As Munch walked away from the trailer, he felt discouraged. Who was he kidding? This whole situation with Max had touched a nerve with him. The chances of things going well for him and Thahn Ho were as bleak as the chances were for Max and Tina. When he came into the house, Mama was in the kitchen. She saw his face and asked, “Did something happen?”

He felt like crying. “Me and Max got into it.”

“About what?”

This was a question he would not answer. He said, “Just stuff.”

“Okay.” Mama did that thing where she read him. “Anything else bothering you?”

“Nah.”

Gently, Mama said, “Michael, you know you can tell me anything and I won’t say a word to anyone.”

“Not even THAT MAN?”

“Not even him.”

He looked up into his mother’s compassionate eyes. “I like someone and its not Grace. I can’t just walk down the hall with her or call her unless I sneak around.” Unbidden tears slid down his cheeks.

“Oh baby, I’m so sorry. I know how hard that is.”

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Take it a day at a time. Like Grandma Toady says, Live in the now. That doesn’t mean you throw out past and future. It means you don’t let them overshadow this moment. You like a girl. Enjoy that. It’s not a bad thing.”

“Isn’t it?”

“No, it’s not. Thahn Ho is a very sweet and quiet girl.”

Of course Mama knew. He said, “But her parents would never let her like me back.”

Mama smiled at him. “I think its too late for that. I’ve seen the way she looks at you.”

Though Munch would like to take these words to heart, coming from Mama’s mouth he didn’t trust them. She had a tendency of seeing him in too bright a light. He asked, “What am I supposed to do?”

“Whatever comes next. By that I mean, don’t borrow trouble. Go slow. Face what you have to face when you get there.” She shrugged and said, “Sorry that’s all I got. I can’t and won’t condone sneaking around, even though I did it. Hard as now is, its not like it was when I met Bartholomew. Things are better. Now I could have married him. That wasn’t even a possibility when I was young. You are only fifteen. Times are changing.” She gave him a hug.

*

Their chauffeur for the evening was none other than THAT MAN. It was just weird to see him driving the red Volkswagen. Lolly was in the front seat with him while Munch forced to share the back seat with sullen Max, a gross bear and Mitzi, who was still wearing her white pajamas. Max took a verbal jab at his sister, “Everybody’s gonna know those are your pajamas and not a keigkogi. They are gonna think you’re weird.”

Mitzi responded, “You stink and I’m not just saying that cause you’re a mean little turd. I’m saying it cause its true.” She turned to Munch and asked, “He stinks doesn’t he?'

“I don’t smell nothin’.”

“Well, I do. He’s got BO.”

Max growled, “You better shut up.”

“Make me.”

From the front seat, THAT MAN said, “I can take you both home if you keep this up, and I’m not fooling.”

Mitzi stuck her tongue out a Max. He frowned at her and turned his attention to the window.

When they reached the studio, the green Volvo was not there. Maybe Le wasn’t coming after all. Inside, the first person Munch saw as Kevin. With his height he was hard to miss. He made a bee line for them, well actually for Lolly.

Lolly smiled at him and said, “Hey Kevin.”

Eagerly he responded, “Hey Lolly. I’m gonna be in your class too.” His smile could have lit up the room if it weren’t already lit. Poor boy.

Mitzi passed Puccini off to Lolly’s pa. “Uncle Trace promise not loose him. Sometime he tries to sneaks off.” Dressed in her white pajamas she ran across the room to her class. All the little kids thought her pajamas were cool. She just beamed.

As for Munch, he followed Lolly to their side of the studio. Ito-san had not yet come out of his office. Of course, Kevin was way more interested in Lolly than he was in pouty Max. When they lined up, Munch made sure that Lolly and Kevin were between him and Max.

The bell on the front door of the studio rang. Everyone turned to the sound. Through the door, walked Le and his ong noi, Mr. Phan. The old man saw Munch and nodded his head. Munch waved at him. Le called out, “Hey Crunchy.” Mr. Phan took the empty chair beside Lolly’s pa.

Class began. For whatever reason, Munch really wanted to impress Mr. Phan He very much wanted the old man to like him. Also he was hoping that he would finally get a firm invite for his first ink brush painting lesson. Through out the hour of class, Munch kept his focus on every word and movement of Ito-san. He didn’t notice Lolly struggling, or Kevin tripping or Max’s dirty looks. All he knew was that he wanted to perform well and he did.

After class, Mr. Phan crossed the room to Munch. He said, “Michael, you move well. Ink brush painting like Karate is similar to dance. The right rhythm must be found. If it is agreeable to you, I would like to have our first lesson Sunday morning after services. Would that suit you?”

“Yes Sir it would.”

Mr. Phan turned his head ever so slightly and said,”I will see you on Sunday.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Le flew into Munch nearly knocking him over. He grinned at Munch and shouted, “Hi CRUNCHY!

“Hi Le.”

Le glanced in Mitzi direction and asked, “Why’d she wear her pajamas to class? There should be a rule against that.”

Perhaps there should. Munch just shrugged.

Mr. Phan held his hand out to his grandson and said, “Come along.” Le took his hand and obediently left the studio.

All energy and vigor, Mitzi ran across the room and took Puccini from THAT MAN’s arms. She asked, “Was he a good boy?”

“Very good.”

Mitzi held up her arms. “Carry me Uncle Trace, please. My legs are tired.”

Tenderly, THAT MAN scooped her up. He said, “Come on kids.”

On the way back home, Lolly sat with Mitzi and Munch in the back seat.. She whispered, “What’s up with Max?”

Even though he knew, he just shrugged. This was between him and Max and Lolly didn’t need to get involved.

*

Finally, it was Wednesday night. By the way Grandma Toady, Lolly and Mama were acting a person would think someone had just died. No one had, but THAT MAN was headed back to Louisiana, and he couldn’t leave soon enough for Munch. If he was honest with himself, he had to admit having THAT MAN in the house all week hadn’t been as terrible as he thought it would be. But, he wasn’t being honest with himself. He did manage to say to him, “Have a safe trip.”

The shy smile THAT MAN gave him, made Munch feel slightly guilty, still he would not admit that Trace Phelps was a good person.

“Thanks Munch. I will.”

Munch headed upstairs to the studio. Fluff was on the bed grooming himself. The look the cat gave him, was unsettling. It appeared that Fluff not only thought he owned the bed. He thought the entire room and everything on it belonged to him too. In his green cat eyes, Munch had invaded his territory without permission and was interrupting his grooming. Stupid cat. Munch went to his albums and found Nat King Cole’s album, The Very Thought of You. He was currently wearing it out. He did tend to get stuck on one album at a time and he listened to it over and over until he moved on to the next one.

Earlier, Lolly told him, she was planning on calling Thahn Ho that night, to see if she could go visit her tomorrow. He wanted to send a note with her but, thanks to Grace, he had suddenly become paranoid about physical evidence. The card Munch had made from Thahn Ho was one thing. A note would be evidence. Grace had “come across” one of Max’s notes to Tina. He didn’t want anyone to come across a note he wrote, especially Le. Especially, since he was so close to going to her house for a lesson on Sunday..

The front door open and close. Outside the truck rumbled to life. Munch knew his mother was probably balling her eyes out. Thank God Lolly and Grandma Toady didn’t fall apart the way Mama did, every time THAT MAN left. In the days ahead, Munch knew he was going to have to endure her heavy sighs and looks of complete distraction. The truck pulled away. The sound of it faded in the distance. The door opened again. He heard Lolly and Mama talking, but he didn’t hear Grandma Toady.

Lolly came up stairs. She said, “I think your mom needs to be alone. I bet if I ask, she will let you come over.”

“You can try.”

“Okay, I’ll be right back.”

There was the mumble of voices and then Munch heard Mama’s bedroom door close.

Lolly came back upstairs. “She said, yes. You can help me lug my stuff back.”

“Okay.”

As Lolly packed up her things, she said, “I’ve been thinking about something. I haven’t decided yet, but would you mind if I moved over here permanently?”

This was unexpected. “What would Grandma Toady say?”

“I dunno, I need to talk to her. What do you say?”

“Fine by me.”

“Really?”

“Yup."

She smiled at him.