Read Online Annihilate Me 2: Vol. 1 by Christina Ross - Free Book Online

isn’t it Barbara?”
    “Tears are threatening to sting my eyes.”
    “Talk to me about love in five
years,” Immaculata said.
    “I could talk to you about love
right now, and but you’d only look as if I’d just struck you dumb with a brick.   So why bother?”
    “Always so sharp.”
    “Always so transparent.”
    “So, let’s just get down to it,”
she said.   “I’m assuming you’re
going to Dufort’s party tonight?”
    “Why wouldn’t we be?   He’s a dear friend.   His father was Alex’s mentor.”
    “You mean, after Alex’s father
killed his wife, and then himself?”
    “That’s right.”
    “And here I thought that you and
Alex would back out at the last minute, and stick your necks in the sand
because of the shame he’s brought upon Wenn.   So, lucky me—I get to see you
twice in one day.”
    “And at the very place where I
first slapped you across the face—not that I’m above doing that
again.   How about if you and I make
some more memories tonight, Immaculata?   Why don’t you and I really have at it, and try for Page Six again?”
    Before Immaculata could respond to
that, Epifania came around the corner in a white
dress that fit her so tightly, she looked like a stack of toilet paper that had
been plunged into a tub of water.   “ Epifania go to party, too,” she said.   “And you know how Epifania get at the parties, everyone.   Epifania bring the vroom, vroom, vroom!”
    “Is this really happening?”
Blackwell said.   “Or have I somehow
died, and this is what a Mexican hell looks like?”
    I looked at Epifania ,
and I felt sorry for her.   She’d
always been kind to me, and she was a nice girl.   She was just in over her head in this
world, and people like Immaculata, who likely befriended her because of her
money, were determined to keep her clueless about how to behave in it.
    “Barbara!” Epifania said as she walked toward us.   “How
you always look so pretty?”
    Blackwell patted her bob.   “Wheatgrass,” she said.
    “Wee- Wha ?”
    “Health foods, Epifania .   Ice.   Roughage.   Look into it.”
    “How about the Cheeken Nugget?   Epifania love the nugget—pink slime and all.   She no care.   Where Epifania come from, you eat every part of the animal, so
why not the beak, the eyeball, and the asshole, too?”
    “ Epifania !”
Immaculata scolded.
    “Well, it true.   I haven’t gone belly up yet.”
    “You should consider a more healthy
lifestyle,” Immaculata said.
    “This from the woman whose head I
pulled out of a toilet last week.   Too
much of the Goose.   She got drunk,
but Epifania and Mama Guadalupe help her out, so it
all good—even when it was really bad.”
    I watched the horrified expression
that overcame Immaculata’s face as Epifania extended her arms to Blackwell, apparently oblivious
to the tension thrumming between us.   “I didn’ know you come this morning,” she said to Barbara.   “What surprise.   It been too long.   Give Epifania a hug and a kiss.”
    “I don’t hug.   I don’t kiss.   Ever.”
    “Oh, come on.   That right.   Each cheek.   We all better, no?”
    “We’re fine, Epifania .”
    “Good, because I can tell you
this.   You never know which way fart
gonna blow when Epifania in the room.”  
    Blackwell blinked.   “What does that even mean?”
    “You don’ wanna find out.   Mama Guadalupe make the
beans for dinner last night.   I
still not past the rumbling.”
    “Where is your mother now?”
Blackwell asked.
    “She peeking up one of my messes.”
    “You don’t say?”
    “That what Mama Guadalupe paid to
do.   Good work if you can get it.”
    “Can I ask you a question, Epifania ?” said Blackwell.
    “Sure.”
    “Who picked that dress out for
you?”
    “Immaculata.   She always have my back.”
    “Or she’s stabbing it.”   Blackwell turned to Immaculata, who
suddenly looked on edge.   “You chose
this for her?”
    “It’s one of many dresses