Finn set the spoon down beside the bowl. “Grandpa Bill sounds like a stand-up guy.”
“Yeah. So I went out there, and he was just sitting with his back against the tree trunk, staring. I shook him a couple times, but he was just dead. So I just sat there for a long time. I pretended Grandpa Bill was watching the trees. He liked the changing colors, so I imagined that’s what he was doing.”
Changing colors?Finn jerked back. “Wait. When did this happen?”
Auggie picked up a spoon and took a big bite of ice cream and then another as if he was worried Finn would take it away after he answered.
“October.”
Finn shot out of the rickety chair. “Are you telling me your grandfather has been dead for five fucking months?”
“Yeah.”
“And nobody checked on you?”
“Sheriff came by a couple times. I said Grandpa Bill was asleep or out hunting. Miss Maybelle used to bring cookies or bread she baked, but If I didn’t answer the door, she’d just leave it on the porch.” Auggie shrugged and ate another spoonful of ice cream. “People have shit to do.”
“And you’ve been, what? Eating nuts and berries like a fucking squirrel?”
“Grandpa Bill has a lot of supplies, and before you got here, I could get some of those foil things from Mr. Venables’s pantry,” Auggie pointed to the door.
“MREs.” At Auggie’s expression, he explained, “Meals Ready to Eat. Shit, they’ll do in a pinch, but for four months?”
Auggie balled his hands into fists. “I’m not going to foster care. And I’m not going to school. I already finished fourth-grade homeschooling, so you can fuck off.”
“You think that shit’s gonna work with me, kid?” Finn leaned across the table. “I fucking invented getting pissed when you’re scared.”
Auggie stared down at the empty bowl.
Suddenly, a thought occurred. “Uh, Auggie, where is grandpa Bill now?”
Auggie looked pained. “Still out back. I covered him with some leaves and dirt and stuff, but…”
Finn couldn’t process all the implications of Auggie’s confession. What would May have done?
He slapped the table with both palms. “All right. Here’s what’s going to happen tonight. You can bunk on the floor in one of the girls’ old bedrooms, or if you’re still scared of the storm, you can sleep on my floor.”
On cue, lightning flashed.
“With you.” Auggie didn’t hesitate.
“Tomorrow, we’re going to give grandpa Bill a proper burial.”
Auggie nodded.
Finn knew he’d have to report the old man’s death, but he didn’t want Auggie running away to avoid foster care. Hell, Finn didn’t want him going to foster care either. Grandpa Bill had been dead for five months; another couple of weeks wasn’t going to hurt any.
“I’ve got a pack upstairs so you can have a sleeping bag, but listen up. If I’m having a nightmare, if I yell or thrash in my sleep, you gotta leave me be. Just let me sleep through it. It’s no big deal. I just don’t want to punch your lights out thinking you’re part of the dream, okay.”
Auggie agreed, “Got it. I get ‘em too sometimes. They can’t hurt you. That’s what Grandpa Bill says.”
“What are yours about?” Finn asked.
“Memories mostly, from before I came to live with Grandpa Bill. You?”
“Memories. Mostly. Come on, let’s get some shut-eye.” Finn stood.
Auggie took the empty bowl to the counter and rinsed it. He washed it out and set it in the dish rack beside the sink. Then he followed Finn to the stairs.
“Finn?”
“Yeah?”
“Are you really gonna shoot melons with me tomorrow?”
A rare, genuine smile curled the left side of Finn’s mouth. “Sure, kid.”