Past Forward- A Serial Novel: Episode 16 Read Online Free PDF

screen would hide it. Why go red if you can ’ t see it, you know? ”
    Chad nodded absently. “ Ok … ”
    “ Well, if I paint the screen, I get that bright and cheerful door after all. A gallon will probably be too much but it ’ ll be good for touch ups. ’
    “ Red. Got it. Anything else? ”
    She smiled to herself. “ Do you remember last summer when I had a bad day and you brought me some chocolate thing? ”
    A grin spread slowly over Chad ’ s face. “ I do indeed .”
    “ Can I have another one? ” She hesitated. “ I promise I won ’ t eat the paper this time .”
    “ You can have a case of ‘ em .”
    Willow smiled to herself. “ That ’ s ok. Just one will do. Thanks , Chad. I ’ m going back to sleep now .”
    “ Sleep on the couch ; it ’ s more comfy .”
    “ That ’ s your opinion, ” she argued. “ Nothing beats nostalgia on a June morning .”
    She was still sleeping as Chad pulled slowly into the yard. He pushed his door shut gently, grabbed the grocery bags from the back of the truck , and crept past her to the back door and into the house. He set the table with bowls, spoons, and a gallon of milk. He filled glasses of orange juice , fried bacon in a pan on the stove in the summer kitchen, and then crept out the front door to wake her.
    “ Willow, breakfast ’ s ready .”
    “ Wha —”
    “ I brought home breakfast. Come on, the bacon is getting cold! ” He shook her shoulder glancing at the empty glass of water. At least she ’ d taken hydration seriously.
    She dragged herself off the swing and followed him clumsily into the kitchen. “ I am so tired .”
    Chad looked at her sharply. Dark circles beneath her eyes made her look as though she hadn ’ t slept in days. “ You look it .”
    “ Ever the flatterer — what is this? ”
    “ Cereal smorgasbord! I bought all of my favorite kinds and the one M om likes .”
    “ Frosted Mini-Wheats, Cocoa Puffs, Lucky Charms, Fruit Loops, Cap ’ n Crunch Berries, and Wheaties? Let me guess, your mom likes Wheaties. They just sound closer to real food .”
    He shook his head. “ Nope, she likes Cap ’ n Crunch. I think it ’ s gross , myself. I got the berries because I think it makes them more edible .”
    “ What ’ s with the milk? We have plenty —”
    “ Well, your milk is good, for goat ’ s milk that is, but cold cereal was designed for cow ’ s milk. It ’ s like eating pizza without the sauce .”
    As he spoke, Chad filled his bowl with Cocoa Puffs and smothered it in milk. She reached for the first box, poured a tiny bit in the bowl, poured milk over it and took a bite. As she chewed, she read the box ingredients, glanced over the packaging, and then closed it. “ Lucky Charms are gross . Tri-sodium phosphate? I use that to clean. ”
    “Then your insides will be clean.”
    She picked up the Fruit Loops box and repeated the scenario. At the end of her buffet of cereals, she pronounced Wheaties the winner with Frosted Mini-Wheats a close second. “ The orange juice was really good too .”
    She rinsed her glass and poured half a glass of milk as she reached for a cold slice of bacon. “ I love bacon. Mother would bring it home sometimes , and the butcher usually brought us a pound of it with the cow if Mother remembered to ask .”
    She took a drink of milk and nearly choked. Chad ’ s expression was priceless. “ What ’ s wrong? ”
    “ It ’ s awful! It tastes like — like, some kind of chemical. I don ’ t know how to explain it but it ’ s almost dusty tasting or something. Ew .”
    Chad quickly poured him a glass and took a large swallow. “ Tastes great to me .”
    “ Oh , that is just — ew .” She watched fascinated as he guzzled the rest of his drink and then poured the rest of hers into his glass. “ Here, finish mine then .”
    She stared at the boxes of cereal on the table. “ Do you realize how many boxes we have? It ’ ll take forever to eat all of this! ”
    Chad grinned. “