Benecio
The air still felt heavy when we got to the porch but we were done letting it sit there.
Daniel went first. He climbed the steps two at a time and put a hand on Pa's shoulder. Pa was still holding the plate with the foil on it like if he let go the whole night would fall apart.
"Pa," Daniel said. "That brisket smells amazing. You were out here all day for it."
I followed him up. My riding chaps were still dusty and I could feel the heat coming off the plate even through the foil. "Yeah," I said. "Smells like you cooked it low and slow just for us. It smells incredible."
Pa looked at both of us. He tried to smile. It was soft around the edges but you could see the hurt behind it, sitting right there under his eyes. He nodded once. "Thank you, boys."
