Chapter 10

“What?” his father replied, his hand poised in mid air holding a spoonful of mashed potatoes.

“Shouldn’t we return thanks? It is Sunday you know.”

George sighed, looked at Alan, and shook his head. “Ever since she’s been going to that church. All right, woman. God, thanks for the grub! Amen.”

“George!” Martha said, but didn’t push any further.

Alan ate without tasting, responding to the conversation without really listening. His mind was still trying to determine what he would do now that he knew where he could go to…to what? Was he ready to take that next step from acknowledging his sexual need to acting on it?

“Alan?” he heard his mother asking.

Alan shook his head. “I’m sorry, Ma, what did you say?”

She gave him a confused look. “I asked you where you went today.”

“Nowhere in particular,” he said and without thinking added, “Delph Lake Park.”

“Oh, how nice. That’s where we used to go for picnics. You rem—”