Forks, Knives, and Spoons by Leah DeCesare

Author:Leah DeCesare [DeCesare, Leah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: SparkPress
Published: 2017-02-15T05:00:00+00:00

HAPPY TO BE HOME AFTER a long workday, Amy heard the phone ringing in their apartment from down the hall. Searching for the right key, she moved quickly. By the time she stepped into the stuffy apartment, the answering machine had picked up: “Hi, Amy.” The familiar voice filled her heart and she picked up the cordless phone from its cradle, stopping the recording.

“Matt, hi. I’m here.” She hugged her friend with the cheer in her words.

“I’m so glad I caught you. I’m home and—”

“What’s wrong? Your voice sounds hoarse. Wait, you’re in Tuckahoe?”

The phone line was quiet except for the sound of him breathing.

“Matt? What?”

“My mom died last night,” Matt whispered. The words crushed her; she fell onto the couch and cried with Matt. She felt the loss fiercely for him and his family, but also for herself. Mrs. Saxon had welcomed her like one of her own daughters and had filled a maternal longing for Amy. Now she was gone.

“ARE YOU SURE IT’S okay that I don’t go? I’ve got this big meeting tomorrow that I really can’t miss.” Andrew tasted the spaghetti, leaning backward to avoid the steam.

“It’s okay,” Amy said absently. “I still can’t believe Mrs. Saxon is gone. Matt said she just died in her sleep. They think it was a heart attack; his father tried to wake her up and she had already passed. It’s so sad.”

“You already told me that.”

“She was the most generous person. You know, she started the food pantry in Tuckahoe and ran a community dinner.” As Amy spoke, Andrew poked through the cabinets looking for the colander. “I went once when I was at Matt’s and she hosted it like it was a dinner party in her home. She made everyone feel welcome and special. I just can’t believe she’s gone.”

When he had drained the pasta in the sink, he turned to comfort Amy, his face moist from the task.

“I’m sorry, Aim. And please tell Matt I’m sorry, too.”

She wiped her cheek where Andrew’s face met hers. “Can you stay here tonight?” she asked.

“I can’t, I’ve got to get into the office ridiculously early. You’ll be fine, won’t you? Veronica will be home soon, right?”

She set out two placemats on the small round table in the corner of the living room, then folded two paper napkins and laid out the silverware. As she went to place the knives, she realized this meal didn’t need a knife and she put them back into the drawer.

THE LATE SEPTEMBER SKY was brilliant and clear as Amy boarded the Metro-North Harlem line to the Crestwood station, then got a cab to take her the half-mile to the Westchester Funeral Home. Through the scratched window, Amy spotted Matt, his tall build hunched and pacing the front lawn of the white clapboard colonial, hands tucked in his pockets. The slam of the cab door caught his attention. Realizing it was Amy, he jogged across the grass and pulled her into him with a force that surprised her.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.