(Page 1 of 3) Cecan 1 from Betrayed By God by Tristis WardSUMMARY: Billy Harding sure is weird. Yet another cast member for the Betrayed by God novel.Breakfast time in the sunny kitchen of the Harding household. Louise Harding is cooking breakfast for her three children. Larry has already gone to work and she will be heading out to show a house almost as soon as the kids are off to school.
Susan bounces in with her ears plugged. White cords dangle down to the device that seems to be constantly in her hands, flicked and twisted while her eyes roll and her head nods in time to the tinny rhythm emanating from her. How does she ever get anything done? How does she manage the bathroom?
The pretty blonde seats herself in her chair just as Louise puts the plate down in front of her. She knows it is useless to ask, but as soon as her hands are free, she mimes taking things out of her ears to her daughter. The response she gets is just a smile and that constant nod.
Michael slips into the kitchen behind Susan. He has that same hurried look that he has worn since making the football team. Morning practice will force him to rush out as soon as he can get the food into him. She has a little egg sandwich already made for him to eat on the drive in, but he at least sits for a bowl of cereal. Always the silent one, he only barely looks at her as he reaches simultaneously for the milk and the box she has put out for him.
Running into the kitchen from a near tumbled rush down the stairs is Billy. She smiles back when his bright, ear-to-ear grin brightens the room even more than the morning sun. He is her one promise of communication at the breakfast table. He is the baby and still her little boy. His dark brown hair is still cut the way she likes, instead of whatever new fashion kids need to have "or else." Grade four is probably his last year of being so easy. She intends to enjoy it.
"Greetings mother!" he says cheerily. The grunts and giggles from his siblings seem to sting only a little, but he looks like he is still making notes in his head about their reactions to how he talks.
"Greetings little man," Louise replies. She wants him to be able to express himself without feeling embarrassment. Lately he has been talking formally, as if he is a little English gentleman. It has been funny, actually. She and Larry have laughed, too. But when they did he would stop and then say the same thing in plainer language. It makes her sad that he cannot play his little game and have others just play along.
"Eggs for breakfast? Wonderful!"
"I'm glad somebody likes them," she replies as she sits with her own plate. Susan is barely poking at hers.
Billy jams his fork into the bright yellow and white mixture, twists and picks up a forkful. "I don't see how it is possible not to." For punctuation, he jams his prize into his mouth. When he has swallowed he breaks out his new wide grin again. "I love eggs."
She laughs at her little comic while she checks to make sure his brother and sister are not about to ruin the mood. They are both lost enough in their own meals and distractions that she feels safe to get up and refresh her coffee.
From the counter, she finally notices that he is wearing another turtleneck shirt.
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