Read Online Solomon's Oak by Jo-Ann Mapson - Free Book Online

if warding off a blow.
    “Please tell me they don’t hit you.”
    Juniper laughed. “People don’t have to hit you to make you hurt.”
    Suddenly the cake looked repulsive to Glory. Thanks to her headache, if she put a bite of the sweetness into her mouth, she knew she’d be sick. She handed Juniper the second plate. “Want mine? I’m not hungry.”
    Juniper slouched on the couch and took tiny bites, making each one last, scraping the fork tines against the plate to get every bit of frosting. “Ms. Proctor always says my next home will be my forever home.”
    Forever home sounded to Glory like the way she talked about her rescue-dog placements. “I’m sorry this is happening to you.”
    “Not as sorry as I am.”
    Dan would have said, “Sit up straight, Juniper,” or sent her back to the table. But Glory didn’t have the heart to tell her to mind her manners. Since Dan died, Glory ate her meals standing in front of the sink, right out of the pan. Sometimes she stood on the back-porch steps and threw whatever she didn’t feel like finishing to the hens. From the freezer she fetched a pint of vanilla-bean ice cream and handed it to Juniper. “Want to go sit by the fire?”
    “I’d rather watch television.”
    “Oops. I don’t have a television.”
    “Whoa. That is beyond retro.” Juniper spooned in a mouthful of ice cream and Edsel whined for a taste, but she didn’t give it to him.
    “Do you have something against dogs?” Glory asked. Juniper took a spoonful of ice cream and Glory heard the telltale click as the spoon met metal—a tongue stud. That was the one piercing she truly couldn’t understand. “Did you get bitten by one?”
    “My family had a dog once. For a couple of days.”
    “What happened to it? Did it get hit by a car?”
    Juniper set the ice cream down and frowned at her. “Please. You know.”
    “Would I have asked if I knew?”
    Color flooded into Juniper’s cheeks. “What is this? Some cheesy psyops thing, you trying to get me to talk about my sister? Did Ms. Proctor tell you to? Did Dr. Lois?” Juniper dropped the spoon and it clattered on the wood floor. Edsel moved in for the kill and dragged it away.
    “Sweetie, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    “Like hell you don’t.”
    Glory got up, walked down the hall to the bedroom, took the spoon from Edsel, and whispered, “Biscuit.” He flew by at Mach 1. Dan had often said that if a foster kid didn’t take to Edsel, the situation was hopeless. Glory opened the cupboard and got a biscuit, then placed it in Juniper’s hand. Juniper threw it across the room, and Edsel, figuring this was a game, went after it.
    “That was uncalled for,” Glory said.
    “ So sorry.”
    “No, you’re not. I’m pretty straightforward, Juniper. I didn’t finish college. I don’t know what’s in style or out. I lost my husband and I have to make this business run in order to keep on living here.”
    Juniper continued to look Glory straight in the eyes. “Then maybe you should think about keeping me. The county pays you money, you know.”
    Glory bit back her words and looked at the clock, dismayed to learn it wasn’t yet midnight. This headache was epic; she would have given her right arm for the missing painkillers. Edsel began hoovering his way across the kitchen in search of crumbs. Striking out, he trotted back to Juniper, placing one paw on her knee. This time, though Glory could tell it was killing her, Juniper didn’t pull away. Edsel lay down next to her, his head on her feet. The fire Glory had started after the guests left was down to embers. Edsel pawed Juniper’s leg and whined. “He’s awfully sweet if you give him a chance.”
    “Only morons give second chances.” Juniper got up from the couch and sat down on the hearthrug in front of the fire.
    If not Edsel for comfort, what would it take? “So,” Glory said, “tell me about your sister’s dog.”
    Juniper gave Glory a searing look. “Did you grow