purpose, and it was working.
Claire went to the fridge and gathered the ingredients.
Packaged ham, because that would do in a pinch, and it was
the good, expensive kind of ham. Green and yellow peppers.
Firm tomatoes. An onion from the vegetable drawer. The
block of aged cheddar cheese. She set everything back down
on the island and Jenny was there with a jar of corn salsa in
hand.
“This is the best. A good side.”
“If you’re going to smother it with salsa, I won’t bother
making it taste good.”
Jenny grinned. “As if you could stop yourself. I’m sorry.
I’m a salsa and hot sauce person.” She pulled another bottle
from behind her back. Claire made a noise.
“You’re going to ruin it with that.”
“I know. That’s why I kept it hidden from you.”
“Well, this isn’t five-star dining, so eat it however you want.
I won’t command otherwise.”
Jenny let Claire get busy, pulling out a frying pan and firing
it up, chopping up vegetables and cheese and meat. She
dragged out a chair from behind the island and sat down to
watch. Claire’s hands were thoroughly busy when Jenny said
the magical words.
“She seems sad.”
The knife stilled on the cutting board, the pepper pieces half
diced. She didn’t look up. She refused to look up. “Sad how?”
“She just seems…I don’t know. That’s what Snake said.
She’s staying with her grandma and grandpa. She did go
home, and she talked with her dad, but then she left for her
grandparents’ place and she hasn’t gone back.”