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[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] And I brought home some liquid painkiller. He might need to get it every four hours or so. Depend on if the leg s paining him or not. All right. Where he going to be sleeping? With a happy screech, Agway slung Dumpy across the room. Mrs. Soledad hissed as the motion pulled Top Page No 78 on her head. Dumpy hit the coffee table and knocked a vase down. I managed to catch it before it rolled off the table. You right, you know, said Mrs. Soledad. Pardon? You can t thank me enough. At Lunch Agway licked all the butter off his baked potato before eating the potato itself. Then I put him on Dadda s bed for a nap. I sat on the bed and watched him sleep. I would have to stay with him the first few nights to keep him from falling out of the bed, and to keep him company. But he would have to learn to sleep alone soon. After all, suppose I wanted to have an overnight guest? My body tingled with the memories of Gene s skin against mine; of Hector s eyes searching mine. This room looked like an old man s, not a young boy s. I got a bucket from the kitchen and loaded it with Dadda s colognes and creams and medicines from the top of the dresser, leaving only the dust. I got a singlet out of the dresser drawer and used it as a dustcloth. Better. I was halfway to the living room when I remembered the bucket full of medicines I d left in Dadda s room. I went back and got it. Threw them all out. Wasn t making that mistake twice in a lifetime. I took Dumpy from the living room and put him on top of the dresser. More like it. I pulled open Dadda s closet doors. A dry smell drifted out. I dove behind the hanging clothes, took out the suitcase Dadda kept in there. I piled all the clothes from the dresser into it and sat on it till I could get the zipper closed. Beg pardon, Dadda, I whispered. You see that it s in a good cause though, right? Page 115 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html Out in the living room, the land line rang. So loud! It could wake Agway. I got to it on its third ring. Hello? Cal? That s you? Michael? My skin flushed hot. My fingers itched fiercely. Chastity s once favourite mug, her blue-and-white cocoa-tea mug to match the broken plate, rolled out from under the couch. Girl, you never answer your cell phone? Uh, reception still not too good out here. How you got this number? Well. Good to hear from you, too. I heard about your father. Ife called me. I m so sorry. Beg pardon! I was going to phone you. Tomorrow. I just been so busy. I was going to kill Ifeoma. Cal, you don t have to pretend. I know how things stand between you and me. I couldn t think of anything to say to that. Besides, it s hell organizing a funeral. When Orso s sister died last year, all the details simply overwhelmed us, you know. Phoning everyone, and the cards to be sent out, and the flowers. She had left Orso orders that she wanted a wreath made of pink orchids, and he couldn t find any anywhere in the city. Mm-hmm, I murmured. Orso. Michael s man. I would never get used to how affected Michael sounded now. It s so he used to sound when we were growing up? I couldn t remember. But listen to me rattling on, said Michael. To tell the truth, I m nervous. Didn t know if it would be okay to call you. It s good to hear your voice, Mikey. It was, too. That was a surprise. How are you? he asked. It must have been dreadful. I guess I m all right. After all, I knew he was going. Was just a matter of when. And, girl, how did you manage out on that lonely little island for so long? You moving back to Cayaba now? I don t have an apartment there any more. So I m here in Dolorosse. My God. But you re selling that old house, aren t you? You re moving back into the city? Agway came crawling out of the bedroom, his face puffy with sleep. When he saw me, he rocked back onto his behind and sat rubbing his eyes. I m probably going to stay here, I told Michael. He was silent for a second. Then he said, All right. Now he had on his brisk here s what we ll do now tone. What kind of shape that house is in? Top Page No 79 Truth? The outside steps falling down, and the porch feeling sort of rickety. And there s two broken windows that Dadda never fixed, just boarded up. That settles it, then. I m coming out there. Page 116 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html What? Michael Jasper Construction is going to get your house back in shape. You home in the day tomorrow? Yes, but Good. Eleven a.m. do you? Michael, I can t just You will be there? . . . All right. Yes. We ll do a first inspection. Be good to see you again. Ciao, sweetie. But. . . I was talking to a dial tone. I hung up and went to check Agway s diaper. The touch of chagrin I felt when I heard Michael s voice was still there. Three no, nearly five years since I d seen Ifeoma s father. I slept beside Agway that night. About six next morning, I had a hot flash that half woke me up. Then I nearly died of fright when my old red tricycle landed with a crash right beside the bed. Scared the piss out of Agway. It s okay, I said to him. It s a tricycle. Can you say Trike ? He blinked sleepily at me. I got out of bed. My nightgown was soaked through with sweat. I had a look [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |