Moose and Goose

Chapter Nine

David, Judith, and her household are sitting at her dining table with their plates of the pot roast before them.

"Tell me that story again," Walter asks David with a toothy grin. David bites his food off of his fork.

"Honey, he's told us three times already," Sheryl reminds him. Stevie stares at him, and his twin sister, Vera, takes a sip of her vanilla milk. "Let the boy eat before it gets cold."

"I don't mind," he assures them once he's swallowed what's in his mouth. He clears his throat, then turns to Walter. "I found Judith lingering around the student lounge. She needed a ride to church, so, me being a man with a brain, I offer her one. We're driving, then all of a sudden, smoke lifted from the hood."

"I thought you said your tire popped," Stevie cuts him off, and all eyes fall on him.

"Let him finish," Walter says to his son under his breath.

"It's okay, he's right. I'm glad you're listening closely because me being so tired, I might say a cow ran out in front of us." Sheryl, Walter, and Vera chuckle at his joke. Judith pokes her food with her fork, a dull expression on her face that her brother notices. "As little man said, my tire gave out on us. Now, my Dad is a trucker and a workhorse, so what I've learned from him isn't much. On the other hand, my uncle is retired, so when he's golfing, he's telling me everything I need to know. In this case, how to change a tire."

"This is the part that kills me every time," Walter giddily announces through laughter. "Go on, son."

Stevie and Judy glance at each other, then at their plates.

"I'm changing the tire, then out of nowhere, a cop car pulls up behind mine, and this man about as big as you walks up to me demanding my license," he continues. "Now, I'm a church-going man, and with my lady in the car, I don't want her to see me tell this honky who he's dealing with because it's not the fact that he asked, but - I'm changing my tire. Shouldn't your first thought be to help?"

"Yes, but when they see a brother with a ride like yours around here, they assume it's stolen," Walter reminds him.

"Yeah, I learned that months ago when my dad bought it for me." He takes a deep breath. "But, anyway, he checked my license, and when he saw that my last name was Cambridge, it's like he had a big slice of humble pie. He started asking about my family and where I'm from, then showered me with praise and apologies when he realized who my people were. Now, imagine if my Dad was a coal miner and my grandfather wasn't mayor years ago."

"I'm just thankful that you're both okay," Sheryl chimes in. Judith tightens her grip on the fork, her palm and fingers burning. "Let's change the subject before I lose my appetite again. What'd you all think of today's service?"

"I liked it," Vera says with a nod.

"Me too." David flashes her a smile then looks at Sheryl. "If I'm frank, though, Mrs. Mayfield changed the tone of the message for the worst."

"I was trying not to say anything," she speaks in a low voice. "But those pearls looked about as authentic as store-bought gold."

"I couldn't have said it better myself. Boy, I'm glad that you invited me to dinner," David says. "I enjoyed your company and this talk."

"Likewise. When will you be joining us again?" Judith huffs and steals their attention.

"Is everything okay, Judy?" He places his right hand against her back, and she jolts to her feet.

"I'm not feeling - I have to go." She rushes out of the dining room, and everyone watches her.

"Must be because of what I said about the officer," he says with a dry chuckle. Stevie narrows his eyes at David as if he's attempting to read past the mask he's wearing.