Continuation
Continuation of July 1999

"That would definitely be feasable," said Suz. She turned back to Aunt Rose, who leaned to look over Suz's shoulder at Veata.

"Now who is that girl?" she asked with suspicion in her voice. Ed knew what she was thinking; all his relatives seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"Hey." Veata poked Ed in the shoulder with the arm she wasn't using to hold the sulking lump that was her son. "So what do you do?" They began to walk to the house, where Ed assumed Veata's husband was.

Ed winced. He really needed to get a better job, one that he wouldn't be ashamed to allude to at parties. "I'm a trucker."

"Ah." She nodded slowly, and chugged some beer. "So you're away from home a lot?"

"Yeah..." Ed didn't have a home of his own. He stopped in at his parents' to sleep from time to time, but he was on the road as much as possible. "I'm on the road most of the time. It's starting to make me a little crazy."

Veata swallowed another mouthful of beer and smiled. "I know how it feels.... Well, actually, I don't."

"It's alright. I didn't expect you to." Ed froze. He hadn't meant to insult her. Had she taken it as an insult.

"Ah, here's my hubby." Veata transfered the squirming mass of child from her hip to the floor. "Would you take George home, hon? Kid won't...leave me..." She trailed off as her husband stood, towering over her.

"You can take the kid home. Me, I'm gonna stay here and chat with Peter."

Ed's cousin waved at him from the couch.