บท 33: Chapter 33

“You should be with family,” Uncle Steve insisted stubbornly. He saw from my expression that I wasn’t buying it. “You are family, Mark.”

“And you realized that when?” I made an impatient sound. “Look, the past can’t beundone. I imagine you want to get out of here as much as I do. I’ll be back tomorrow in time for the closing of the casket.”

“What about after the burial service?”

“What about it?”

“Jesus, you’re not making this easy for me, Mark.”

I got up in his face. His eyes widened, and he backed hastily away from me. “Listen to me, Steve. One of her boyfriends kept her from beating me so badly I’d have been crippled for life. One of her boyfriends saw I was sent away to school and got a decent education. If they want, I’ll call them family. But as far as I’m concerned all we, you and I,” I mocked his earlier choice of wording, “share is a last name, apair of ears, and the same color eyes.”