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"So," I began, tellingsmall talk, "do you have any ownership stake in the farm you work for?"

She smiled faintly "Why does it h I couldn’t put a finger on why Did I need to feel superior? Did so of her own?

She gestured outdoors, toward Glynnis and Jackie, who sat coals have a stake in the company you work for? Have you ever questioned it, or is it just who I a me in your house--"

"That’s not fair I know them I’m happy to have you over, but I don’t know you"

"No," she said, after an uncoot a small chip on my shoulder It wasn’t placed there by et rid of it It’s probably iot one, too," I aduess that feeling never quite goes away" I knew for sure that feeling neverwe had to outs to survive in the world of poverty, drug addiction, and violence that beset both of our fa by the rules of suburbia, a society that ood jobs and a nice hoave back to the conificant ways The one ti lapse, it ended in catastrophe--when he died ere in the process of changing insurance companies, and we’d decided to hold off on life insurance policies because I felt we could shop around for a better deal Taking such a risk truly bothered him, but I’d said it was only a matter of a feeeks What could happen? So ized to him a thousand ti he could give us, and I’d taken that away from him

"Your mind is a million miles away," Mykia said, her voice full of wry hu in her eyes toldabout wasn’t all that funny She began to chop an onion, methodically, precisely "So, my father is from Jamaica My mother was German I’m a halfsie"

"Was?"

"She’s passed on," she explained, "but o back to dental school On his dinore how surprised you sound"

"Sorry," I said, s"

I thought about all the part-ti How exhausted ere, and how fearful "Why would you say no to so yes to this," she said, gesturing toward the vegetables brightening et into dental school You just walked away one day?"

"I did"

"Why?"

"Because I knohat’s what"

What? I wanted to shout What is what? I felt like I had no idea what she was talking about, and I desperately wanted to know but didn’t kno to ask without sounding foolish Instead, I asked, "Did you leave before they could fix your tooth?"

Mykia laughed "I pulled my own tooth, because it would probably need it eventually, and I wanted to see what it felt like I haven’t gotten around to doing so with it"

I just nodded Usually, when sohted how starkly different ere, it et closer, to keep peeling back the layers of her personality She was bold enough to yank out a tooth She was confident enough to call ht person to help me with the backyard of destruction

I watched as she worked her one sour in etables, and turned it into savory Italian goodness