Eighteen Years After Ray Abandoned Him on a Dirt Road, Thomas Found His Mother’s Letter

Pete climbed down off the flatbed with a pencil tucked behind one ear.

“Tom.

Hey.” He looked down at his boots.

“Nobody told me you were coming by.”

“Just passing through.” I stayed by the van door.

“That’s a lot of white oak.”

“Eleven thousand in materials sitting right there.

He wants the frame up before the end of the month.”