She picks up the coffee pot and tops off his cup for him.

– So take Andy. Andy would love to go.

He rolls his eyes.

– Honey, if you’d been there the time I took him. That kid on a construction site is like the opposite of a bull in a china shop. Thought he was gonna kill himself, wandering around daydreaming.

– So give him a broom and have him sweep some stuff up.

– It’s not like that. Can’t just stand off to the side. You have to be on the ball and pay attention to what’s going on around you. He’ll be out there sweeping and thinking about math problems and Dungeons amp; Dragons and whatever else and end up under a grader or something.

– Take them both. George can keep an eye on Andy and you can spend some time with both of them.

Bob’s cup bangs on the counter when he sets it down.

– I’m not trying to arrange quality time with my sons, Cin. I was just thinking George should be working a little more this summer and fucking around a little less. OK?

Cindy shakes her head and starts for the bedroom.

– Fine, Bob, whatever you say. I’ve got to get dressed for work. You want to wait a few minutes I’ll make you some breakfast.

– I’ll get something from the cater truck.

– Suit yourself.

He watches her disappear down the hall, looking at her legs, the bruises on her thighs from where she’s banged them against the checkout counter at Safeway where she spends her days at the cash register.

He thinks about what it would be like if his wife didn’t have to work. His mom never had to work. Well, she worked plenty on the ranch, but she never had to go and take a job outside the house. Not till pop lost the ranch anyway.

Could have been different.

He stares into his coffee cup and thinks about what he could have done to make it different.