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The back screen door slammed, and Brian, Eddie, and Ricky stood in the mudroom, each one more sunburned and filthy and exhausted than the next

She bit her lower lip to keep frohter

“Would you look at the state of ya! Were you wandering the earth or tunneling through it?”

“Ow,” Ricky said, taking off a dusty sneaker “Ow”

“Ser creeping toward thebowl

He howled as Mary Catherine whacked his hand loudly with the zester Eddie and Ricky snickered

“Get your butts upstairs and shower this instant or I’ll drag you out into the yard and hose you down See if I won’t, and don’t think you’re off the hook for going off by yourselves and skipping your lessons, getting us worried As if I’h”

“Why are you so busy?” Eddie said

“I told you yesterday We’re having a guest tonight for dinner”

“A guest?” Ricky said “Who?”

“Deputy Marshal Leo,” Mary Catherine said

“Deputy Marshal Leo?” Brian said “How is he a guest? He works here”

“Mary Catherine, does Dad know about this?” Eddie said, raising his brow

Mary Catherine stopped zesting That was it She knew the boys were having a hard time of late, especially

Brian, but that was it Like she hadn’t been working her fingers to the bone for this lot Was she not allowed to have so even a little bit hopeful?