"HOMEBODS" - читать интересную книгу автора (Paul Barbara)

his right arm to display the wrist splint he was wearing. "I don't
know why, but funerals always make me hungry."

"Um. Tell me..."--Jake couldn't bring himself to call the
other man "Young" Malcolm--"...do all these people live here?"

"In Wrightsville, you mean?" Young Malcolm asked around a
mouthful of corned beef.

"In this house."

"Oh, no. Most of us have homes elsewhere, but a lot of us
will be staying overnight. Kate and I are going to stay."

So Young Malcolm was married to Sister Kate. "A long drive
back?" Jake asked, making conversation.

"We live in Meade."

Jake had never heard of Meade. Just then one of the Mamas
came up on the other side of him and started building a Dagwood
sandwich--Mama Marcie, Jake remembered. She looked at what was left
of Jake's tunafish sandwich and made a tsk-tsk sound. "Is that all
you're eating? Here, try some of these artichoke hearts. Uncle
Tedward made a special sour cream dressing for them." She scooped
two big spoonfuls on to a plate.

"Thank you," Jake said, not mentioning that he hated artichokes.
As he took the plate from Mama Marcie, he noticed half of her left
forefinger was missing.

She saw him looking and gave a rueful laugh. "I did it to
myself. I was watching GENERAL HOSPITAL and chopping mushrooms at
the same time and...well, I guess I got a little careless."

Jake's stomach turned over.

"Papa Ross told you that was going to happen," Young Malcolm
said.

Jake put the artichokes down and said, "I, uh, I've got to go
get a trunk out of the trunk."

"I'd offer to help, but..." Young Malcolm held up his wrist
splint again.

"That's all right," Jake said hastily. "I can manage."

"Nonsense," said Mama Marcie, and then raised her voice.
"Somebody here want to give The FiancВ a hand in moving a trunk?"