A week later Munch was in Ong noi’s studio. Lee was there too. The kid was fidgety. He was making the table rock. Ong noi said, “Please, be still cháu trai*.” (*grandson)

“Sorry Ong noi.”

It was hard enough to paint letters, but trying to work on his ink painting was impossible. Munch lay down his brush.

Ong noi told him, “I think you best move to my table for this lesson.”

Immediately Lee whined, “Why’s he get to sit there? I never get to sit there.”

With a hint of ice in his voice, Ong noi said, “You have not yet earned the privilege. In time, but not yet.”

Angry Le leapt to his feet. “Well then, I am just going to go home.”

“Ah, cháu trai if you do that you will not be allowed to return to lessons with Michael.”

Munch had seen Grandma Toady field many a fit with Mitzi. Would Lee leave or stay? The little boy’s face was flushed with anger. Would the anger get the best of him? He looked at Munch. In that moment Munch had to decide if he should encourage Lee to stay or not. After all this was between Lee and his grandfather. Not having Lee in class would be a easier, but did he really want him to leave all together? Aloud he said, “I will miss you if you go.”

Small brows furrowed. Lee gave Munch an appraising look and asked, “Really?”

“Yes.” It was true.

“Okay, Ong noi. I will stay.”

Munch gathered his ink block, water, brushes and rice paper and went to Ong noi’s drafting table. When he sat down on the swivel stool, he felt like he had just entered a sacred place. The drafting table was old and made of oak. It had brass knobbed drawers. He spread his painting out. It was coming along. The mountains that rose in the gray sky looked almost real. In silence he began to work. He could hear the brush strokes of Lee and Ong noi. They were a trinity of ink, water and paper.

Too soon the time was up. Munch studied the painting. While it was good, he had a long way to go before he could paint in the classical style. Ong noi stood over his shoulder and said, “The birds you added today are quite lovely. This is a very good first attempt.”

“Thank you Sir.”

Lee whined, “I want to see, I want to see!” He clambered into Munch’s lap. “Oh Crunchy, its good! I want to paint like you some day.”

The compliment warmed Munch to his core. He had never been anyone’s role model before. “Thanks Lee.”

Lee hopped out of his lap and said, “Time for tea and cookies!”

In the garden, The tea tray was on the table and Mama and Thahn Ho were in the swing. Hoa was in Thanh Ho’s lap. Munch was surprised to see Mama there, he thought Grandma Toady was going to pick him up. Mama smiled at him. She didn’t look as happy as she should. That man was coming home tomorrow and she was usually dancing on clouds the night before he arrived.

*

Waiting for the bus in the mornings was a bit weird since Max was no longer there. Max at times could be a buffer or a distraction. This morning Munch missed him like crazy. He needed a buffer and a distraction. Lolly was in a mood. It was obvious Mitzi had picked out her clothes this morning. Lolly was wearing a long flowery dress with matching sandals. If not for the frown on her face, she would look really lovely in the morning light…but that frown was deep. When she looked like that, Munch knew better than to ask her what was wrong. He stood in silence beside her praying the bus would hurry up and come.

Abruptly, Lolly said, “I am not staying with ya’ll this week.”

The way she said it made Munch feel like part of the enemy. “Okay.”

She asked, “Want to know why?” Did he? No not really. Before he could say anything, she continued, “It pisses me off that they are going on a weekend. Your mother could have taken two week days off and gone. But, no she has to hog my pa.”

Okay. This was the harshest Lolly had ever said about Mama, maybe anyone. Munch let out a slow whistle, “Wow. That was sweet.”

Lolly just glared at him.

The rumble of the bus sounded in the still morning air. No further discussion was attempted. On the bus, Munch sat behind Lolly. He was mad and he didn’t want to sit with her.

When King Trevor got on the bus, he plopped down beside Lolly. Mrs. Anderson didn’t tell him to go to his seat. She must have seen Lolly’s frown too. So, how was Trevor going to react to this grumpy Lolly? Within seconds, Munch was sure Trevor regretted his choice, Lolly was not talking to him either. At the school they parted ways. Munch went to the art room.

Thahn Ho was working on another drawing of Hoa, her cat. She glanced up at Munch and smiled. He slid into his chair and asked, “How’s it going?”

“Oh, Michael, Lolly asked me to spend the night with her Saturday night and my mom said I could!” Her smile was so big.

“Really!” Wow! This was the best news ever.

“Yup. I am not allowed to go to your house though.” She waited for him to respond. In her eyes was a trace of fear.

He smiled and said, “I understand. There is a whole farm to be together in.”

“Yes, there is.”

The rest of the day, Munch just floated. When school was out and he headed toward the bus, he saw Lolly and waved. Her return wave totally lacked enthusiasm. Once they were on the bus, Munch asked, “Why didn’t you tell me Thahn Ho was going to be spending the night?”

For the first time that day, a smile tugged at Lolly’s lips. She said, “Thahn Ho wanted to tell you. You’re happy right?”

“Yes, very.”

The drive home was a quiet one. Lolly and Munch were lost in their own separate thoughts. The bus stopped. Munch gazed out the window. That man’s truck was in the drive. Beside him, Lolly let out a sigh and said, “Time to face the music.”

Usually when her pa was in town, Lolly ran down the drive, but not today. Today, she was literally dragging her feet. Munch hung back. He didn’t want to be part of whatever came next. Still, he wanted to be able to hear and see whatever came next. When Lolly reached her pa, she gave him a brief hug and then headed for Grandma Toady’s trailer. The look on that man’s face actually made Munch feel sorry for him. His eyes were red rimmed and his mouth was slack, like he had just been sucker punched. It wasn’t like Lolly to be so cold. Since the only way to get into the house was to walk passed that man, Munch stepped forward. He made his way to where that man stood frozen. It would be impolite to not speak. Munch let out a “Hey.”

That man turned to him. He brushed his hand against his eyes and said, “Hey, how’s it going?”

“Okay. I’m living in a bit of a hen yard, since Max left. It will be nice to have you around.” What the hell? Why had that come out of his mouth? Was he possessed or something?

A slow smile spread across that man’s face. “Thanks, Munch. I needed to hear that.” Together, they walked inside.

Mama was in the kitchen fixing some kind of tuna casserole. It smelled gross already. That man wrinkled his nose ever so slightly. Mama asked, “Where’s Lolly?”

That man cleared his throat, before he spoke. “Uh, she went to the trailer.”

Those five words crushed Mama. She bowed her head and stared at her hands. Without looking up she asked, “Do you think I should go talk to her?”

In unison that man and Munch said, “No.”

“Why not?”

Munch answered, “Because she’s in a really foul mood.”

With a hitch in her voice Mama asked, “It’s because of this weekend right?”

That man said, “Maybe.” He looked at Munch and asked, “Any suggestions?”

Munch wanted no part of this. He shook his head.

That man said, “Well, Lolly can just sulk. I’m gonna go get cleaned up. We’re leaving at 8:00 p.m.”

“But Trace, shouldn’t I try to patch things up with Lolly before we leave?”

That man said, “No. We’ll be back Sunday night. It can wait.”

Mama asked, “Are you sure?”

“Yes. Lolly’s not a child. We are married and that’s not going to change. Just give her some time.”

To Munch’s dismay, Mama flew into that man’s arms. This was Munch’s cue to go to his room. He swerved passed Mama and that man and zipped into his room. Through the window he could see Grandma Toady’s trailer. Saturday night, Thahn Ho would be there all night. ALL NIGHT!