Sundays With Ingrid
“I just hate him,” Ty said.
Ingrid felt her face twisting up as though she were about to cry, but no tears came. She was all cried out. They were in Ty’s room, maybe less than two hours after Mia’s father’s one and only visit to 99 Maple Lane, a visit that had changed everything. Even Ty’s wall: there was a fist-size hole in the plaster now, and Ty’s knuckles were bloody. Just in case Ingrid tried thinking that this was some nightmare she could awake from, that hole in the wall – so undeniable – was there to stop her.
Two hours that had begun in raging noise – Mom screaming, Dad screaming back, Mom saying words to Dad that Ingrid had never heard from her mouth, Dad banging out the door, suitcase in hand; and Grampy in the background, his skin colorless, his eyes, normally sky blue, suddenly dark, like the sky at night. Now the house was quiet: Mom in her room, door closed; Dad gone to the farm; Grampy around somewhere.
Any chance it wasn’t true, that Mr. McGreevy was just making trouble? Oh, he was making trouble, no doubt about that, but it had to be true. Dad hadn’t denied it, for one thing. Mia had probably found out somehow – which was why she’d been acting so strange lately, why she was going to New York. Had Mr. McGreevy learned the secret from her? Or maybe, seeing her mood, wormed it out of her? At that moment, Ingrid realized she herself had come close to finding out much earlier, down in that parking lot by the falls. Pretty obvious now who’d been sitting on the bench with Mrs. McGreevy – and don’t forget those quick phone calls in the TT, and Dad’s late trips back to the office, late trips that coincided twice with Ingrid’s sightings of Mrs. McGreevy driving down the street in her green hatchback, face intense under the street lamp: it was true, all right.
“Mom’s way prettier than that bitch,” Ty said.
“I was thinking the same thing,” Ingrid said.
“I didn’t even know he knew her.”
“Me neither.” But at that moment, Ingrid remembered that when Mia and her mother were still new to Echo Falls, a tree had fallen on their lawn and Dad had gone over with the chainsaw. Could it have started way back then? She got a terrible inkling of the kinds of thoughts that must be whirling around in Mom’s head.
There was a knock at the door.
“Yeah?” said Ty.
The door opened. Ingrid had expected Mom, but it was Grampy. His skin was still pale, but his eyes were back to normal.
“You kids eaten?” he said.
They shook their heads.
“Gotta eat,” he said.
“We’re not hungry,” Ty said.
“Makes no difference.” Grampy reached into his pocket, handed them each a Slim Jim. They took the Slim Jims, peeled the tops off the wrappers. Grampy glanced at the hole in the wall, sat on the end of Ty’s bed, beside Ingrid. Ty was sitting up at the head of the bed, back against the pillows. The room wasn’t big, and they were all close together, but for some reason it didn’t feel crowded.
“Grampy?” Ingrid said. “What’s going to happen?”
“Don’t know.”
“Divorce?” Ty said.
“Maybe,” said Grampy. “Eat.”
From Into the Dark.
Tags: Echo Falls Series
This entry was posted on Sunday, October 10th, 2010 at 9:34 am and is filed under Chet The Dog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
4:42 am on October 10th, 2010
Ah Slim Jim's. Grampy is such a good guy. He has seen the world for a long time and you can tell.
5:11 am on October 10th, 2010
Grampy is wise. Hi Staff.
5:19 am on October 10th, 2010
Grampy is more insightful and sensitive then he lets anyone know. Hard on the outside, soft on the inside.
Happy 10-10-10 day, everyone.
Barb is leaving me alone again. Off to Lake Geneva to see family for S-I-L's birthday. Taking all 3 Chet and Bernie books for his gift. TFAT is a signed copy, and she is including a business card, too.
Only good thing about her leaving me is that she is bringing back Baye and Lily for me to play with. Guess I'll take a nap and dream about fun things later in the day.
5:20 am on October 10th, 2010
Hi there B,
I am watching the first day of migration on the operationmigration.org website. They have a live camera up on the ultralight with the whooping cranes. It is cool.
http://www.operationmigration.org/crane-cam.html
5:46 am on October 10th, 2010
Good Morning all, Grampy has definitely seen it all. And tells the truth. That's good. Also Slim Jims. Another plus for having a National Slim Jim Day.
I'm going to check out Staff's link.
5:53 am on October 10th, 2010
Staff: Cool site. I seem to have hit the time when they stop. Have bookmarked it for tomorrow morning.
6:01 am on October 10th, 2010
Yes Melanie,
they have landed now and unless they take the trike with the camera out to the crane pen that is all until tomorrow a.m. Most of today was one crane, I think a younger weaker one, behind the ultralight. They stopped to rest the bird once and we got to see some really close photo's of the crane as it pecked at the ultralight.
It is an amazing program. This is the 10th year I have been following them.
6:18 am on October 10th, 2010
Staff: What time tomorrow do they start? (The advertisement was funny.)
6:19 am on October 10th, 2010
7 am Central to 9 am Central
7:35 am on October 10th, 2010
Riö must be having a long breakfast with Grandma!
7:37 am on October 10th, 2010
Thanks Melanie. Wonder why they have to do it so early. I guess I don't keep crane time.
9:12 am on October 10th, 2010
BStover,
They do it early because of the ultralight planes (trikes) They can't fly if it is too windy (over 5 mph) so the best time of day for them is as early as possible. Later in the day the sun creates thermals which can cause problems for the ultralight and also take the cranes away from them.
The wild cranes use thermals to fly and can go hundreds of miles every day with little effort.
Also I think they want to keep out of the way of any recreational vehicles. Once, years ago, they came across some other ultralights and that will confuse the cranes as they are conditioned to follow an ultralight.
9:20 am on October 10th, 2010
Cranes!….Are these birds the dumbest birds on the planet or what?…snort!… Don’t they know where to migrate to by instinct like all the other birds in the world…grunt!… These guys have to follow a little flying trike to learn where to go?… cough!…This is the strangest thing I have ever heard….grump! …Today anyway.
9:37 am on October 10th, 2010
We like to keep you entertained Rio.
Hey, did the secret decoder device send the picture of Rocky at the squirrel spa to you? Alice went through a lot to get that picture smuggled out.
9:45 am on October 10th, 2010
Alice!….So that’s where he’s been!….grunt!
9:51 am on October 10th, 2010
Rio: They are reintroducing the Whooping Crane into North America. At one time they had been reduced to only 15 birds. This is according to their website.
Staff: I connected the site to my Facebook. I'm going to read more about the work they do. Thanks for the site.
9:53 am on October 10th, 2010
Rockie!… He’s been neglecting his job while lying around at the Nutty Hedges Health Farm and Spa…wheeze!….I’d fire his ass but I’m certain I could not find another squirrel with his skill set…grunt!
[img ]http://chetthedog.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/1286736789-Rockie.gif[/img]
10:12 am on October 10th, 2010
Laughing here, but then wondering if they have an opening.
10:17 am on October 10th, 2010
The whooping cranes winter on the west coast of Florida but I haven't been able to find out where. Our condo is on the west coast.
10:24 am on October 10th, 2010
The are at Chasahowwitzka National Wildlife Refuge. They are not available to the public as they are trying to keep them wild. (Not always successful) If I remember right it is near Crystal city?
http://www.fws.gov/chassahowitzka/
10:27 am on October 10th, 2010
Here are directions from their website:
The Chassahowitzka NWR is located approximately 65 miles north of St. Petersburg, FL. A boat ramp, maintained by the Citrus County, provides a launching point for boats on the Chassahowitzka River for a small fee. To get there take U.S. Hwy. 19 north from St. Petersburg (or south from Perry) to State Road 480. Proceed west on State Road 480, the Chasshowitzka Boat Ramp is located at the end of this road. The refuge is located approximately three miles down river from this boat ramp.
10:33 am on October 10th, 2010
*********BIG SPOILER ALERT – for End of Story **********
******************************************************
***************************************************
Ivy!….We just read where she is visiting him at the hospital and now she has decided to come back at night and help him escape!….grunt!….We suspect he murdered Betty Ann after he found out about the affair….wheeze!…Don’t tell me if I’m right or not. We also think she may not survive this novel….gasp!
10:38 am on October 10th, 2010
Thank you Staff! It's in Brooksville which is only 25 miles from us. I'm going to see if we can go there next time I'm in Florida. I've seen birds that look similar to the crane all around the area but probably another species.
10:40 am on October 10th, 2010
Rio: I shall remain mum until you finish End of Story.
10:53 am on October 10th, 2010
B,
Half of the cranes now winter in another place in Arkansas I think. I don't remember the name. There are quite a lot of the introduced cranes around Chaz so you might very well see one of them.
I love to see them in the wild. I have up here at the Necedah NWR where they train and return to in the summer, but I have never seen them arrive at Chaz.
Depending on when they get down there (it will be December or January probably) you should be able to see their arrival at the Crystal River Mall. They do a fly over with the cranes and then the pilots come back and you can see the trikes, talk to the pilots and even buy Crane mdse.
If you get to do that I will be extremely jealous!
Alice is sleeping next to me and her paws are twitching and her whole tummy is wiggling. She is having quite a dream.
11:00 am on October 10th, 2010
B,
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/crane/01BandingC…
Read about crane #105. You might see him.
11:55 am on October 10th, 2010
Staff: He sounds like a real character.
12:25 pm on October 10th, 2010
OMG!… For the first time ever I have been right about the outcome in one of The Charming Mr. Abrahams stories!….snort!… Does this mean I might be getting a glimpse of the way his mind works… wheeze!… I seriously doubt that, but it does feel good to figure out one of his plots!….YES!…YES!…YES! …The very last line of the book is pure genius. Taking a simple word like “stuck” and twisting its meaning from a writers dilemma to something far more… Well, I don’t want to give away anything to any wanna-bee readers of End of Story … heh!….Another brilliant novel by our most beloved Author!…Thank you!…snort!… Now maybe she can get her laundry done…heh!
12:31 pm on October 10th, 2010
Drat!….The only book we have left to read is The Fan and we don’t want to read that until we are having Baseball withdrawals sometime around January or Febuary…snort! ….Although, we do have the unfinished Last of the Dixie Heroes….sneeze!… Maybe we should pick that up again and see if it is still too upsetting…hmmm….Or maybe we should go to Barnes and Nobles and order a few more…heh! ….There are still dollars on the gift card….snort! snort! ….Any suggestions out there about which book to read next??
12:31 pm on October 10th, 2010
DAMMIT!…grunt!
12:39 pm on October 10th, 2010
Hey everybody! My girl is here! She met Mom and Dad for a movie, then she got home before they did — she has a lead foot! I was so excited to see her that I followed her into the bathroom and wouldn't leave. Which was fine until Mom and Dad got home and I had to go welcome them, too! Trapped in a bathroom — arrrggghhh!!!
12:54 pm on October 10th, 2010
Kirby!…I’ve spent some time in bathrooms…snort!… Not the best room in the house that’s for sure….grunt!
12:56 pm on October 10th, 2010
Rio: Did Ivy deserve that punishment? She frustrated me with her stupidity.
1:02 pm on October 10th, 2010
Rio: Did you read Reality Check?
1:13 pm on October 10th, 2010
Stover!… Deserve it for being blinded by love?…snort!…I think that she thought she had good reasons for doing everything she did…grunt!
1:21 pm on October 10th, 2010
I've been trapped in a bathroom with Newfs. They pay no attention to doors. If they want to see you, BAM, they're in.
1:26 pm on October 10th, 2010
Melanie!…snort!heh!snort!…I'm getting a very funny visual…grunt!
2:08 pm on October 10th, 2010
Rio: I guess it irritated me that Ivy feel in love with him.
There is a series on BBC America — Law and Order UK. I never heard of it before. They're using the same music and changed the slogan to fit. Apparently they're using similar scripts also. Harriet Walter is in it.
2:35 pm on October 10th, 2010
Stover!…When she was at the crossroads of her life she choose to go left instead of right… snort!… It was her destiny. And it made for a helluva good story!…gruff!
Books!… I just ordered Delusion, Bullet Point, Reality Check and The Fury of Rachel Monette….snort!snort!… I couldn’t find any of his other older ones…sniff!
2:51 pm on October 10th, 2010
Hi All,
what a quiet day on the blog. 10-10-10 day is my daughter's birthday so I traveled across state and I'm visiting her and niece and nephew. I need to think of an acronym for her, but I don't know what her job is called!
2:53 pm on October 10th, 2010
Baseball!… Is anyone watching the Giants vs Braves game??…snort!…Its pretty exciting. Close game in the bottom of the 9th!…wheeze!
3:00 pm on October 10th, 2010
Braves!….The Braves fans have a really cool chant they do …snort!…Its sounds like a tribe of Indians around the campfire…heh!
3:01 pm on October 10th, 2010
Dammit!…The Giants win again…crap!
3:03 pm on October 10th, 2010
Fattie!…I think those stupid Cranes took the spark out of everyone today…grunt!… Dumb birds… sniff! …. Did you see Rockie getting a massage? ….grump!
3:04 pm on October 10th, 2010
Mom said she had a senior moment today. Not sure what that is, exactly. My girl's a senior at her college — has been for years — but Mom doesn't go to college. Anyway, after the movie they went to the bookstore, and Mom decided to get my girl a copy of DOI, because Mom wasn't going to let her take our autographed copy — and it is ours, addressed to both Mom and me! — back to school with her. But then she remembered she had gotten her a signed copy at the book festival, so she had to get the box of signed books she got for gifts and look through it — not there. I guess she just thought about doing it, but didn't follow through!!!
That kat is back! This time she's sitting a little closer, trying to hide among the plants on Mom's desk. She thinks I don't see her, but I do. Here kitty, kitty. Just a little closer and I'll be able to get you!!!
She must be able to sense my thoughts — she just took off. Maybe next time!!!
3:10 pm on October 10th, 2010
Rio,
Have you ever read the Mark Harris trilogy about baseball. The Southpaw, Bang the Drum Slowly, and It Looked Like Forever. The best one is Bang the Drum Slowly. It was made into a movie and was one of the earlier Robert DeNiro flicks.
I also enjoy reading The Year the Yankee's Lost the Pennant by Douglass Wallop. It is the book that they made the musical Damn Yankee's from. Or (for B) It is the book from which they made the musical Damn Yankee's.
3:20 pm on October 10th, 2010
Staff!….No.
DeNiro!…He must like to be in baseball movies…heh!…Did Alice ever wake up? What was she dreaming about anyways?…snicker!
3:36 pm on October 10th, 2010
Stover!…. Miles from Rubicon is going to be on the Good Wife!…heh!…That should be fun!…snort!…This will give us another perspective on his talent as an actor…gruff!
3:41 pm on October 10th, 2010
Alice didn't say but to me it looked like she was dreaming about running or about catching mousies. Hard to tell. She was having a good time though. When she woke up she put her paws tight over her eyes and had a real good stretch.
I am doing laundry too and must go change things from one machine to the other.
3:52 pm on October 10th, 2010
Rio: Do you know when Miles will be on Good Wife? Rubicon is on in a few minutes here.
4:15 pm on October 10th, 2010
Alice, have a good stretch for me. Perhaps the two of us should go to Rocky's spa.
Ta,Ta until tomorrow.
4:22 pm on October 10th, 2010
Miles!… I just caught part of the advert, it sounded like he will be on the Next New Episode!…snort!…We will watch it through On Demand probably…grunt! …He looked a bit more like a normal person…heh!
5:09 pm on October 10th, 2010
Hmmmphf!… Everyone is busy doing something else or sleeping tonight…grunt!…That’s okay – I am tired too tonight…yawn!…After reading all afternoon and doing practically nothing, I don’t know how I can be tired….sniff!…We started watching this movie called, “The Forgotten”….cough!…It is very intriguing so far, I hope they don’t ruin the ending… grump!
5:11 pm on October 10th, 2010
Rubicon was good tonight. I can't figure it out. Next week is the season finale.
5:23 pm on October 10th, 2010
Stover!…She’s still here! Thank goodness because someone, not me, but someone is getting freaked out by this movie…grunt!…She said she would feel better about sleeping tonight if she had a bigger dog to protect her…snort!…What the hell does that mean??
Rubicon!…It must be really good if Stover can’t figure it out!…heh!… Now she’s checking all the doors, as if that’s gonna help…snort!
5:37 pm on October 10th, 2010
AHHHH!…. My friend is seriously freaked out by this movie… gasp!… Who else has seen this?…snort!…There is 20 more minutes of terror left…gulp!…We are snuggling together on the couch with pillows and blankets ….AHHHHH!…gasp!
5:58 pm on October 10th, 2010
Rio: My girl is a big horror movie fan — but not me! When she was 2 "The Wizard of Oz" was on TV one night and Mom and Dad were worried that she would be freaked out by the witch and the flying monkeys, but she didn't blink an eye. She loved the movie — not that that's a horror movie, but there are some seriously scary parts. She never outgrew that love for scary stuff — last week she went to see "Case 39," and she said it was really scary — but she loved it, of course!
Good luck with your movie — I hope you don't dream about the boogeymen tonight!!!
6:05 pm on October 10th, 2010
Kirby!… It wrapped up all neat and tidy just they way we were dreading it would be… snort!…So all the fear is gone. It was still a semi-decent story. The ending was not the way I would have gone…heh!
Girl!… I am glad your girl is home with you now!…snort!…Too bad it is a very short visit, but take what you can get at this point…wheeze! …She will probably move back in with you once she graduates and starts looking for a job…grunt!
6:26 pm on October 10th, 2010
Macy disgusted, and out.
3:37 am on October 11th, 2010
I just realized that, when I read about Grampy in the Echo Falls books, in my mind I'm picturing Frasier's father, Martin Crane (played by John Mahoney). He had that same gruff, crusty exterior that cracked at times to reveal a softer, caring interior.