Birthday Dinner Page 9

Chapter 9

  They ate off their laps sitting on simple ladder-back chairs lined up along the wall since the table was full. When they’d finished their meals (after Zach and Jonah had each had sizable seconds), Becca collected their paper plates and tossed them in a trash bag they’d brought. Zach covered what food remained and took a large bowl of banana pudding from the cooler and set it on the partially cleared table. He’d just started to uncover the pudding when there was the sound of a key in the lock of the front door. All four turned their attention toward the door, each frozen in place.

  A wiry thin young black woman with braided hair and bloodshot eyes stood in the doorway, backlit by the bright day. The man from across the road, Snake, looked over her shoulder.

  The woman said, “I come to take my son,” directing the words at the blond girl in the room.

  Part II