LEFT OF SINISTER

CHAPTER NINE

Downstairs he was greeted by Candy who was seated on the large leather couch munching on a sandwich and having a bowl of steaming soup before him on the coffee table. "Ah the prodigal son returns." he said placing the sandwich on the small plate on the table next to the bowl of soup. The large screen television on the table flush against the facing wall was on, but the volume of it was muted.

Down from the couch closest to him was a comfortable Lazy Boy chair. Candy had obviously prepared a lunch for him on a television tray in front of it. It held a bowl of piping hot soup and as well a small plate holding a sandwich.

"Your repast awaits you dear brother." Candy said indicating the meal he'd prepared for him. "Looks delicious." Earl said making his way to the chair and maneuvering his way behind the tray and taking a seat on the Lazy Boy.

"This storm seems to be getting worse." he said now taking up the sandwich. "Seems so, you just might have to spend the night." Candy opined. "Maybe so." Earl replied as he took a big bite of the sandwich and after chewing on it for a bit once more had a sip of the lukewarm coffee in his mug.

"Oh I need a refill." he said now. "The kitchen is that way." Candy said motioning to his right to the way that led to that portion of the house. Earl stood up then and made his way around the living room and through the opening that had no actual door with a knob and on hinges but rather the swinging style of door like those of a saloon in the old west.

He pushed through into the drab atmosphere of the darkening room spotting the island in the middle of the space and the counter to the right of the room and which went down almost the entire length of it ending just before more swinging doors on the wall to the right. Beyond this door on the rear wall was a small window that looked out onto the back porch.

It was here on this portion of a side counter that the coffee urn sat its green light at the bottom indicating it was still on and keeping the contents satisfactorily warm. Looking up he saw the various cabinets that hovered above the counter no doubt holding plates and canned goods and other ingredients for the meals Sage and her daughter-in-law had prepared for the family.

Curious he opened the one there in front of him. Stacks of dishes and numerous cups met his sight. Once he closed it he pulled the cafetiere from its space on the appliance and began to pour himself another cup of black coffee.

When he was done he took in the whole scope of the large room that he could see in the faint light. There were cabinets on every wall save the one across the room from him and beyond the vacant island and was where the sinks were stacked with dishes that awaited the attention of the occupant. Behind those three sinks was a large window that allowed a view of the southern side of the home.

Looking to his right he saw the larger appliances, a microwave stacked on a short shelf where it was stored until needed, and beside it the electric stove and a large double-door refrigerator equipped with a freezer compartment.

Several feet to the right of the fridge was the window that shone onto to the counter where he stood. The saloon door on the wall just before it led into the dining room, which Earl knew they seldom used. A door on the back wall of the dining room led onto the back porch though most of Candy's family when wanting to go into the backyard usually exited the home through the front door and would mosey around the house thinking the journey this way more pleasant than using the door inside whose purpose was for such egress from the residence.

The window framed the growing darkness of the late afternoon and was being peppered with rain the back porch cover little good in preventing it from angling in and striking the window panes and rolling down it like determined worms intent to go to the same place as those before them.