Chapter 3: Bad VibesCody’s truck rattles up the gravel road, raising a cloud of red dust. Holding Panda, who is hiccupping like crazy, Serena Bainbridge Simpkins turns to make sure her twenty-month old, Pony, is safely in his playpen and no toys are scattered on the linoleum floor. Cody hates it when the kids get under foot.
In the kitchen, she makes some random noise that she hopes sounds like dinner preparation. In reality, the meal is already sitting on the scarred and chipped counter ready for the microwave. The screen door bangs behind Cody. Panda’s hiccups instantly stop. Serena smooths her hair, listening to Cody in the front room.
“Hey, Little Dude,” Cody says to Pony. “How’s my Pony-Boy?” And then, “Where’s your lazy Mama?”
A thought pops into her head, “Why does he always have
