Moments later, a car pulls into the back driveway. Howard runs through the house and watches from the back doorway. It's not his mother in the car, but two of her friends who have been sent to pick him up. Howard climbs quietly in the back seat and gets buckled in before the car drives away. McFarland finishes another cigarette and strolls through the back yard, stopping to look at his apple trees.
Tomato plants wander through the garden next to sweet potatoes and okra.
He bends down to the bell peppers and touches their wilted stalks. They burned up you know. Too much heat, no rain. He waters his newly planted mustard and turnip greens. He lived with his grandfather until he was 15.