Page 78 of Cattle Stop

“The garage?” Drew asks. “You’re welcome here for dinner, if you want.”

“Cooper’s making pizza,” Whit says.

Cooper huffs a soft laugh, scratching up under Sadie’s collar.

“Thanks, but we still have some more organizing to do,” Diana says. “All the fun of years of stuff to finish going through.”

Drew nods toward the door. “At least let me get you some cheese before you go.”

“Pizza?” Penny asks as the door creaks shut behind them. “Again?”

Whit’s eyes follow Drew as he leads his parents across the barnyard to the cheese room and the cooler.

“Yeah,” Whit says, “we had pizza for lunch, so Cooper’s internal clock is already ticking down until he desperately needs another slice.”

Cooper cups Sadie’s chin in his hand. “Sadie, you’d never treat me like this, now would you?”

“Farm reg sixteen point four,” Penny says. “Household members can only cook repeats of meals three times before we’re all allowed to put squirrels in their bed.”

Cooper rests his cheek on top of Sadie’s head. “Farm reg sixteen point five states that it’s actually illegal to put a squirrel in my bed and I’ll call in Constable Buttercup.”

Drew pushes the door open. “Whit?”

“Sorry, Coop, sixteen point six invalidates Buttercup’s authority in this situation,” Whit says.

Cooper stands and elbows Whit in the ribs. “You’re just making that up.”

“Oh, as opposed to you and Penny, who are actually—”

“Whit?” Drew asks again.

“Yeah?” Whit asks but instead of turning toward Drew, he elbows Cooper right back.

“You know what,” Cooper says, “I’m probably your best bet against the squirrels. They know they have the three of you wrapped around their tiny, creepy fingers.”

“Whit, did your parents sell their house?” Drew asks.

Whit freezes. “Uh, yeah.”

“And they’re moving?”

“I mean…” Whit shrugs. “Yeah.”

“To?”

“Albany.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“It wasn’t a big deal.”

“They’re moving to a—a, like, apartment place, they said?”

“That’s right,” Whit says.

“So they can—your dad had fucking cancer?”

Silence. Whit and Penny glance at each other. Drew’s face reddens, his mouth open.