Vanessa followed her cousin into the kitchen where aunt Callista was once again on the telephone, sitting in one of the kitchen chairs and smoking a cigarette with a plate in front of her that held the remnants of her eaten meal…and cigarette butts. Ugh.

Jalissa passed her a plate and while aunt Callista laughed raucously they quietly ate their meal of boiled potatoes and butter, hamburger steak with gravy and mushy canned peas. It was good, even the mushy peas as long as ...