Chapter 3

I went to the kitchen to make a sandwich. The bread was in the toaster and I was mixing tuna with mayo when I heard Mattie’s door open and her bounding down the stairs. Normally she headed out for a few hours with friends before work. Get something to eat with them. But she walked into the kitchen. She asked if there was enough tuna for her, and when I showed her the bowl, she took my bread from the toaster and put two slices of her own in. Silently, she opened the fridge and poured a glass of milk, offering some, which I declined in favor of tap water.

I watched as she plated her toast and made her sandwich with a lettuce leaf and part of the tomato I had cut.

She cut the sandwich diagonally and with the milk sat across from me at the table.

“Tell me about Helen.”

* * * *

I began with the background.