“We all love Uncle Jim very much, but you never know what kinda mood he’s gonna be in,” Mom said, as she ashed her Vantage 100 cigarette out the window and turned the 1973 Vista Cruiser wagon onto highway 28.

“I hate it when he locks the front door and turns up the Alice Cooper music as soon as we get there. Doesn’t he love us enough to get up and answer the door?” Gina said.

“Of course he does – especially you too. We’ve been there for him. He’s my brother. You and I both love talkin’ to him, but he’s just not been the same since Dad died,” Mom said, accelerating to pass an older motorist. Mom put her cigarette out in the ashtray and looked at her two kids through the rear view mirror. Jason and Gina looked back at her and through her and she almost lost it.

Jason, the oldest, started to defend his Uncle Jim but thought better of it.

“There’s Simpy – Jim’s got him chained to the front screen porch again,” Gina said as Mom pulled the station wagon into Grandma’s driveway.