[b] Sunday 6th of August, 2017[/b]

Duncan had already been up since before dawn.  He’d eaten a large breakfast - yet another normal practice.  On Sundays even the Millers normally spent time together - unless Mom had an emergency at the hospital or Dad had some special project going that demanded his attention.  The latter was rare though, so Sunday was often a Dad day.  Once breakfast was done Duncan had spent a couple hours fussing over his garden.

++++++++

It usually Duncan who answered the door, but a Japanese woman named Masumi, the Millers’ butler. Duncan was right behind the woman taking advantage of his height to look over her shoulder.  His hand started forward and shrank back.

“I know; I know,” he grumbled.  “Gotta ask Mom.”  He grinned at Isla.  “Mom is on a health kick.  Oh, any nuts?  Mom work at the UNM Medical Center.  Some of her patients are kids.  Masumi has banned me for the kitchen in the past for using the same knife to get mayonnaise and mustard.  But some of the kids are allergic and that means I have to be careful.”

“And you are going to be working with kids yourself, Duncan,” Masumi reminded him.

Duncan looked thoughtful for a moment.  “Good point.”  He looked back at Isla and Adam.  “I’m going to be a TA with middle school kids this year.”

Dr. Isabelle Miller poked her head around the corner of the hallway and raised her voice just enough to interject her own welcome.  “Well, come on in!  Isabelle Miller.  And as my son just stated, there is an M.D. after that.  I teach at the university.  Jonathan is an engineer at Sandia Labs.  We were going to ambush you at your place but looks like you beat us to the punch.”

Duncan was grinning.  “Mom, I think you just channelled Dad.”

Isabelle smiled.  “Yes, the cookies are fine.  But don’t spoil your appetite.  Not sure if that is even possible.”  She looked back up at Adam.  “We were going to invite you over some time for a barbecue before cold season starts up.  That is still a month or so away though.  So very sorry we missed you yesterday, but Jonathan and I were at the La Luz Trail Run.  We didn’t get selected to run, but we worked as volunteers to assist runners.  Duncan was going to try the Run, but probably just as well he didn’t.”

“You know I’d have made it.  I’m too stubborn to give up,” Duncan stated.  He wasn’t in denial.  His tone suggested he believed it.  He looked at Adam and Isla.  “Last year this time I was in a hospital.”  Duncan saw the look on his mother’s face.  It was time to change the subject.  “Oh!  Veggies and fruits!  Mom, mind if I …”

Isabelle brightened visibly.  And about that time Jonathan Miller arrived around the corner of the hallway behind Isabelle.  “Of course.  Excellent idea.”

Duncan nodded.  “Before they stock up on fresh foods.”  He looked back at Isla and Adam again.  “We have three fruit trees that are loaded with fruit.  They weren’t pruned right.  Now I am having to prop up branches on the peach tree to keep them from breaking - main branches.  The peaches are the size of softballs.  We have baking apples and cherries too.  If you folks cook, we have just about every veggie that grows around here - plus a couple that don’t in a greenhouse.  The corn isn’t doing well though.  Can’t figure out why.  The Hopi and Navajo had no problems.  Anyways, we have squash - yellow, buttercup, and zucchini - eggplant, tomatoes, green beans, spinach, bell peppers, jalapenos, green onions, baby carrots, cucumbers, and cabbage.  Masumi took over part of my greenhouse with some herbs - not that I am complaining. We have raspberries, a horrible grape vine that should be put out of its misery.  I started a strawberry patch, but it will be next year for those.

“Oh … and if you fish or hunt, I started a worm bed last year if you need bait.  I have some friends with the police and Marines, who do stuff with the Rod and Gun Club on base.  I know several good places to fish within an hour or so.”