Mom and Richard came back with buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Olive, Frank and I devoured them hungrily as Richard drove us home. When we got there, the house seemed much lonelier. We sat at the table, silent, until Richard started muttering quietly.

"I might get a job," he muttered. "At the drug store downtown."

"But Richard!" Mom exclaimed.

"But Richard what?" asked Richard dryly.

"What about your nine-step program?"

"It's gone down the shitho-" Olive looked at him- "the toilet."

I snickered at his refusal to swear in front of Olive. Richard tried to get on with me, but that didn't stop him from shooting a glare in my direction.

"It's 'bout time you got a job, too, Dwayne. Gotta bring money home."

"Richard, that's all you've been talking about since we left California," Mom accused.

"Well why wouldn't I?" Richard shot back. "We're gonna be broke with you giving up the graveyard shift and I with a shi-" Olive looked at him- "very bad nine step program. Frank can't even work as an accountant as he'll probably try to slit his wrists with the stapler!"

Frank looked down. Richard finally realized what he'd said.

"Frank- buddy, I- I didn't mean it. Sorry. No offence meant."

"None taken."

"Daddy, can I have some more chicken?" Olive asked, finishing off her chicken bone.

Richard sighed. "Olive, you've eaten a whole bucket of chicken."

"I know, but I want some more."

Richard sighed again. "If you keep eating like this, you're going to get very fa-"

He stumbled across the forbidden F-word. We all stared at him, disgusted he would say such a thing.

"I had to tell her. Eating too much will make her fa- fat."

Mom and Frank said and I wrote: Shut UP Richard

Thank God the conversation ended there, as the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Declared Olive, running to the door. She opened the door, to reveal both smiling man and woman.

"You must be the new neighbors!" Mom exclaimed.

"Yes, we're the Geralds." said the Geralds woman. "And this is our daughter, Tallis." She pulled a small fourteen-year old into view. She was quite buxom, with red hair and was wearing a cotton blue dress. I had no idea who she was. Until she blew a giant bubble in my face.