across the table and took her hand in his. A single tear slid down her cheek. He squeezed her hand and finally said, What you did today was so brave. You will be a good driver. She glanced up at him. Her eyes told him she didnt believe him. You will. I just dont want to ever kill someone because I made a mistake. The man who was driving swerved to miss a plank in the road and he hit us head on. If I hadnt been in the back seat, I wouldnt be here right now. It was strange how you could think you knew someone and find out you didnt know them at all. What had Thahn Ho been like before that terrible accident? Had she been as shy and as she was now? Munchs whole perspective of her changed. She pulled her hand free from his and continued sketching. After painting he walked her to her next class. Before they parted, she reached out and squeezed his arm. He just wanted to hug her so bad. * Wednesday night Munch was up in the studio sewing. His mind kept straying to Thahn Ho. Was she okay? The hum of the sewing machine had its own rhythm and soothed his fears. The fabric he was working with was finicky and one moment of distraction could ruin not only the seam, but the fabric itself. When finished the seam, he held the dress he was making for Grace. The deep satin turquoise was beautiful. He wished she was there to try it on, but she wasnt. He turned his attention to the fabric he had bought for Thanh Hos ao dai. The teal satin had swirls on it like the swirls in a river. The pants would be made of white crepe. He had his patterns already cut. Mama came up into the studio. She saw Graces dress on the hanger rack and asked, So you finished it? Yes. It is really beautiful honey. Grace is gonna love it. Thanks. With a tremor in her voice, Mama said, I need to talk to you about something. Immediately wary, Munch remained silent. Whatever something was, he probably wasnt going to like it. There was tension in Mamas entire body. Her hands were clasp together and her knuckles were completely white. Uhm, I met with Father Henri today and he thinks Her voice trailed off. Though Munch knew he should help her out and prod her a bit, he remained silent. Whatever she needed to say, she was going to have to spit it out. Several minutes passed before Mama said, He thinks, Trace and I should spend some time, just us. So, we will be gone next Friday and Saturday night. You can stay at the house if you want or spend that time with Grandma Toady. A strange sense of relief flooded through Munch. He would get to spend less time with Trace Phelps. He wondered how Lolly felt about this. Aloud he said, Okay. Does Lolly know? No. Do you think she will be upset? Mamas eyes were large and she was on the verge of tears. Great. He got up front the sewing machine and said, Mama, how Lolly feels is between her and her pa. You just worry about you, okay? Where in the hell had those words come from? As Mama nodded tears slipped down her cheek. Father Henri said the same thing. Its just hard. Lolly and I used to be so close. This was true. Lolly had been great at accepting everything until she had to live with it. Munch had fought everything before it started and he was handling it better than Lolly. Life was just weird like that. He said, Lollys going through a lot of stuff right now. Give her time. I think she will come around again. You really think so? Honestly he did. Lolly was the kindest person he knew. Yes. I do. Chapter 51. Moods A week later Munch was in Ong nois studio. Lee was there too. The kid was fidgety. He was making the table rock. Ong noi said, Please, be still chu trai*. (*grandson) Sorry Ong noi. It was hard enough to paint letters, but trying to work on his ink painting was impossible. Munch lay down his brush. Ong noi told him, I think you best move to my table for this lesson. Immediately Lee whined, Whys he get to sit there? I never get to sit there. With a hint of ice in his voice, Ong noi said, You have not yet earned the privilege. In time, but not yet. Angry Le leapt to his feet. Well then, I am just going to go home. Ah, chu trai if you do that you will not be allowed to return to lessons with Michael. Munch had seen Grandma Toady field many a fit with Mitzi. Would Lee leave or stay? The little boys face was flushed with anger. Would the anger get the best of him? He looked at Munch. In that moment Munch had to decide if he should encourage Lee to stay or not. After all this was between Lee and his grandfather. Not having Lee in class would be a easier, but did he really want him to leave all together? Aloud he said, I will miss you if you go. Small brows furrowed. Lee gave Munch an appraising look and asked, Really? Yes. It was true. Okay, Ong noi. I will stay. Munch gathered his ink block, water, brushes and rice paper and went to Ong nois drafting table. When he sat down on the swivel stool, he felt like he had just entered a sacred place. The drafting table was old and made of oak. It had brass knobbed drawers. He spread his painting out. It was coming along. The mountains that rose in the gray sky looked almost real. In silence he began to work. He could hear the brush strokes of Lee and Ong noi. They were a trinity of ink, water and paper. Too soon the time was up. Munch studied the painting. While it was good, he had a long way to go before he could paint in the classical style. Ong noi stood over his shoulder and said, The birds you added today are quite lovely. This is a very good first attempt. Thank you Sir. Lee whined, I want to see, I want to see! He clambered into Munchs lap. Oh Crunchy, its good! I want to paint like you some day. The compliment warmed Munch to his core. He had never been anyones role model before. Thanks Lee. Lee hopped out of his lap and said, Time for tea and cookies! In the garden, The tea tray was on the table and Mama and Thahn Ho were in the swing. Hoa was in Thanh Hos lap. Munch was surprised to see Mama there, he thought Grandma Toady was going to pick him up. Mama smiled at him. She didnt look as happy as she should. That man was coming home tomorrow and she was usually dancing on clouds the night before he arrived. * Waiting for the bus in the mornings was a bit weird since Max was no longer there. Max at times could be a buffer or a distraction. This morning Munch missed him like crazy. He needed a buffer and a distraction. Lolly was in a mood. It was obvious Mitzi had picked out her clothes this morning. Lolly was wearing a long flowery dress with matching sandals. If not for the frown on her face, she would look really lovely in the morning lightbut that frown was deep. When she looked like that, Munch knew better than to ask her what was wrong. He stood in silence beside her praying the bus would hurry up and come.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Abruptly, Lolly said, I am not staying with yall this week. The way she said it made Munch feel like part of the enemy. Okay. She asked, Want to know why? Did he? No not really. Before he could say anything, she continued, It pisses me off that they are going on a weekend. Your mother could have taken two week days off and gone. But, no she has to hog my pa. Okay. This was the harshest Lolly had ever said about Mama, maybe anyone. Munch let out a slow whistle, Wow. That was sweet. Lolly just glared at him. The rumble of the bus sounded in the still morning air. No further discussion was attempted. On the bus, Munch sat behind Lolly. He was mad and he didnt want to sit with her. When King Trevor got on the bus, he plopped down beside Lolly. Mrs. Anderson didnt tell him to go to his seat. She must have seen Lollys frown too. So, how was Trevor going to react to this grumpy Lolly? Within seconds, Munch was sure Trevor regretted his choice, Lolly was not talking to him either. At the school they parted ways. Munch went to the art room. Thahn Ho was working on another drawing of Hoa, her cat. She glanced up at Munch and smiled. He slid into his chair and asked, Hows it going? Oh, Michael, Lolly asked me to spend the night with her Saturday night and my mom said I could! Her smile was so big. Really! Wow! This was the best news ever. Yup. I am not allowed to go to your house though. She waited for him to respond. In her eyes was a trace of fear. He smiled and said, I understand. There is a whole farm to be together in. Yes, there is. The rest of the day, Munch just floated. When school was out and he headed toward the bus, he saw Lolly and waved. Her return wave totally lacked enthusiasm. Once they were on the bus, Munch asked, Why didnt you tell me Thahn Ho was going to be spending the night? For the first time that day, a smile tugged at Lollys lips. She said, Thahn Ho wanted to tell you. Youre happy right? Yes, very. The drive home was a quiet one. Lolly and Munch were lost in their own separate thoughts. The bus stopped. Munch gazed out the window. That mans truck was in the drive. Beside him, Lolly let out a sigh and said, Time to face the music. Usually when her pa was in town, Lolly ran down the drive, but not today. Today, she was literally dragging her feet. Munch hung back. He didnt want to be part of whatever came next. Still, he wanted to be able to hear and see whatever came next. When Lolly reached her pa, she gave him a brief hug and then headed for Grandma Toadys trailer. The look on that mans face actually made Munch feel sorry for him. His eyes were red rimmed and his mouth was slack, like he had just been sucker punched. It wasnt like Lolly to be so cold. Since the only way to get into the house was to walk passed that man, Munch stepped forward. He made his way to where that man stood frozen. It would be impolite to not speak. Munch let out a Hey. That man turned to him. He brushed his hand against his eyes and said, Hey, hows it going? Okay. Im living in a bit of a hen yard, since Max left. It will be nice to have you around. What the hell? Why had that come out of his mouth? Was he possessed or something? A slow smile spread across that mans face. Thanks, Munch. I needed to hear that. Together, they walked inside. Mama was in the kitchen fixing some kind of tuna casserole. It smelled gross already. That man wrinkled his nose ever so slightly. Mama asked, Wheres Lolly? That man cleared his throat, before he spoke. Uh, she went to the trailer. Those five words crushed Mama. She bowed her head and stared at her hands. Without looking up she asked, Do you think I should go talk to her? In unison that man and Munch said, No. Why not? Munch answered, Because shes in a really foul mood. With a hitch in her voice Mama asked, Its because of this weekend right? That man said, Maybe. He looked at Munch and asked, Any suggestions? Munch wanted no part of this. He shook his head. That man said, Well, Lolly can just sulk. Im gonna go get cleaned up. Were leaving at 8:00 p.m. But Trace, shouldnt I try to patch things up with Lolly before we leave? That man said, No. Well be back Sunday night. It can wait. Mama asked, Are you sure? Yes. Lollys not a child. We are married and thats not going to change. Just give her some time. To Munchs dismay, Mama flew into that mans arms. This was Munchs cue to go to his room. He swerved passed Mama and that man and zipped into his room. Through the window he could see Grandma Toadys trailer. Saturday night, Thahn Ho would be there all night. ALL NIGHT! Chapter 52. Lolly Friday morning, Munch was awakened by the ringing of the phone. He climbed out of bed and went into the kitchen. Soft morning light spilled through the kitchen window. He picked up the phone, Hello. Grandma Toady said, Hey Sweetie. Lollys not going to make it to school today. She had a rough night. She has a really bad stomach ache and shes puking. Could you pick up her assignments today.? Munchs heart fell to the floor and bounced. What! This could not be happening! Did you hear me Munch? Yes, Maam. I will. Hope Lolly gets to feeling better. Me too. Take care. If you need anything let me know. What he needed was for Lolly to NOT be sick. What lousy timing! Yes, Maam. Bye. Munch hung up the phone. Last night he had barely been able to go to sleep thinking about Thanh Hoand nownow she wasnt going to come over at all. A long stream of cuss words poured out of him. He had the very worst luck in the world. He headed for the shower. After he got dressed and had his breakfast, he picked up his back pack and headed for the bus stop. It was weird being out there all by himself. God how he wished Max had not moved away. The bus came. The brakes squealed and Munch got on. Mrs. Anderson asked, Is Lolly coming? No Maam, she sick. Well I hope she doesnt have that nasty stomach virus thats going around. Me too. He really did. A stomach virus was on his list of Things Not to do in This Life Time. He started to sit in his usual seat, but didnt. What if the virus that Lolly had was crawling all over his assigned seat? Better be safe than sorry. Of course he was probably already infected. He had sat right beside Lolly yesterday. Only time would tell. Mrs. Anderson drove right by Trevors house. He had a track meet today, which meant he probably didnt even know Lolly was sick. The bus stopped at the junior high. As Kevin headed down the aisle, he asked, Is Lolly okay? Munch replied, Shes got a bug. Oh no! Thats terrible. If you see her, please tell her I hope she gets to feeling better soon. The look in that boys eyes was pitiful. He was so worried. At that moment it registered in Munchs head that maybe he should be a little worried about Lolly too. Ill tell her. Thanks. Kevin took his skinny self down the steps and out of the bus. After all the junior high kids were off, Mrs. Anderson drove to the high school. Munch dreaded what came next. The bus came to a halt, Munch got off and made his way to the art room. In the hall Grace and Thahn Ho were waiting for him. As he approached, Thahn Ho said, Grace is going to help Mademoiselle Petite today. Cool. Grace asked, Weres Lolly? Munch glanced at Thahn Ho before he replied, At home sick. Instantly, Thahn Ho looked concerned about Lolly and disappointed at the same time. Their time together had just been cancelled. Grace exclaimed, Oh, that sucks! I was worried about her yesterday. Her stomach was hurting. I told her to go to the nurse, but she wouldnt do it.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Munch took this information in. Lolly hadnt said a word to him about feeling bad. Was it possible her foul mood might have been related to coming down with something? She really hadnt been herself at all yesterday. He felt like a bad friend. Grace swung the art room door open and the three of them walked into the art room. * When the bell rang for first period, Grace and Munch walked Thahn Ho to Literature class. At the door Thahn Ho said, I will tell Mrs. Beasley about Lolly and get her assignment for you. Munch said, Thanks. Dejectedly he walked to Algebra with Grace. Grace asked, You okay man? Yeah. Right. They walked into the class and took their seats. Grace leaned forward and whispered in his ear, You really like her dont you? Not sure this was anything to confess, Munch shrugged. Grace whispered, Damn you got it bad. Munch said nothing. Grace leaned very close to his ear, so close he could feel her breath. How bout I see if Thahn Ho can go to the movies with me tomorrow night? And you could just happen to meet us there? He asked, Seriously? Sure. Last thing I want do this weekend is sit around with my grounded sister. Ill call Thahn Ho tonight. Dont say nothing to her yet, I gotta ask Daddy first. If you pray, pray he says yes. This offer completely surprised Munch. Thanks. Ill call you after I talk to her. Okay? Okay. The weekend might not be a total fail. At the moment he had two things to pray for, first that Mr. Thibodaux would say yes, and second was that he, Munch, was immune to whatever bug had latched onto Lolly. * Sixth period painting class was underway. The painting he was working on was monochromatic and it was a beast. Sally came into the room carrying a pink slip of paper. She must work in the office during sixth period. To Munchs surprise she brought the pink slip of paper to him. All she said was, This is for you, and she turned and left the room. Munch opened the message. It said: Mrs. Phelps, called, Lolly has been taken to the Lake Jackson Hospital. She will call you as soon as she knows something. Lolly must really be sick. He had been so worried about being with Thahn Ho, he really hadnt thought that much about Lolly. Thanh Ho asked, Is something wrong. He nodded. Lolly just had to be okay. Unable to speak, he passed the message to Thanh Ho. After she read it she said, Ong noi is picking me up today. If you want we can take you to the hospital. Munch wanted this very much. Yes, please. Youre welcome. When the bell rings, I will go to the office to call Ong noi. Munch slipped into a world of white noise. Guilt ate at him. Why hadnt he noticed something was very wrong with Lolly? Why had he been so self centered and preoccupied when she didnt feel good? Yesterday he should have known something was up with her. The rest of class dragged long and hard. Munch couldnt even focus on his painting. At the rate he was going, he was going to ruin it. The feeling in the pit of his stomach was fast ricocheting to nausea. Had he caught what Lolly had? When the bell rang, Munch went with Thahn Ho to the office. Mrs. Renfroe, the counselor, took him into her office and let him use her phone, while Thahn Ho called Ong noi on the counter phone. His hand shook as he held the receiver. A voice said, Lake Jackson Hospital, how can I direct your call? The receiver was slick in his sweaty hand. His voice cracked when he said, I am calling about Lolly Phelps. I want to talk to Grandma Toady, um I mean Ruby Phelps. Can she come to the phone? The receptionist said, Just a sec hon. Gotta put you on hold. It was weird how time lost all momentum when something bad was happening. It seemed like forever before the receptionist said, She is in emergency right now. Would you like to leave a message. Yes. Tell Grandma Toady, um I mean Mrs. Phelps, I am getting a ride to the hospital after school. Will do. Thank you. Munch hung up the phone. His eyes pricked with tears. Lolly just had to be okay. He mustnt blow it all out of proportionbut it was too late. He was already having visions of her funeral. Good Lord he needed to get a grip. Mrs. Renfro asked, Michael are you okay? He shook his head. Do you want to go to the nurses office? No maam, I dont. I will go to class. Okay, but if you need anything Im right here. In a daze Munch walked out of the office. His brain was jumping to every bad conclusion it could possibly conjure. Thanh Ho was waiting for him in the main office. She said, Ong noi said web can take you to the hospital. I will walk you to class. He nodded. In silence, he walked with Thanh Ho to his next class. He had no memory of the class or even what it was. All he could think about was Lolly and how very much she meant to him. A friend like her was a rare thing. He hated that she was sick. He hated that she was in the hospital. All he could do was pray it wasnt anything serious. Chapter 53. Best Friend/Stepbrother The last bell of the day rang. Students flooded the halls. Munch sprinted and dodged his way to Thahn Hos locker. Quickly, she got her books together and they headed out the front doosr. Ong nois Falcon was outside in line waiting. When Ong noi pulled up the car, Munch climbed into the back seat. Thahn Ho didnt open the front door, she slid into the back seat with him. As soon as she closed the door she reached for his hand. The pressure of her hand in his usually sent a thrill through him. Not today. Her hand was like a life line anchoring him to earth. His worry for Lolly had grown with each passing minute and now it had reached full on panic. From the front seat, Ong noi said, Michael, slow your breathing. Your brain is anxious, it needs more air. Breathe with me. Slowly, Ong noi took in a breath and released it, Munch followed along. The slow breathing helped some. The nearness of Thahn Ho helped some, but neither dispelled his worry over Lolly. The drive to the hospital seemed to take hours, but it was really only thirty minutes away. Finally the hospital appeared. Ong noi circled the parking lot looking the emergency exit. Thahn Ho pointed at a sign and said, There it is Ong noi. He found a spot and parked the car. Munch thought they were just going to drop him off, but they went inside with him. The sights and smells of the emergency room hit him hard. Fortunately Thanh Ho still clung to his hand. If she werent he wasnt sure he would be able to keep it together. He was so scared. At the information desk, Ong noi said, This young man is Lolly Phelps step brother. Could you please tell us where the family is? The older woman at the desk, flipped through her chart. She said, Just go through those doors and turn left. The waiting room for emergency it there. Ong noi bowed and said, Thank you. He turned and said, Follow me. Munch had a faulty sense of direction, so he was very grateful to be lead. In the emergency waiting room, he saw Mama. She did not look good. Munch was not sure he could bear the weight of Mamas emotion. He hesitated. His first instinct was to run, but it was too late, Mama had seen him. Quickly she spanned the distance between them. Her arms looped around him, he expected her to come unraveled in his arms, only she didnt, she just held him tight. Against her neck he asked, Is Lolly okay? Mama said, Shes on an IV and they have given her nausea medication. Right now we are waiting for the blood test results. Needles, blood, the disinfectant smell of the hospital swirled into a wave of nausea inside of Munch. Really, he seriously did not want to throw up. The nearness of Mama was suffocating, he let go of her. To Ong noi, Mama said, Thank you so much for bringing him. You are welcome. Keep us posted. We will be praying. He turned to Thahn Ho and asked, Are you ready to go? She said, I am staying with Michael. I will get a ride home. It was a statement, not a request. Ong noi nodded. To Mama he said, Please call us if you need anything. I will. Slowly Ong noi began to turn away, at that moment Grandma Toady came through the emergency room doors. Her eyes were red rimmed. She saw Ong noi and she flew into his arms. Against his shoulder she sobbed. While the affection between these two was not a secret to Munch, it was to Mama. She stood with her mouths gaping. Gently Ong noi said, Breathe my dear, just breathe. Grandma Toady gulped in some air. She started to come back to herself. She saw Munch and released Ong noi. Munch, Lollys been asking for you. Go on in, only two are allowed in at a time. Shes in the third cubicle to the right.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Munch didnt wait. He felt Thanh Hos hand slide out of his. The big doors swung before him. His eyes took in a quick scan of the area and stepped into the emergency room. The cubicles had people in them. One woman was crying. In the entrance of the third cubicle to the right stood that man, Lollys Pa. His face was puckered with worry. He turned to Munch and said, Lolly, your buddy is here. He stepped aside to let Munch stand by the bed. In it Lolly lay pale and listless. There were dark smudges under her eyes. Those eyes looked at him and they were filled with love, but not any light. He took her hand in his. He had no idea what to say or do. Lolly whispered, I am so glad you came. All Munch could get through his dry lips was, Me too. He glanced up at that man. The fear in his eyes was heart breaking. For the first time, Munch saw Lolly in him. He had never seen Lolly in him before. If anything happened to her, from this point forward he would always see Lolly in him. It was a strange and unsettling thought. That man pulled up a chair for Munch to sit in. Munch nodded his thanks and sat down. To Lolly that man said, I need to go take a smoke. I will be back soon. Okay. Lolly watched her pa leave the room. She said, They are really worried about me. Her voice dropped low, I am worried about me. Munch squeezed her hand. It was so warm, too warm. NOTHING must happen to Lolly. She had to be okay. She just had to. The hands of the wall clock were moving so slowly. It wasnt even 5:00 p.m. but it felt like it should at least be tomorrow. Lolly drifted into sleep. Her hand went limp in Munchs but he didnt let go. That man returned. He raised his eyebrows in question. Munch just shrugged. That man whispered, Its good shes sleeping. Your presence helped her sleep. Out in the waiting room, he knew Thahn Ho was there. Even though he couldnt be with her or see her at this moment, just knowing she was close by eased some of his panic. He bet she was praying. He hoped God was listening. That man whispered, Mamas gone home to get Lollys things. She will be back. Munch nodded. That man said, I am so thankful Lolly has you. Munch was thankful too. * Grandma Toady returned with Lollys things and even though he didnt want to, Munch had to leave. When he reached the waiting area, Thahn Ho stood. He walked to her and she hugged him. Tears came to his eyes. Thahn Ho whispered, Lolly is strong, its gonna be okay. Munch nodded but he wasnt so sure. Sometimes people didnt get better, sometimes they didnt ever come home. Mama said to Thahn Ho, I told your mom I would bring you home. Are you ready? Uh, Thahn Ho hesitated. Munch knew she didnt want to leave him. Mama said, I am taking Michael home too. Munch had no intention of leaving until someone kicked him out. He began to protest by Mama shook her head. We need to go. Grandma Toady and Trace will take care of her. With a slight tremble, Mamas hand grasped the strap of her purse. To herself she said, I am so thankful Trace is here. Honestly, Munch was thankful too. Lolly needed all those who loved her most to be there for her. The ones she loved most were Grandma Toady and her Pa. Munch knew he was tied with Mitzi in third place, but he didnt mind. Out in the parking lot, Mama unlocked the doors of her red Volkswagen Bug. Munch got in and Thahn Ho climbed into the backseat with him. She slipped her hand through his. The trip home was a silent one. No one spoke. Mama was focusing hard on the road. Munch could feel Thahn Hos eyes on him, but he didnt dare look at her lest he start crying. She held his hand the entire drive home and didnt let go until they stopped in front of her house. The sun was setting, it would soon be dark. As Thahn Ho got out of the car she said, I will pray a rosary for Lolly tonight. Thank you. Munch didnt even know how to pray a rosary, but Mama had some beads, so tonight might be a good time to learn. The front door opened and Mrs. Duong came out followed by Lee. The little boy lacked his usual exuberance. He asked, Is Lolly okay? Mama smiled and said, She will be. She actually sounded like she believed it. Mrs. Duong placed her hand on Mamas shoulder and said, Keep us updated. I will. Mama started the car. As she pulled out of the drive, Thahn Ho, Mrs. Duong and Lee waved at them. Munch expected Mama to break down as soon as they drove away, only she didnt. Instead she flipped on the radio. Ray Charles was singing, Hallelujah, I Love Her So. Even though this song was a romantic song, it always made Munch think of Lolly. Softly he sang along: When I''m in trouble and I have no friend I know she''ll go with me until the end Everybody asks me how I know I smile at them and say, "She told me so"* Lolly had always been with him, and he had to hold on to the hope that she always would be. *Ray Charles 1956 Chapter 54. Waiting for Answers When they reached the house, Aunt Jessie, Mitzi and Puccini were sitting on the front porch waiting. The instant Mama parked the car, Mitzi stood. Munch climbed out, the next thing he knew Mitzi hit him solid in the middle causing him to double over. He gasped as her small arms went around his neck. The face she pressed against his was wet with tears. Crumbled on the ground beside them, lay Puccini. In a trembling voice Mitzi whispered, Is Lolly gonna die? This question chilled Munch to his soul, still he said, No, Lollys strong.This had to be true, it just had to be true. Against his shoulder Mitzi nodded her head. She looked up at him and said, Im spending the night with you. By the porch, Aunt Jessie and Mama were holding each other and whispering. Munch didnt know if they were whispering because of Mitzi or him, or both. Whatever they were saying he did not want to hear. He scooped up Mitzi and asked, You want some vanilla ice cream? She shook her head. No, my tummy dont feel so good.His didnt either. Aunt Jessie came to them and picked up Puccini. She handed him to Mitzi, kissed her forehead and said, Love you girl. See you in the morning. Against Munchs shoulder, Mitzi nodded. Her small body trembled. Life was just so scary sometimes. With Mama they watched Aunt Jessie cross the yard to her trailer. Despite what was going on with Lolly, Aunt Jessie had to go to work at Penskys Gas Station. She went inside and came out of it with Bruno. The big old dumb dog was the only happy one among them. His tail was wagging hard as he climbed into the Ford Pinto. The little car roared away. Silently, Munch, Mama, Mitzi and maybe even Puccini, watched the car until its tail lights disappeared down the road. Softly, Mitzi said, I wish Grandma was here. I wish Lolly was here. I wish Max was here. From Grandma Toadys trailer came a loud yowl. Mitzi said, Fluff is sad, we need to go get him. Another sad yowl emanated from the trailer. Mitzi wiggled out of Munchs arms and ran to the trailer. She shouted, Im comin Fluff! At the front door she tugged hard. It did not budge. Get the key Aunt Estelle and hurry! Mama ran inside and got her keys. Munch followed her over to the trailer. She slipped the key in the lock and turned it. There was a click. Mitzi grabbed the door knob with both hands and swung it open. From the shadows Fluff appeared. He ran right to Mitzi and allowed her to pick him up, which was something he never did. Against his furry neck, Mitzi whispered, Lollys gonna okay. She will be. Munch sure hoped so. They went out and Mama locked the door. She said, Lets hurry and get inside. The mosquitos are gonna carry us off. Since they arrived home, Munch hadnt even noticed the swarming insects, nor felt their bites. One landed on him and he felt the sting of its bite. Once they were inside the house, Mama made toast. Thanks to that man they actually had some white bread for Mitzi to eat. They ate in silence. The house was so quiet that when phone rang they all jumped. Mama got up and answered the phone. Faintly, Munch could hear that mans voice coming over the line. Mitzi slid out of her chair and climbed into Munchs lap. Against his chest, he could feel her tiny heart beating fast and hard. Mama said, Okay. Yes. I will. Just let me know if you need anything. There was a pause and she said, I love you too. She hung up the phone. When she turned to them, by the look on her face, Munch knew Mama was weighing her words before she spoke them. Finally she said, Lolly has stopped throwing up. They have started her on a round of antibiotics and pain medication. In the morning the doctors want to run some more tests. This was not exactly the news Munch was hoping for. He wanted answers, good answers with a happy result. What was wrong with Lolly? Why was it taking so long for them to find out. He wrapped his arms a little tighter around Mitzi. Again, Mitzi whispered, Is Lolly gonna die? Mama came to where Mitzi and Munch were seated. She placed her hand on Mitzis cheek and said, Uncle Trace told me they put Lolly in a room. Shes stopped throwing up and shes resting. Those are good signs.Stolen story; please report. All Mitzi said was, Okay. Munch asked, What do they think is wrong with her? Mama said, Most likely its a staph infection. By the way she said, he suspected there was more, but she wasnt going to say it in front of Mitzi. * Propped up in the studio on Lollys bed, Munch was reading Winnie the Pooh to Mitzi. She was nestled against his shoulder. At their feet, Fluff was all sprawled out and snoring. Mama was working at her drafting table. On the record player, Ray Charles sang low. Mitzis head began to nod, she would soon be in dream land. Hopefully, her dreams would be good. Munch continued reading about that silly old bear. Clutched in Mitzis arms was Puccini. Was Puccini as real to Mitzi as Winnie the Pooh was to Christopher Robin? Maybe? He couldnt remember ever being that attached to any of his toys when he was little. He felt Mitzis body go limp. Her eyes were closed. Her breathing was slow and steady. She was solid out. Munch remained where he was. The last thing he wanted to do was wake her. He looked out the studio window. Up in the sky, the moon was waxing. Its silver reflected light was lovely. Moon light was hard to capture in a painting. He wondered if Lolly was awake. He wondered if she could see the moon. For how long, he didnt know, he watched the clouds race across the face of the moon. Downstairs the kitchen phone rang. Mama remained motionless at the table. Was she afraid of bad news? When it rang a second time and Mama didnt move, Munch gently shifted Mitzi onto the bed. Quickly he went down the stairs. He picked up the phone. Hello. Trevor said, Hello. Do you know where Lolly is? Ive been calling her but no one is picking up. Shes in the hospital? The concern in Trevors voice was real and raw when he asked, What? Munch didnt want to speak out loud the reason why Lolly was in the hospital. Thinking about it made him feel anxious. Talking about it only made his panic rise. Still, he said, She had a fever and couldnt stop throwing up. They still arent sure whats wrong with her. Like Mitzi, Trevor asked, Is she gonna die? Fiercely Munch said, Lolly is strong. Last report she was in a room, resting and she wasnt throwing up any more. She has some more tests in the morning. I will let you know when I find out more. Okay. Which hospital is she in? Lake Jackson. Okay. The phone went dead. Trevor hung up without even saying good bye. Munch hoped he wasnt going to rush to the hospital. He glanced at the kitchen clock. It was after 8:30 p.m. Would he get there before visiting hours were over? No. Munch went back upstairs Mama asked, Who was that? Trevor. Hes been trying to get a hold of Lolly. Mamas shook her head. Oh, that poor boy. Hes had to deal with hospitals a lot lately. Indeed he had. Until Trevor called, Munch hadnt even thought abut him. He hoped he was okay. Munch asked, Did that-um, Trace say anything else about what might be wrong with Lolly? A muscle in Mamas jaw twitched before she said, They are worried she has some kind of gastrointestinal disease or infection. That sounded horrible. Mama placed her hand on his arm. We will know more in the morning. Munch nodded and then asked, Can you pray the rosary with me tonight? Of course. She gave his arm a squeeze and returned to her drawing. Munch went to his own drawing table and tried to focus on sketches for a new suit he had in mind. For a little while longer, Mama worked on her illustration, then she said, I best get Mitzi to bed. She will sleep with me tonight. Mama got up and gently picked up the sleeping little girl. Mitzi had a death grip on Puccini. Watching Mama carry Mitzi down the stairs, reminded Munch of when he was little and Mama used to carry him. He had always felt so safe in her arms. Once they were down stairs, he turned up the record player just a tad. Ray Charles was singing, The days may be cloudy or sunny We''re in or we''re out of the money But I''m with you always I''m with you rain or shine* This is was a song Munchs daddy used to sing to his mama. Daddy had really loved Mama and Mama had loved him. It was strange how a song could take a body back in time to a place and feeling. Tears threatened to fall. Munch went to the record player and turned it off. In her hast to get Mitzi quietly downstairs, Mama had forgotten to turn off the lamp on her drafting table. Behind him, there was a thud. Munch felt Fluff press himself against his legs. He let out a little meow. The cat had never wanted to be held by him, before, but Munch picked him up anyway. to his surprise, Fluff snuggled against his shoulder. This was a surprise. Munch went to Mamas drafting table. On it was a small picture of Puccini. He was a very different sort of bear than Winnie the Pooh. He didnt have moveable joints or a honey colored coat. In fact, he was so well loved he was more like Old Skin Horse in The Velveteen Rabbit. Munch flipped the switch off. The room was now dark. On the floor, Moonlight created a glowing rectangle. Again his thoughts turned to Lolly. Could she see the moon from her hospital room? Could Grandma Toady? Both of them loved Moon light. Quietly he made his way downstairs with Fluff in his arms. The cats purr rumbled deep in his chest. Did the cat miss Lolly? Did he care? It was really hard to tell with cats. Still, when Munch went to his own room and put Fluff down on his bed, he was grateful for the company of the cat and thankful he didnt have to sleep all by himself tonight. *Come Rain or Come Shine, Lyrics by Johnny Mercer https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/3136146/Johnny+Mercer/Come+Rain+or+Come+Shine Chapter 55. More Than Friends Early Saturday morning the phone rang. Munch rushed to the kitchen and answered. He was afraid it was about Lolly. His hand shook a little as he picked up the receiver. Hello? The voice said, Its me. For a second Munch didnt know who me was, then re realized, it was Thahn Ho. His voice squeaked when he said, Hi. I need to tell you something. There was something in her tone that put Munch on alert. He hoped it wasnt something bad. She continued, Um, I had a talk with my parents last night. After yesterday they were pretty sure we were more than friends. She let out a slow sigh. The rate of Munchs heart picked up so fast he felt light headed. His grip tightened on the receiver. He couldnt speak, all he could do was wait for whatever came next. He was really afraid of what came next. She said, I told them you were my boyfriend. In Munchs head he heard the sound of a gunshot. He was dead now. Thanh Ho asked, Michael, did you hear me? Yes. They said that you are a good, kind person and a Catholic, which is really important to my mom. Again Thahn Ho paused. Silently, desperately Munch waited for the but. There would be a butand it would be the end of them. Thahn Ho continued, They said they like you, but it is dangerous for us to be together. This was a given. At least they had said they liked him. I asked them if I could call you and if you could come over and they said, yes. Munch was not sure he heard correctly. What? I can call you, you can call me. You can come over to see me. I can sit by you in church. Dates will have to be with a group. We dont have to hide us all the time anymore. Relief and confusion flowed through Munch. This was more than he expected and more than ever dreamed. Thahn ho asked, Arent you going to say anything? He was too stunned and happy to speak. Michael, did you hear me? Yes, I heard you. I cant believe it. Did they really say all that? They did. They trust us. I think Ong noi helped convince them. Munch had the same suspicion. Ong noi was the best. The first thing Munch asked was, When can I come over? Ong noi told me it would be best if we give my parents a little time to get used to us. We will start with phone calls and sitting together in church first, okay? I can call you every night if I want to? Yes, and I can call you every night if I want to. He could hear the smile in her voice. They talked for a little while longer, then Thahn Ho said, I better let you go, I have to help my mom with breakfast. Keep me updated about Lolly. I will see you tomorrow in church. I will. See you tomorrow. Munch hung up the phone. Again, his life had just changed in the most unexpected way. Inside of him happiness and sadness, joy and fear resided. Feeling such mixed emotions hurt. Still, he couldnt wait to tell Lolly. He really hoped she was feeling better today.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. * What to wear? Munch stood staring into his closet at a total loss. This never happened. He could put together a complete look in less than a minute. According to his digital clock he had been standing and staring for over twenty minutes. This morning was not just any morning. He would get to sit beside Thahn Ho before God and everyone. Now everyone would not know they were dating, but God had known for awhile. He ran his hand along his suit jackets. They were all too loud. Thahn Hos parents were reserved. It wasnt that he intended to change his style for them, it was just that this was the very first step and he didnt want to bumble it. Finally he decided on black slacks with black vest and a burgundy. He wore black chucks on his feet. Munch moved to his full length mirror. Critically, he studied himself. He looked good. Not too much, just enough style. He did a quick twirl in front of the mirror. In his head lyrics looped in his head: Cause we''re almost there Just one more step* This morning was one more step for he and Thahn Ho. He and Thahn Ho were almost there. He smiled at his reflection and headed into the kitchen. The kitchen smelled of freshly baked biscuits and milk gravy. Mama was at the stove stirring the gravy. She turned, smiled at him and said, Lolly slept well last night and her fever broke. Thats good, when will she get to come home? Maybe Tuesday. Trace said they have a couple more tests to do. This was good news of a sort. Not knowing exactly what was going on was hard. At least Lolly had slept, at least her fever had broken. Munch knew he must focus on those things and not give into the fear that gnawed at him. He asked, How is, um Trace? Mama sighed and said, Worn out. Im afraid hes gonna get sick too. There was always more to worry about. One thing about Trace Phelps, he was a very devoted father. After breakfast, they headed for church. Munch had not told Mama about Thahn Hos call Saturday morning. It was something too sweet to talk about just yet. The closer they got to church, the more nervous Munch became. He had to do this just right. If only Ong noi was going to be there, but he wasnt. He was a not a Catholic. He practiced Buddhism. The church appeared. The green Volvo was already parked. Mama pulled the VW Beetle beside it. The car colors reminded Munch of Christmas. It was weird that he had no idea there was a Thahn Ho Duong in the world during his last Christmas break. Now, he couldnt imagine a world without her. They got out and walked inside. Munch felt his mouth go dry and his palms begin to sweat. He wiped his hands on the legs of his slacks. If Mr. Duong wanted to shake hands, Munch did not want to put a sweaty palm in his. They entered. Morning light filtered through the stained glass. They headed for their usual pew. Mr. Duong rose to let Mama and Munch enter. Mama went first. Mrs. Duong asked about Lolly as she passed. Before Munch could slip by Mr. Duong, he extended his hand. The hand that closed over Munchs had a strong grip. Though he was terrified Munch managed to make eye contact and say, Good Morning Sir. Mr. Duong released his hand, Good Morning Michael. Munch skittered passed him and then smiled at Mrs. Duong. The smile she gave his was warm. This eased a little of Munchs tension. Thahn Ho was on the opposite side of her mother. The smile she gave him, made Munch feel like he was melting. Melting in churchwas that allowed? He sat down beside her. They were not touching, but they were side by side. He could smell the sweet honeysuckle of her perfume. In his peripheral vision he could see her long dark hair reflecting the morning light. She was wearing a yellow dress with tiny daisies. She was so pretty. All was bliss until a voice said, Scoot over Crunchy. Lee. In all his day dreams about this morning, not once had Munch thought about Le. The little boy tried to worm his way between Munch and Thahn Ho. Thahn Ho said, Stop now. The little boy whined, But I want to sit by Crunchy. Mr. Duong said, Stop. For a second Le considered his options and then he plopped down on the other side of Munch. He got on his knees and whispered thickly in Munchs ear, Youre gonna marry my sister. Instantly Munchs stomach dropped. His face felt hot. Had anyone else heard the little brat. Anxiously Munchs eyes darted back and forth. The music was going so hopefully no one heard the kid. He glanced at Thahn Ho. She was looking straight ahead. Maybe she hadnt heard either. Le continued, When you marry her you will be my brother. Id like that a lot. The brats sentiment was sweet, but dangerous. Munch had just turned sixteen. Marriage was a long way away for him. Still Mama asked Le, Would you like to color? Le sat down and said, Yes Maam. Mama handed him the box of colors and the bulldozer coloring book. This is so cool Mrs. Phelps, thank you. Munch smiled to himself and thought, crisis averted. Mass progressed as it did every Sunday morning, but for Munch all that existed was the light that fell through the windows and nearness of Thahn Ho. . Chapter 56. Learning Curve Sunday after church, Mama and Munch went to the hospital. The instant they walked through the doors, the antiseptic smells got to Munch. He really hated the smells. He didnt know how Lolly could stand them. Walking down the long hall was weird. Every room contained someone who was not well. How could so many people be unwell. From some rooms came the sound of laughter. Odd how laughter could exist in the midst of pain, but it did. They reached Lollys room. For an instant Mama hesitated before she paused through the door. She took in a big breath, smiled and sailed inside. Munch followed. He was not prepared for what he saw. Lollys color wasnt good, and the circles under her eyes had grown darker. The medication she was on made her look a bit dopey. He went to her and navigated his arms around her IV. Her arms went around him. His face touched the side of her face. He felt a tear slide down her cheek. For a long minute they just held onto each other and then she let him go. Munch took a step back. Lolly tried to smile, but she didnt succeed. To Mama and her Pa she said, I want to just talk to Munch. Mama said, Oh, okay. She started to reach for that mans hand but stopped herself. The two of them walked out of the room. When the door closed behind them, Lolly let out a sigh. Not sure what do to, Munch stood where he was. Lolly said, Get up here with me please. Munch climbed into the bed beside her. She lay her head on his shoulder. Softly she said, Im having a hard time. My insides really hurt. The doctors think its colitis. I have to have a colonoscopy in the morning. They are gonna look at my insides. No ones seen my insides. At least I will be put to sleep for it. She snuggled a little closer and said, Oh Munch, Im scared. I havent been feeling so good for awhile and I didnt tell anyone, not even you. I should have. If I had maybe I wouldnt have ended up here. Why is it so hard for me to tell people Im not okay? Gently he said, Lollipop, you dont want to be a bother, but for your own good you need to be. The people who love you want to know how you are. Ive made everyone worry, havent I? Thats what people who love each other do. Its okay. If I was sick right now wouldnt you be worried? Against his shoulder she nodded her head. Theres other stuff Im struggling with. I feel bad because Im not getting along with your mom right now. I always thought if only I had a mom like Mrs. DutchendorphI didnt realize at all how hard it would be to make a family. I didnt know I would feel such resentment and jealousy. I am so mad a Pa I cant see straight and its not like hes done anything wrong. Truth is I dont like sharing him at all. Im just so confused right now. I have all I ever dreamed of and yet I feel the way I feel. Why? Munch said, Ive felt all those things too. I still feel some of them. Just give yourself time, us time, our parents time. It is hard to make a family. And, dreams arent easy even when they do come true. So true. Pa finally got in touch with my mom last night. Guess what, shes pregnant and she expected us to be happy about it. How can we be happy about it? This baby wont have Grandma Toady. Whats going to become of it? Munch did not have an answer for this question. Truth was he didnt even want to think about it. Lollys mom was pretty unreliable. Lolly continued, Then theres Trevor. How I have dreamed about having a boyfriend. Dreams are so much easier than reality. Im really worried about us. If he were like Amber Id have more faith in us, but hes like his dad. He caves in every time his mom wants what she wants. Im not what she wants. Lolly started to cry. All Munch could do was hold her and let her cry. He didnt have any words of wisdom or consolation. Sometimes life just sucked. He waited for Lolly to stop crying before he asked, When will you get out of here? With a sigh, Lolly said, If all goes well with my colonoscopy I may get to go home tomorrow evening or Tuesday morning. She started to cry again. Her tears seeped through his t-shirt. She wasnt sobbing or even making any noise. The silence of her sorrow hurt his heart. He wanted to make everything all better for her but he didnt have the power. Instinctively he knew, what she needed most from him right now was what he was giving her, his time and his attention. He would tell her about Thahn Ho when she was feeling better.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Lollys medication kicked in and she fell so sound asleep she was drooling. Munch loved her a lot, but not enough to be drooled on. Carefully, he extricated himself from her grasp. She let out a soft sigh and rolled away from him. Before he left, he gave her a kiss on the forehead. Quietly, he opened and closed the door. In the hall he made his way for what he hoped was the waiting room. He got lost once, but a nurse directed him to the right hall. In the distance he saw that man staring out a window. He was such a slight man, so tall, thin and lanky. Munch saw his hand tremble. Mama was no where in sight. Though he didnt want to, Munch made his way to that man. He was so absorbed in his own thoughts he didnt even hear Munchs approach. He cleared his throat. That man turned and looked at him. He asked, Is Lolly okay? Does she need something? Shes asleep. Relief shown in that mans eyes. He said, Good. She needs lots of sleep so she can get her strength back.I never would have left her Thursday nightif I had known how sick she was. Ive been kicking myself for not realizing she wasnt herself. The remorse in that mans eyes was clearly visible. Munch actually felt bad for him. He said, We cant know what Lolly didnt tell us. She knows she should have told us. That man nodded, but it was clear he still blamed himself. Feeling uncomfortable, Munch looked around the waiting room for his mama. She wasnt there. He asked, Wheres Mama? She had a tummy ache and went home. Oh. How will I get home? Ill take you. Oh great. It took thirty minutes to get home. Thirty minutes of having to be alone with that man making awkward conversation. It would be torture. Usually, Munch managed to avoid ALL alone time with that man, but not today. Today he was extraordinarily lucky. That man said, I best get back to Lolly. Munch didnt follow. He remained where he was and stared out the window. After awhile Grandma Toadys truck appeared. She parked it. As usual she was loaded down with bags of goodies and her quilting supplies. Munch watched her make her way to the doors. She looked tired. Worry had deepened the lines on her face. She came through the door and saw Munch. Her face brightened in a smile. Hey there handsome, care to give an old lady a hand? Munch never thought of Grandma Toady as an old lady. He told her, I dont see no old lady. Her smile brightened. He took her bags from her and they walked down the hall. Inside her room, Lolly was still sleeping. Quietly, Grandma Toady took the bags away from Munch and put them on the chest of drawers. Without a word, she hugged her son and motioned for him to leave. Munch could tell he didnt want to leave yet. Grandma Toady wrinkled her nose and whispered, Son, youre starting to smell. You going home to shower would do us all good. Okay Ma. He motioned to Munch and they stepped out into the hall. Together they walked out of the hospital and into the parking lot. As soon as they reached that mans truck, he pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. Munch hated the smell of cigarettes. His daddy had smoked a pipe sometimes. Cherry tobacco smelled good. That mans hand trembled as he tried to light his cigarette. It took a couple flicks before he got the dang thing lit. As soon as it was, he took in a long draw of smoke and then slowly breathed it out. Munch said nothing. He turned and looked at the trees that lined the entrance to the hospital. There was a blue jay on a branch making a terrible racket. Once that man, had finished his cigarette, he unlocked the truck door for Munch. Munch climbed inside. That man circled the truck once before he climbed into the cab. He said, One of my tires is low. Well have to make a stop on the way home. Great. Munch nodded. The last thing he wanted to do was prolong his time with that man. The engine started and they were off. That man put his Eagles eight track tape into his eight track player. Munch was not a fan of the Eagles. He turned his face toward the window. Trees, fields, cows, passed by in a blur. To his relief that man didnt try to have a conversation with him. From time to time, Munch cast a sideways glance at Trace Phelps. His hands were gripped hard on the steering wheel. It was obvious he was sleep deprived. Deep lines were etched in his forehead from worry. Poor guy. In that instant Munch realized he didnt harbor any ill will toward that man. He just felt bad for him. He didnt know if the ill will was gone or just on vacation, but to be free of that raw bitterness made him feel lighter. How long was he going to carry this grudge anyway? The stopped at the gas station. That man asked, You ever put air in a tire? No. Well, its time you learned. Reluctantly, Munch climbed out of the truck and followed that man to the air hose. That man held up a silver thing. This is an air pressure gauge. Check first to see what the air pressure is. He put the gauge into the thingy that stuck out in the tire. The air pressure is low. Next he took the hose and handed it to Munch. Stick it there and put in soft burst of air. Munch did as he was told. The soft his of air flow could be heard. Okay. That man handed his the gauge. Check it. If the number is too high let some air out, if its too low, put more in. Munch checked. To his surprise the number was just right. He had done it in his first try. That man patted his shoulder and said, Good job. His compliment pleased Munch in a way that was unexpected. That man stood and said, Well, lets head home. Chapter 57. A Friend in Need Sunday evening Munch made his way to the old cotton field. A slight breeze was kicking up. It brushed against Munchs skin. The sky was full of filmy clouds that were beginning to catch the oranges of sunset. Since dark could fall so quickly, Munch had brought his flashlight.When he was out in fields alone, he often lost track of time. Every time that happened it made for a hard trip home. The dirt road that ran through farm was full of pot holes and squishy mud. In darkness it turned into a hazard. Once he had tripped and bloodied his nose. He hadnt minded that as much as he minded the blood stains that ruined his new Eric Frampton T-shirt. Inside his emotions were in a jumble. The joy of having Thahn Ho as his not a secret any more girlfriend brought him such joy while at the same time his worry over Lollys health kept him on edge. He left the old cotton field and made his way for the stream. The wind carried the sound of someone crying. It did not sound like girl crying at all. It was a guy. Was it Max? Had something happened to Max? No, it couldnt be. Uncle Luke had taken Max to the hospital to see Lolly. As quietly as he could, Munch walked to the stream. He looked down. A crouched form was huddled beside the stream. In the shifting shadows of the leaves he recognized Trevor Long. He was in his running gear. His face was buried in his hands. Maxs grief was something Munch could handle they had known each other for years, but Trevor Long? Trevor was his friend because of Lolly. They werent close. Still, Munch wondered if he upset about his dad. If so why would he be by the their stream crying? Was it Lolly? Had something happened between them? Munch was tired. It had been a long, long few days. He was worn out with worry. If those tears had anything to do with Lolly, he did not want to know. Whatever the problem was, it was between them. At this moment, Trevor was not someone he wanted to deal with. It would be best if he just let this be. He took a step back. A small twig broke beneath his left foot. Instantly, Trevor turned and their eyes met. Even at their current distance Munch could read his pain. He thought, Dammit all! Vigorously, Trevor wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his sweat shirt.He let out a very controlled, Hey. Hey. Munch remained where he was. The last thing he wanted to do was get in the middle of anything that concerned Lolly and this boy. Slowly, Trevor levered himself into at standing position. His voice cracked when he said, We are moving to Corpus Christi. Munch repressed a sigh. So it was happening after all. Lolly had been right, Trevors mom had gotten her way. Trevor said, I dont want to move. I dont want to leave Lolly, especially since shes sick. This was something Munch could completely understand. There was no way in hell he would move away from Lolly, especially now. He asked, When are you moving? Second week in June, right before Trevor let out a jagged sigh, and continued, Right before Lollys birthday. My mom has already found a house and a school for me. Its gonna be a private schoolagain. He turned his gaze back to the stream. The thing was solid done. Trevor was upset, but he hadnt said a word about not leaving Lolly, he had only said he didnt want to leave her.Munch asked, Have you told Lolly yet? No. I just found this afternoon. I wanted to go see Lolly this evening, but I was too upset, so I went for a run and ended up here. You are the first person Ive told and the last for now. I dont want Lolly to find out while shes in the hospital. How, how do you think she will take it? Truth was, Munch suspected Lolly would take it better than Trevor thought she would. For awhile she had been struggling with her relationship with Trevor and his family.This move might be the best thing for her. She wouldnt have to live in the shadow of Mrs. Long and what Mrs. Long wanted. The problem was would it be a good thing for Trevor? Probably not. Munch said, She will miss you. Trevor whispered, I will miss her too. I dont think I can bear it. I just dont think I can. With Dad being sick and His voice broke and he started crying again. Slowly, Munch made his way down the steep bank to where Trevor stood. He placed his hand on Trevors shoulder. There were never enough words to ease this kind of pain. For quite a while Munch just stood and waited for Trevor to calm down. His hand registered every ragged sob that came from Trevor. This guy really loved Lolly. It was too bad he had the mother he did.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. In silence Munch watched the sun tip toward the horizon. He had no idea how much time had passed, but the hand he had on Trevors shoulder was going numb. The instant the sun disappeared, Trevor moved away from him. Munchs arm dropped. It started to hurt as the blood rushed down. Several moments of silence passed before Trevor said, Thanks man for being here. I dont know what I would have done if you hadnt shown up. No problem. Trevor mopped his face with the hem of his sweat shirt and then asked, Do you think Lolly and me can survive a long distance relationship? Could they? Maybemaybe not, but Munch didnt say that aloud. There was no way of knowing if it would or wouldnt work. According to statistics a lot of long distance relationships fell apart, especially with kids their age. Now was not the time to be statistical.Now was the time to be hopeful. He could hope it would work out, Trevor could hope it would work out because maybe didnt mean no, it just meant it was possible. Yeah, it could work. It helps knowing you think so. I hope Lolly will think so too. Even though he knew the answer to this question, Munch asked, How is Amber taking this? The ghost of a smile played on Trevors lips. Right now she is calling down hell. If Bills grandma agrees, she will bemoving in with them. Wow. That was a bold move. Munch asked, What will she do if Bills grandma doesnt agree? Hell if I know. She will figure something out. Ambers pretty resourceful. That Amber was. If only Trevor were just a bit more like his sister. Yeah, she is. Trevor looked up at the sky. The light was beginning to fade and a few stars were popping through. In the distance a cow let out a low moo. A shuddering sigh went through Trevor. If anything happens to my dad, I will move back here in a heart beat. I dont want anything to happen to my dad at all, but I know I wont stay with my mom. This was not something Munch was so sure of. Trevors mom knew how to work it. If she wanted Trevor with her, that is exactly where Trevor would be. Trevor continued, After I tell Lolly the news, Im gonna ask Jake if I can come stay with him from time to time. Trevor looked directly at Munch and asked, Could I come and stay with you sometime too? Sure. To Munchs surprise, Trevor hugged him. He quickly let go and said, Thanks man! I feel like its just might be okay. Trevor glanced at his watch and said, I best get going. Its almost 7:30 and I want to call Lolly before it gets too late. Trevor raced up the bank and disappeared. The wind swirled around Munch and brushed against the oak leaves. For a few moments he listened to their gentle music. All around him the world was being washed in shades of purple. He watched the colors in the sky fade. Dusk never ceased to calm him. When the sky was full of stars, he pulled out his flashlight and made his way home. * Monday morning the bus pulled up to Trevors stop, he got on and sat down beside Munch. The boy got to pretty much sit wherever he wanted to with out a word from Mrs. Anderson. Really, it wasnt fair, but maybe it was one of the perks of being a rich kid. After what happened by the stream yesterday evening, Munch was not eager for Trevors company. In fact he wanted to run far. Trevors pain was palpable. It just oozed out of him. Had he been shedding this kind of emotion on Lolly since his dad had his heart attack? It was burdensome. No wonder Lolly was worn out. The bus took off. Trevor asked, What time is her test this morning? Munch glanced at the Mickey Mouse watch he was wearing. Lolly had given it to him for his birthday two years ago. Mickeys little gloved hands were pointing to 7:30. Shes in prep right now. Another thirty minutes are so if all goes well. Trevor nodded. His eyes stared straight ahead. Munch turned to face the window. All he could do was pray the doctor was right about the colitis and that it wasnt anything more serious. At the junior high, Kevin stopped and asked Munch how Lolly was doing before he got off the bus. Poor kid was worried. Once they got to the school, Trevor stuck to Munch like glue. It was annoying in a way that Munch couldnt quite understand. So clingy. There was a difference between being upset and being clingy. Trevor followed him to the art room. Mademoiselle Petite gave him some construction paper to sort for a collage project. He joined Munch and Thahn Ho at their table. Silently, slowly, Trevor sorted the paper. He did not talk at all. Thahn Ho gave him a concerned look. Hopefully, she thought he was just worried about Lolly. Regardless, Munch couldnt explain. He promised he wouldnt tell and he wouldnt. In Math class, Grace whispered in his ear, Whats wrong with golden boy? Munch shrugged. Grace whispered, He looks like he needs to go to the hospital too. Yup, he did. When American History came around, Grace took her seat in front of Munch. This time she didnt whisper, there was no need. Trevor wasnt in this class. She asked, Are you gonna tell me whats up with King Trevor? Nothin. Liar. Grace dropped her voice and asked, Did his bitch of a mother go through with her plans to move to Corpus Christi? Startled, Munch just stared. How did she figure that out? He said nothing. Dammit, she did. I did not like that bitch the minute I laid eyes on her. Does Lolly know? He was conflicted over if he should say anything at all. Still, what if Grace floated her theory out to Lisa or Thahn Ho? He needed to shut this down. He whispered, No. Trevor doesnt want her to know until shes feeling better. Grace shook her head. Well, if he dont want her to know, he better work on his acting skills, cause its written all over him. The instant Lolly sees him, shes gonna know something is up, big time. It was true. Yeah, I know. Please dont tell anyone. I wont. But damn this just makes me so mad. Chapter 58. Secrets are Hard to Keep Tuesday night Munch sat at his drafting table. He would like to be at the trailer with Lolly, but Grandma Toady had told everyone, except for that man, that there would be no visitors. That man was spending the night at the trailer tonight. For this, Munch was thankful. Maybe he shouldnt be, but he was. Carefully, he applied water to his ink block and rubbed it with his ink stone.The smell of the ink was pungent in his nostrils. By slowly grinding the block with the stone, the block gave up its ink. It was a lovely process. Munch brushed his first character on the rice paper. He was gaining more confidence in this medium. With ease the character appeared. He wished English letters were like Vietnamese characters. The characters were so beautiful compared to plain old letters. Downstairs the phone rang. Munch heard that man answer. Now that Lolly was home, Munch didnt jump every time the phone rang. Mama called out, Munch its for you. Munchs heart began to pump faster. He hoped it was Thahn Ho. He called down, Im coming. Quickly, he washed out his brush and laid it beside his rice paper. He took the stairs two at a time and was slightly out of breath when he hit the landing. In the kitchen, he took the receiver from Mama. The smile she gave him, made him know who it was. Breathlessly, he said, Hello. The sweetest voice in the whole world replied, Hello Michael. Warm fuzzies enveloped him. It meant so much that they could call each other now. Thanh Ho asked, Did Lolly make it home okay? Yeah, she did. Shes got colitis. Shes going to have to make some diet changes and get more exercise. For awhile shell have to take some antibiotics, which she hates. They dont settle well on her stomach. But she is okay. Shes gonna be fine. Oh, Michael, I am so glad to hear that! Do you know when she will get to come back to school? He said, Next week for sure. I need to pick up her class work for the week tomorrow. The sweet voice said, I can do that. Thank goodness! He had been hoping she would offer to pick up Lollys assignments. Talking to AP teachers made him nervous. Thanks! No problem. She paused a moment before she asked, Is Trevor okay? He really looked even worse today. Trevor had. The last thing he wanted to do was lie to Thahn Ho, the next last thing he wanted to do was break Trevors confidence. So, he said, Yeah, he did look bad. I hope hes okay. Fortunately, Thahn Ho did not pursue the topic of Trevor. She turned the conversation to the Spring Art Show. Munch had finished the Ao Dai and Graces outfit. He wasnt doing a runway show for the Spring Art Show. There had not been time. He settled down in the kitchen chair to talk. This evening was the first time he could full out enjoy a conversation with Thahn Ho. The worry of Lolly had receded and become manageable. Too soon, Thahn ho said, I have homework, Im gonna have to let you go. Munch did not want to let go. He also didnt want to taint this conversation with attitude. Okay, It was good to talk to you. With what sounded like a smile in her voice, Thahn Ho said, It was. Will Grandma Toady be bringing you to your lesson with Ong noi tomorrow evening? I dont know. Well, if she does what kind of tea do you think she would like, Ginseng or sweet lemon and honey? Munch liked lemon and honey tea, he did not like the bitterness of Ginseng. Lemon and honey.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Okay. Thahn Ho paused and then asked, Have you noticed how Ong noi just glows when Grandma Toady is around? I have. It is so sweet. It was. It really was. In the past months Munch had discovered that falling in love wasnt just for the young, it could happen at any time in this life. * Thursday afternoon, Max got on the bus with Kevin. He waved at Munch as he went to his old seat. Either Max was going to the farm or to Kevins house. When the bus stopped, Max and Kevin got off with Munch. Dear scrawny Kevin was practically glowing he was so happy. Yup, the boy was headed to see the love of his life. As they walked toward the house, Kevin kept his eyes focused on Grandma Toadys trailer. The grin on his face grew and grew. If it got any bigger his face was literally going to split in two. Munch didnt follow them to the trailer. He went inside. The house was empty. Mama wasnt home yet from work. To his relief that man was at the trailer with Lolly. Tired, he lay down on his bed. His intention was to take a cat nap. That is not what happened. He fell into a deep sleep. The sound of Mama coming home from work woke him. Through his window he saw the sun light was fading. He squinted at his clock. It was almost 7:00 p.m. Without knocking Mama came into his room and asked, You feeling okay? He nodded. She said, Good. If you want to eat, I can make you something. Are you hungry? Not hungry enough to eat her cooking. Im okay. I just want some cereal. Okay. She left the room and closed the door behind her. In the drive there was the roar of a sports car. Munch got out of bed and went to his window. Ambers red and white Mustang pulled into the drive of Grandma Toadys trailer. The car parked and Amber and Trevor got out. Munch wondered if Kevin and Max were still with Lolly. If so Kevins parade was about to get rained on real hard. Trevor knocked on the door. It opened and Mitzi let them inside. Munch went to the kitchen and got a bowl of Raisin Bran. There were too many raisins in his bowl so he chucked them. He took his bowl out on the back porch. While he was eating, Uncle Luke arrived to pick up Max. He didnt honk the horn like he usually did. Instead, he got up and went inside too. Now there was a party or a disaster brewing over there. Curiosity started to stir in Munch. Maybe he might just go over there. Before he could finish his cereal, Uncle Luke and the boys came out. Kevins attitude was undiminished. That boy was an optimist for sure. Back inside, while Munch washed out his cereal bowl, he saw Amber leave the trailer and climb into her car. He glanced at the kitchen clock. It was almost 8:00. In one more hour Trevor would have to leave. Munch went up to the studio to work on his Vietnamese characters. * At 9:00 p.m. the phone rang. Munch was still working with his ink stone and ink block. His drafting table was littered with rice paper. From below Mama called, Michael its Lolly. So, Trevor must have left. He sighed. The very last thing he wanted to do right now was get in the middle of anything that concerned Lolly and Trevor. Reluctantly, he went downstairs to answer the phone. Lolly said, Hey, can you come over for a second. Yeah, like it was going to be a second. Okay. I just have to clean up my brushes. He hung up the phone. Slower than necessary, Munch cleaned his bamboo brushes and put away his tools. Another sigh escaped him as he headed down stairs. He told his mama, Lolly asked me to come over. Ill be back in a bit. Okay. Outside the sky was filled with stars. On the front porch of the trailer, Lolly sat. She looked up at him when she heard him coming. She did not smile, but she didnt look upset either. Munch sat down beside her. A few silent moments passed before she asked, You knew Trevor was moving didnt you? Yeah. Her shoulders slumped a little. So, he is moving and he didnt tell me. Great. What? Munch asked, Did you just trick me into breaking a confidence? She turned to him. No, I just confirmed my own suspicion. Did he really think he could show up looking that bad and I wouldnt notice? Why didnt you ask him? Honestly, I just wasnt up to the drama. Munch asked, What are you going to do? I dont know. Nothing for right now. Once I get back to school, if he still hasnt said anything Im gonna ask him. She sighed. Are you upset hes moving? I will miss him, but in a way finally knowing is a relief. Its been like this giant dark cloud has been hovering on the horizon for so long and now its finally here. I dont have to worry about if Trevor moves, now there is the solid going. We will work out or we wont. The way Lolly said it made Munch suspect that she didnt think it was going to work out in the end. He was also aware, that for the first time in a while, she radiated a sense of peace. He didnt get it, but he was thankful she seemed better. Chapter 59. All that Jazz After school, On his way to the bus, Munch once again missed Lolly.All day he had missed her presence. He was so thankful she would be back at school next week. His world just wasnt right without her. Despite missing Lolly the day had been better than all the other days of this week because Trevor was at track meet. It had been a relief not to have to deal with his despair. While he was worried about Trevor, he was also angry with him. The boy did not know how to pitch a fit. He was always too good to his own detriment. It wasnt healthy to do everything your parents wanted you to do. The fact that Trevor like his father, could just give up and give in infuriated Munch and it wasnt because of Lolly. It was because he hated to see good people let selfish people run over them. When he got off the bus at his stop, he saw Aunt Jessie headed across the pasture with Bruno on a leash. That big dog looked like a freaking cow. Slowly, he made his way to the house. When he was half way there, Grandma Toadys trailer door opened. Lolly, Mitzi and Puccini appeared. Mitzi saw him and took off at a run. Her entire focus was on him, she was headed straight at him like a Kamikaze airplane. Munch braced himself. The little girl was going to crash land against him. It always hurt. She was stronger than she looked. Lolly shouted after her, Dont you say a word. With Puccini flopping under her arm, Mitzi shouted back, Not goin to! She launched herself at Munch. He caught her just before she slammed into him. He hoisted her up in the air and she laughed. Her laughter always made him smile, then giggle. It was contagious. She was getting heavier by the second. His arms began to buckle so he brought the down as he did she slung her arms around his neck. Her hot little face pressed toward his left ear and she whispered, Lolly has a surprise for you. Mitzi, shouted Lolly, I swear, I will never tell you anything again. Mitzi turned back to her cousin and said, Oh, Ive heard that before. Sides, I didnt say a word. Little Liar. Mitzi gave him a quick hug and then said, Down please. He put her down. She started doing a happy jig all around him. This Friday was so very different from last Friday. Lolly reached him. Her eyes were full of light. When was the last time she had looked this happy. It had been far too long. She smile and said, Guess what? What? Without waiting for a single guess, she burst out, I have a surprise for you. Being stuck at home was not a total waste of my time. Mitzi started jigging even faster. By the look on her face, she was about to spill this surprise, if Lolly didnt hurry up and spit it out. Dramatically, Lolly said, I have been trying and praying and calling all week. Her smile grew so bright and wide. Andthis morning my efforts and my prayers were rewarded. Mitzi shouted, She won you tickets on the radio! Lolly shouted, Mitzi! You promised me! Unruffled, Mitzi said, Well, you talk too slow. Before these cousins got into it, Munch asked, Tickets to what? Both girls smiled, Tickets to the Kool Jazz Festival. I won four tickets to hear Mary Wilson LIVE! Munchs heart almost stopped then it went into a full out race. Mary Wilson! Live! It was a dream come true. He could not WAIT to take Thahn Ho to the festival! He gave Lolly a big old hug. Thank you so very much! You are the best friend ever. Lolly gave him a tight squeeze and said, I know! She let go and added, When you ask Thahn Ho make sure you tell her that Trevor and I will be going too. I am hoping that will her parents will agree to that. In his excitement and all his dreams of going to the Jazz festival, not once did he consider what it would be like if Thahn Ho couldnt go with him. Now reality hit hard. Munch, dont count disaster before it strikes. Ask her first before you get all worked up.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Ill try. Munch turned and rushed into the house. The first thing he did was pick up the kitchen phone and dial Thahn Ho. Le answered, Hello. Hey Le, this is Munch. Hello Crunchy. Though he hated being called that word, Munch let it slide. Is Thahn Ho home? Through the receiver came the sound of kissing noises. The next thing Munch heard was a pop and then Le yowled, You are so mean! Im tellin! Someone wrestled the receiver out of Les hand. Munch really hoped it was Thahn Ho. Her sweet voice came through the line, Hello Michael. Whats up? She sounded pleased to hear from him. Um Lolly won four ticketsfor Kool Jazz on July 2.Nancy Wilson will be singing. Trevor and Lolly are going. Do you think your parents will let you go with me? There was a pause on the other end, a very long pause before Thahn Ho asked, Wont Trevor already be in Corpus Christi by then? It was then that it occurred to Munch that Lolly didnt know when the doofus was leaving. Great, another snag. Still, he said, Could you ask? Yes, of course. I dont know what the answer will be but I really hope it is yes. We will all be sixteen by then, so I am hopeful. Munch needed more than hope. He wanted YES! Trying to curb his impatience he asked, Um, are your parents home now? Not yet. I will ask them this evening and call you as soon as I know something. Okay. With more than a hint of worry in her voice, Thahn Ho said, If I cant go I think Grace would really enjoy the festival. Munch had no idea what to say about Grace going. In his head he was screaming, I DONT WANT TO TAKE any one but YOU. Aloud he said, They might say yes. When will they be home? Around 6:00 p.m. That was over two hours away. Munch was not sure he was going to make it through the next two hours. Okay. I will talk to you later. Bye Michael. Bye. Munch hung up the phone. The next two hours were excruciatingly long. At 5:45 Munch went into the kitchen to wait for Thahn Hos call. Staring at the phone did not make it ring. Forty minutes later when the phone rang Munch jumped up and grabbed the phone.A voice on the other end of the line squealed, They said YES! IT WAS A MIRACLE. Munch shouted, Thank you Jesus! Some dreams did indeed come true! * Saturday morning that man was leaving. His truck was loaded. For the first time, Munch felt truly sorry for him. He watched that man as he hugged his mother, then his daughter, then his wife. Mama did not break into hysterics. Her lip was trembling but she held it in. It would probably be major water works as soon as that man left, but for now the sea of emotion was relatively calm. To Munchs surprise, that man came to him and extended his hand. He said, Take care of my girls okay? Stunned by this request, Munch nodded. Thanks I appreciate that. I always feel better knowing you are here. Munch managed to say, No problem. They watched that man get into his truck and head out. Inside, Munch felt a little hollow. All eyes remained on the road until the truck disappeared. Mama quickly went inside. Grandma Toady said, Come on over Munch. I made some chocolate chip cookies. Though he did not need the lure of food to go over there, Munch didnt say so. The last thing he wanted was to be trapped in his house while Mama sobbed. Okay. Mitzi was with her dad for the weekend, so the trailer was relatively quiet. Grandma Toady had the kitchen radio on a big band station. Lost in their own thoughts they ate their cookies. As always they were good. Once they were done, Lolly said, Me and Munch are going for a walk. Outside the sun sent shafts of light through the clouds. For a while they walked in silence. Finally Lolly said, I talked to Trevor last night. He got a Toyota truck, a bright red one with leather interior. Can you imagine having that kind of money? Munchs honest response was, Yup! He dreamed about having lots of money and being famous. All Lolly dreamed about was being a librarian. Why anyone would want to be a librarian was beyond him. Well, I cant. He said he would be more than happy to go to Kool Jazz. You know what he didnt say? What to do? Munch was pretty sure Trevor hadnt said a word about moving, but he didnt want to say that in case it was or wasnt true. He was straddling the fence on this one. It felt like one of those damned if I do, damned if I dont questions. Miffed, Lolly said, Yeah, he hasnt told me yet. Hes coming over tonight to show me the truck. We are going for a ride and we are going to have a conversation. Poor Trevor. Lolly didnt get mad often, but when she did it was thorough. Now seemed like a good time to change the subject. He asked, If he takes us to the festival, how are we all gonna fit in his truck? Lolly glared at him. I dont know. They have so many damned cars, he just has to pick one. Never before had Lolly been this caustic about Trevors money. Still, he knew her anger really wasnt about money, it was about the fact Trevor hadnt told her he was moving. They walked to the cotton field in silence. Instinctively they headed for the stream. Still silent, they climbed down the steep bank and sat down by the flowing water. The only sounds were those of birds, flowing water, and the murmur of the tree leaves. Slowly, gradually peace began to descend within Munch. Though Lolly was still agitated, he didnt try to soothe her or distract her.Like Mama, she had to sort out her own emotions. They werent his responsibility. He looked up at the sky. It was so blue. A hawk was drafting on an air current. Tonight he he would tell Thahn Ho about the hawk, Trevors truck and about that man leaving. They would sit on the garden swing. He would hold her hand. They would kiss.A smile crept across his face. Chapter 60. Summer Mosquitos buzzed around Munch and Lolly as they sat on the front porch waiting for Trevor to arrive. It was July 1, 1976 and summer was in full swelter. Munch hated sweating. He shaded his eyes and looked out toward the road. Still no sign of Trevors little truck. The boy was running late. Beside him Lolly sighed. He couldnt tell if she was excited or apprehensive about Trevors arrival. It had been over two weeks since they had last seen each other. Across the way, the trailer door banged open. Munch braced himself. Mitzi was on the loose. Her little flip flops flapped as she ran to the house. She stopped on the side walk and looked out toward the road. With hands on her hips, she said, That boy is LATE. Munch couldnt help but notice, Puccini was not with Mitzi. Since her fifth birthday, she had been less inclined to take him out in public. She was growing up. They all were. A red BMW pulled into the drive. Could a car be anymore flashy. What were his parents thinking letting a sixteen year old drive a car like that? Still, Munch thought, it would be really cool to be cruisin in Houston in that thing. Lolly rose to her feet. Her body had become tense. Mitzi started doing a jig. She swirled around and grinned at Munch. In a stage whisper she said, I decided last night that Im gonna marry you. Stunned, Munch asked, Why? She grinned and said, Cause I like you best. The child actually turned a little pink. Munch reached out a hand and patted her on the head. Thats really sweet. Her eyes narrowed and she said, Its not just sweet. Its true. Munch was a bit shaken. Mitzi at five years old was an unpredictable creature, and a difficult one. She was a handful in every respect. The woman she would become was a long time in the future. Still, he knew better than to argue with her. He was fairly certain that the instant Trevor stepped out of the car, she would be in love with him again. The BMW stopped. The door opened. Lolly flew off the porch and raced into Trevors arms. He picked her up and swung her around. She let out a squeal. The smile on Trevors face was radioactive. It had been a long time since Munch had seen him this happy. It made Munch happy. Lolly looked really happy too. Mitzi plopped down beside him and laced her arm through his. She said, Aint love sweet. It was. * Though Trevor had come to stay with Munch, he was, of course at the trailer with Lolly. Not wanting to be a third wheel, Munch had excused himself. He made his way down the drive to get the mail. It was so damn hot outside. Texas heat was no joke. Sweat trickled down his back, down his face and even his feet were sweaty. They slid in the flip flops he was wearing. The sun was beginning to go down. He let out a sigh. If only Thahn Ho had been able to come over tonight, but she had to baby sit. Sometimes he really resented the work ethic she had. The big tin mail box lid nearly burned his fingers when he reached for it. The damn thing absorbed so much heat, he sometimes wondered why it didnt spontaneously combust the mail. As always, the hinge of the lid squealed when he opened it. Inside was a stack of mail. He pulled it out. There were art supply catalogues, dress catalogues and some bills. There was one envelope though that wasnt a bill. He read the address. His heart rate shot up as soon as he saw who it was from. The High School of Visual and Performing arts. Though he had been melting in the heat, he suddenly felt cold. What if they said no? Could he bear no? Surely they wouldnt say no. If he couldnt get into an art high school, would he seriously be able to get into an art college in New York, with his mediocre grades? The thump of his heart seemed to echo in his ears. With trembling hands, he ripped the right end of the envelope open and blew inside puffing out the envelope. There was a piece of paper in it. In seconds, he knew his destiny was about to change. He upended the envelope and the piece of paper fell into his hand. For a moment he closed his eyes and prayed. This just had to be yes. He opened his eyes and unfolded the paper. The first paragraph began with the words, We regret to in form you, your application has not been accepted. His eyes stopped there. There were more words, words that were supposed to make him feel better, but he didnt read them. Had getting in really be that big of a long shot? After all he was in podunk land. What did he know about design and art? Disgusted with himself he wadded up the sheet of paper. This just could not be. As he made his way back to the house a second thought came to him, what if Thahn Ho had gotten accepted? What if she was good enough? Did that mean his life would soon mirror Lollys? Thahn Ho had an aunt who lived in Houston. If she got in, she would spend week days there and come home on the weekends. Could he bear that? Could he bear being left behind? Would their relationship survive like that? He didnt know. Suddenly he felt sick. Damn the that letter! Damn the timing! He was supposed to be so happy today, he had been happy today, but now he felt like he had been hit by an eighteen wheeler on a desert high way. All he wanted to do was cry and rage. That wasnt something he could do in public. He made his was to the barn and hurled himself in one of the horse stalls. Funny they had horse stalls when theyd never had a horse.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. For a long time he lay in a miserable ball. He did cry a little, but he didnt rage. His disappointment was bigger than his anger. The barn door creaked open. He turned, the small silhouette of Mitzi approached him. This time she had Puccini clutched in her right hand. The little bear was swinging back and forth. She called, Munch you in here? His first instinct was to stay quiet, but he was honestly sick of his own miserable company. He said, Yeah, what do you want? To get away from Lolly and Trevor. They are so gross. Too many yucky kisses. He stood and asked, Have you been spying on them? Not exactly. Then exactly what have you been doing? She reached him and cocked her head. I been studying on it. I dont understand it. It just looks like swapping germs to me. She shuddered. Munch couldnt help himself he laughed. He stood and said, Lets go to see Mama. I bet she will let you paint at her drafting table. Mitzi squealed and grabbed his hand. Thank you! Thats just what I was hoping you would say. Once they were outside, Mitzi looked up at him. She asked, Have you been crying? The child was too damn perceptive. Honestly, he answered, A little. Why? I didnt get into the High school of Visual and Performing Arts. Abruptly, Mitzi stopped and exclaimed, Those stupid BASTARDS! More amused than shocked, Munch said, Mitzi! You know youre not supposed to talk like that. Well they are! They are also big dummies. You will show them, just wait. Her belief in him pulled out some of the sting. One rejection letter didnt mean his dreams were dead, it just meant that now they would flow in a different direction. He squeezed her hand and said, Thanks, Cuz. The smile she gave him revealed her utter faith in him. This disappointment was going to hurt for awhile, but he would get over it. Every artist knew the bitterness of rejection. It was part of the process. How many times had Mama been rejected? So many times. When they reached the porch, Munch told Mitzi, Let me tell Mama about the letter okay. She frowned at him and said, Of course. Promise? Munch knew her well enough to know that if he didnt get it out fast Mitzi was going to tell. Sure. Inside, Mama was on the phone. She turned and looked at Mitzi and Munch when they walked in. He just walked in. You can talk to him now, honey. Instant suspicion rattled int Munchs head. Who was Mama calling honey? Lolly? God, he hoped she and Trevor hadnt gotten into an argument already. If so, that could totally wreck tomorrow. He took the receiver from Mama. Hello? Hi Michael. It was Thahn Ho. Had she gotten her letter too? His heart was pounding so hard he could hear it. She hesitated for a moment and said, I didnt get in, did you? It might be wrong, but relief flooded him. Im sorry. No, I didnt get in either. Im sorry too, but at least we will still be in art together. Munch smiled, Yeah we will. Behind him Mitzi whispered, Aunt Estelle, that stupid art school dont want Munch. * The next morning was bright and sunny. Munch was so excited he was about to burst. When they reached Thahn Hos house, she was waiting on the front porch. The sun reflected off her dark hair with blinding light. She practically glowed. She ran to the door and climbed inside. Munch wanted to kiss her so bad, but he knew she was shy. Instead, he reached over and took her hand. She laced her fingers through his and smiled at him. It was going to be a good day. Driving into Houston always excited him, but this morning he was about to pop. The fact that he was going on a public date with Thahn Ho was huge and nothing short of a miracle. In the distance he saw the Astrodome. They were almost there. He glanced at Trevor. The boy was white knuckled holding the steering wheel. Munch didnt blame him. Houston traffic was fierce. The line getting into the stadium parking lot was long. Cars of all different shapes, sizes and makes were lined up. Once they parked, Trevor said, We best stay close together. The last thing we want to happen is to get separated. Streaming into the dome was a sea of people. Most of them were people of color. Munch wondered if Trevor or Lolly had ever been around so many people that werent white. He doubted it. Thahn Hos grip on his hand tightened. He looked at her. There was fear in her eyes. He knew she didnt like crowds. For the first time it occurred to him that the only reason she was here at all was because she wanted to be with him. The sensation he felt was new. He pulled her closer. Trevor had been to the Astrodome many times for sporting events. He lead them to their seats. Thahn Ho and Lolly sat in the middle with Trevor and Munch on opposite ends. Munch could feel the excitement of the arena. In the middle of the field was the famous rotating stage. He seriously didnt know how anyone could sing and spin at the same time. The lights began to flicker, signaling that the show was about to start. This was really happening. Munch took in the crowd. There were so many different kinds of people here. Each one of them loved jazz or were with someone who loved jazz. There were other mixed couples in the crowd. Hope wiggled in Munchs mind. Maybe someday color wouldnt matter. Maybe someday people would be able to love who they loved. Maybe. The lights went down and the stage lights came on. The voice of the announcer boomed over the sound system. Nancy Wilson stepped onto stage. She was so beautiful. She wore a slim green dress that had a sheen to it. Her hair was perfectly styled. She smiled at the crowd and spoke in her honey smooth voice. When she began to sing, the hairs on Munchs arm literally stood on end. She sang: My love has no walls on either side, That makes my love wider than wide, I''m in the middle and no and I can''t hide Loving you. Beside him, Thahn Ho laid her head on his shoulder. This was heaven. This was bliss.