Flumes Vol. 6: Issue 1, Summer 2021 | Page 31

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going to happen Whatever “it” was about her, it was the reason he was going to kill Gregory Conlin. She would never approve of such a thing, but she would be happier with him out of the world, and Tommy was her self-appointed guardian. What did smitten mean? He pondered these important questions until he fell asleep still in his clothes. Morning brought no new answers.

***

That Sunday had been chosen for the Bryant family to go to Amy’s parents’ condo and paint the entire second floor. Tommy Sr. and Paul, Amy’s father, would tape and paint the three bedrooms, Amy would paint the bathroom, and Tommy would paint the window trim. Amy’s mother, who Julie had been named after, and Julie would fix lunch and then a big dinner. Grandmother Julie thought of herself as teaching her granddaughter an important skill for attracting a husband, which, at 17, Julie had no interest in, but she hated painting, so the choice was easy.  

Most of the day dragged pretty slowly until the men finished the rooms they had worked on individually and starting on the third bedroom together. They had congratulated each other on what a great job each had done on their individual rooms, but could not agree on how the third room should be painted. They finally agreed to splitting the room in half, and they would each paint their half as they saw fit. Only they could see a difference in the two halves when they were finished. Tommy had paced himself so that painting six windows took the same time as painting the three bedrooms. Amy had finished the bathroom by lunchtime, and had stayed in the kitchen when the men had gone back to the second floor.

Dinner had all Tommy’s favorites, but he hated pickled beets. His grandfather was always trying to get him to try them, but he thought they tasted like dirt. Dinner went quietly with pleasant conversation until near the end Tommy decided it was time to initiate his plan. “Grandpa, Dad says that President Meredith is the best President in American history.” Amy mouthed,