Chapter 3

Breakfast was her stepmom’s normal ... a slice of dry white bread toast, a glass ... a small glass of orange juice, not more than 4 ounces ... and a chocolate breakfast drink. Not in the bottle ... in a glass. Had it came in the bottle, she would read the lable and been appalled ... high fructose corn syrup was the FIRST ingredient ... milk chocolate was the second. The ingredients for the chocolate were in parenthesis ... sugar was the first ... corn syrup surgar ... but ... no. It came in a glass. Stepmom thought it was the healthiest of breakfasts.

When mom was alive they had eggs, bacon, biscuits and sausage gravy ... and coffee, black. Mom ate with her and helped guide her in her in planning her daytime activities. With mom, breakfast had been at the cook’s table, in the kitchen ... with the cook, the gardner, the maids, the off duty chauffeur, and, sometimes, usually Saturday, the poolboy. The poolboy was the only employee who ‘lived out.’