My parents came at noon on Sunday. Right after church.
Mom carried in a pan of scalloped corn in front of her like it was a shield.
Dad shook Dale’s hand. And then he looked around the kitchen.
The kids’ boots were piled up by the back door. Brody’s sweatshirt was hanging on a hook. Kenzie’s braid was still in from the night before, a little frizzy now. And Cole came running in from the porch to tell Grandma he was taller than Daddy.
“Is that right,” Mom said.
And she looked at me.
We all sat down. Dale said grace.
The roast was good. Potatoes and carrots cooked right in with it, the way Grandma Kirchner always made it. The kids talked over each other. Brody told Dad about the hog barns. Kenzie showed Grandma her braid.
For about fifteen minutes, it was just a regular Sunday.
Then Mom put down her fork.
“Well, Jeff,” she said. In her bright church voice. “This is a nice start. And once the papers on the house are signed, you can fix the upstairs up however you want. Or the whole place, really.”
Jeff stopped chewing.
“What papers?” he said.
Nobody said anything.
Hannah looked at me. Dale set his water glass down on the table very carefully.
“What papers, Mom?” Jeff said again.
Mom looked at Dad.
Dad looked at his plate.
“Your sister is selling the house back to us,” Mom said. “For a dollar. So you and the kids can have it. We talked to her about it on Tuesday.”
“I’m not, Mom,” I said quietly. “I never said that.”
“You said you’d have an answer on Saturday.”
“I did,” I said. “He’s living upstairs. His kids are in it. That’s my answer.”
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