as a dull drone in

b, sat on opposite sides,

moment my life sp

ears of hunger, her bad moods, and

after Mom remar

ck. Same room

evin. "Son, who do yo

brother, piped u

me, a smug loo

in his own twisted memory of the future. He had his own rebirth, a d

ughed. He h

ned to me. "S

ly led, and not great with money. But he wasn

ther," I said, my v

ightly. She probably exp

prised, then a

is smugness fading.

o

r. This time, things would be different. I would make them