Covet (Clann)

till the virus has run its course.”
    Mom stood in the open doorway to Emily’s room. “I just don’t understand why the healing drinks aren’t working this time.”
    “I don’t think I’m really sick anymore. I actually feel much better overall. It’s just my stomach that’s irritated now.”
    Apparently the drinkable flu medicine was working. Dad would love hearing that his choice of meds was better than Mom’s herbs and magic.
    “Hmm. Maybe you got your father’s nervous stomach after all,” Mom muttered. “I swear that man eats antacids like candy lately.” She sighed, rubbing a thin hand across her forehead. “Okay, I’ll go back to the store and get you some Sprite and crackers.”
    “Saltines, they said,” Emily added.
    “Right. Saltine crackers. Got it. I guess I’ll call your father on the way and see if he needs anything else, too.”
    “Thanks, Mom.”
    My door opened and Mom poked her head in. “I’m going to the grocery store. Do you want to come?”
    “Sure.” It wasn’t like I had a hot date planned. Or much of anything else now that football season was over. A guy could only work out or listen to so much music.
    I yanked on my boots and tied them, called out a quick goodbye to Emily, then jogged downstairs and out the kitchen door to the garage.
    But as I opened the passenger door of Mom’s car, I realized there was no way I could go with my mother to the grocery store on a Friday night. It was one thing to take a break from dating and another to purposefully commit social suicide without a cause.
    “Uh, on second thought,” I told Mom through the open door. “I think I’ll stay. You know, in case Emily needs something. She probably shouldn’t be alone and sick.”
    Mom frowned, then her lips twitched. “Oh. Right. Friday night. No, we wouldn’t want anyone to see you buying groceries with your mom tonight.”
    Smiling a sheepish apology, I shut the passenger door so she could leave. Then I tried to figure out something to do with my evening.
    My truck. It could use some serious TLC. Usually I cleaned it every couple of weeks, but lately I’d been too busy. Might as well tackle it now.
    I was bent over wiping down the dusty dashboard when movement outside the garage door windows caught my eye. It was Emily. Apparently she felt well enough to get some fresh air like she’d mentioned wanting to do earlier.
    She was wearing socks, house shoes, her long wool coat and a scarf. Satisfied she was dressed warm enough, I started to look away.
    Then some guy came around the side of the house toward her on foot. He looked like he might be around Emily’s age, dressed nice in slacks, loafers and a long wool coat and plaid scarf. He seemed vaguely familiar, but wasn’t anyone we’d gone to school with. One of Emily’s friends from the local colleges? Jacksonville had two junior colleges plus a seminary school. He could be a student at any of them, or a classmate with her in Tyler.
    Whoever he was, Emily seemed to know him. She gave him a hug then stood talking with him, her hands resting in her coat pockets, the occasional smile showing on her face. She wouldn’t have looked quite so relaxed around a stranger.
    Dad pulled up in his car and parked to the side of the garage, probably so Mom could have the only open bay left to unload the groceries from. I figured he’d go inside the house, but he stayed to talk to Emily and the stranger. After a couple of minutes, all three of them began to stroll around the backyard.
    Huh. Okay, maybe the guy was some business associate of Dad’s.
    Thankfully no one seemed to notice me inside my truck in the garage, so I wasn’t obligated to go out and make small talk. I could still go back inside and up to my room without being missed.
    My plan worked. I was in my room for two hours zoning out with the TV before I finally heard Emily come upstairs and go to her room. Within two minutes, the peace of the second floor was shattered by her snoring.
    The fresh air must have really worn her out. Someday I ought to record her snoring. The blackmail possibilities would be endless.
    Grinning, I turned my TV up a little louder to block out the log sawing across the hall.
    Half an hour later, Mom came home. Bored, I decided to go down and see if she’d bought anything other than meds and stuff for Emily. Sometimes I got lucky and Dad would request junk food. He was the only one in the house who could get her to actually buy the stuff, but at