Page 21 of Snowbirds
“Ha fucking ha,” said Chris as he proceeded to snatch the first cup out of his dad’s reach.
“Mr. Hatch, I apologize for your son’s manners.”
Sitting back in his chair, Lance chuckled. “Chris has great manners. But you’re right about the coffee.”
Ivan moved one of the chairs closer to Chris’s and sat down next to him, stretching his legs out as far as he could underneath the table.
“Are you comfortable yet?” Chris asked.
Ivan smiled and bumped his shoulder against Chris’s. “Yes.”
“Did you two sleep all right over there?” Lance asked.
Before Chris could think of anything to say, Ivan’s large palm landed on his thigh and squeezed.
“Yep. It’s not the bed I’m used to at home, but it will do for a few days.”
“What do you two have planned for the day? Anything?”
“I want to see the Grand Canyon while I’m here—could we do that tomorrow? Chris and I have some business to look into this morning.”
“Great idea! We have a pass,” Lance said, “and of course we don’t go as often as we should.”
“Do you know the person who lives at the place around the corner from you?”
“The one sort of across from Frank’s?” Lance asked.
“Yes, the place with the fat Buddha statue in the front yard,” Ivan elaborated.
“Oh.” Lance’s eyebrows drew together. “That place. Supposedly, the owner travels a lot, so I’ve never officially met him, only seen him from afar a few times. Susie might have. He has an odd name, I remember that.”
The back door opened again, and Ivan hopped up to take the casserole from Susie.
“I’ll be right back with the plates. Don’t talk about anything else without me!”
Exchanging smiles, they all obeyed the directive, sitting quietly in the Arizona sunshine for a minute and sipping at their coffee. The next time Susie came bustling outside, she carried a stack of plastic plates, forks, and napkins.
“Okay,” she said, setting down everything and plopping down next to her husband. “Continue. What were you talking about?”
“Ivan wants to visit the canyon, but he also asked about Frank’s neighbor. Clive?”
“Cleevus, Cleevus Buckley. Here you go, Ivan.” She handed him a spatula. “Help yourself and pass it along.”
Chris watched Ivan take a tiny serving and set it on his plate before holding the dish out to him.
“Take more than that,” he said quietly. “Mom is going to be pissed if you pass out from hunger. No reason to be shy here, it’s not like I don’t know what it takes to keep that engine going.”
Ivan glared at him. “I’ll have you know, I am being polite. You have heard of this practice?”
“Fine, have it your way.” Chris took a huge spoonful and put it on his own plate. If there was any left, Ivan could have it. Maybe he’d been taught to take a small first serving so everyone got some, but from what little Chris knew about his family, he doubted that was the case.
It seemed more likely that it had been every person for themselves at the Morrison kitchen table. It had never occurred to Chris that Morrison might have food issues. He wondered if he’d been food-shamed as a child. Another wash of anger at the way Morrison had been treated growing up rushed through him, and Chris had to take a gulp of hot coffee to wash it back down.
“You okay?” Ivan asked.
“Hunky dory. Let’s talk about the neighbor some more. I’m sure that doesn’t happen much around here. You all mind your own business and pay no attention to what’s going on. Am I right, Mom?”
“Christopher,” Susie said, her eyebrows drawing together, “of course we don’t mind our own business. What do you want to know about Cleevus?”
